Category: English

Source: APO

The ECOWAS Commission convened the Fourteenth Session of the Convergence Council by videoconference on September 7, 2026, to review progress towards the establishment of the ECOWAS Single Currency, The ECO, targeted for launch in 2027.

The Session considered the report of the 68th Meeting of the Committee of Governors (CoG) of the Central Banks of ECOWAS Member States, held on 4 September 2026. The CoG meeting followed the 3rd Joint Meeting of the Technical Committee on Macroeconomic Policies of the ECOWAS Commission and the Technical Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), held from 31 August to 2 September 2026.

The meetings reviewed the economic performance and convergence status of Member States and assessed progress on the outstanding requirements for the launch of the ECO. Participants noted that the objective of launching the ECO in 2027 remains achievable. The Council requested ECOWAS Commission to immediately convene the Meeting of the Presidential Task Force to fast track the process.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

The National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students branch in the Southern Region has presented the Denden Award to 77 outstanding students, including 34 female students, who attained a GPA of 3.0 or above in the national school-leaving examination for the 2025/2026 academic year. The award ceremony, held for the fifth time, took place on 8 September in Dekemhare.

Mr. Filmon Mesfun, head of the union branch in Dekemhare sub-zone, said that 84% of the awardees had previously received the Indomaso Award for attaining high scores in the eighth-grade national examination.

Mr. Yemane Abera, administrator of the sub-zone, noted that the recognition places greater responsibility on the outstanding students and urged them to work hard and become competitive in their college studies.

In related news, Bisha Junior and High School in Barentu sub-zone has recognized outstanding students who attained high GPAs in the national school-leaving examination.

The awardees include 11 outstanding students who attained GPAs ranging from 3.0 to 3.8 and four who attained a perfect GPA of 4.0.

Noting that the achievements were the result of the efforts and commitment of students, parents and teachers, Mr. Legese Hadish, director of the school, called on the award-winning students to excel in their college studies to realize their aspirations.

Mr. Tesfa’alem Bahta, administrator of Barentu sub-zone, underlined that the educational journey requires patience and commitment. He called on the award-winning students to build on their achievements in the national school-leaving examination and strive for excellence in their college studies.

Mr. Mahmud Ali Jabra, secretary of the PFDJ in the Gash Barka Region, and Mr. Yasin Mohammed, head of the education office in the region, congratulated the award-winning students and their parents and called for continued efforts to recognize and encourage outstanding students.

From 2023 to 2026, Bisha Junior and High School presented awards to 176 outstanding students.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

The Government is set to write off more than Shs35 billion in tax arrears owed by tea factories as part of a wider intervention aimed at reviving Uganda’s struggling tea industry, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has said.

He said the arrears will be waived as soon as Parliament resumes after recess. The decision follows sustained efforts by Members of Parliament from Greater Bushenyi and other tea-growing areas to address challenges facing the sector.

“The minister directed that, when we resume Parliament, we will write off tax arrears worth more than Shs35 billion. I want to thank MPs from Greater Bushenyi who have worked hard on this issue,” Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa announced the development on Tuesday, 08 September 2026 while representing President Yoweri Museveni at the burial of the late Edna Kentaro Baryaruha in Bushenyi District. She was a pioneering gender advocate in the early development of Uganda’s gender policy framework.

The planned tax relief is expected to ease the financial burden on tea factories, some of which have struggled with accumulated debts and other operational challenges amid a prolonged crisis in the sector.

Tayebwa said the government was also working to streamline other issues affecting the management and operations of tea factories. He noted that accumulated tax obligations had become a major obstacle hindering the resumption of operations at some factories.

“The other issues will also be streamlined to ensure that factories are run better,” he said.

Tayebwa also revealed that the government is undertaking a deeper review of the tea sector to support long-term sustainability of the sector.

The announcement comes amid growing concern over the future of Uganda’s tea industry. Tea prices fell sharply in the past year as international demand weakened while large volumes of tea continued to enter the market, creating an oversupply that pushed auction prices down.

Political and economic disruptions in key importing countries, including Sudan, further reduced demand for East African tea. Uganda, which relies heavily on the Mombasa auction and mainly produces CTC black tea, was particularly exposed to these market shocks.

The price slump has also been compounded by concerns over tea quality and rising production costs. High fertiliser and input prices have made it harder for farmers to properly maintain their plantations, affecting the quality and quantity of green leaf supplied to factories.

When factories earn less from exports, their ability to pay farmers and meet operating costs is squeezed, creating a cycle of low farmer payments, declining investment in tea gardens and financial distress among processors.

But Tayebwa said government has a bigger plan for the tea sector, which includes a Shs212 billion investment.

The money, he revealed, has been earmarked for investment in the tea industry, but only factories that demonstrate that they are efficiently and effectively managed will qualify for the funds.

In a related development, the Deputy Speaker also revealed that the President has allocated land for the establishment of two industrial parks in Ruhengyere and Nakivale in the Ankole sub-region, saying the projects could create thousands of jobs and spur economic development.

“The President has given us two industrial parks. He wrote to me. He has given me five square miles of land for an industrial park in Ruhengyere, which will deal with the processing of foodstuffs. He has also given me five square miles in Nakivale, Isingiro. All these are in writing,” he said.

The announcement marks a significant step towards the fulfilment of Museveni’s promise to establish industrial facilities in the Ankole sub-region.

In addition, he revealed that an industrial hub will also be established in Kyeizoba, Bushenyi District. The district provided 70 acres of land for the project.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

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Foreign Minister leads delegation to Conakry as 17 compatriots are laid to rest after Dar-es-Salam landslide

Conakry, Guinea-Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, headed a government delegation to a national funeral ceremony in Conakry on 4 September 2026, honouring 17 Sierra Leonean nationals among 36 confirmed fatalities from the Dar-es-Salam landfill collapse. This tragedy devastated a border community nearly two weeks prior.

The funeral service was held at the Turkish Mosque in Bambéto district, followed by interment at Martyrs Cemetery. The delegation comprised Mr. Morie Lengoh Esq., Minister of Internal Affairs; Madam Melrose Karminty, Minister of Social Welfare; Hon. Alpha Kanu, Presidential Spokesperson; and Mr. John Rogers, Director General of the National Disaster Management Agency. The Guinean Authority observed the National Day of Mourning, with senior government officials and bereaved families attending.

Minister Swaray paid solemn tribute to deceased compatriots, fourteen men and three women, as confirmed by Guinea’s National Agency for Emergency and Humanitarian Disaster Management Director General. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to bereaved families, expressed profound appreciation to Guinean authorities for facilitating victim identification and care provision, and reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to enduring bilateral cooperation and strengthened diplomatic relations.

The Guinean government reflected on the national shock following the disaster. Local youth and state emergency services mobilised immediately, with the Head of State, Prime Minister and cabinet members present on-site supporting rescue operations.

An official confirmed a final casualty toll of thirty-six deceased as of 4 September, including a female victim who succumbed Monday and another fatality the previous day at Donka Hospital. ANGUCH, in collaboration with Conakry municipal authorities and the Governor, established two reception centres accommodating over 1,600 displaced persons. An official commended Presidential oversight and government strategic coordination throughout the emergency response.

Conakry Governor M’Mahawa Sylla equally joined in delivering her tribute to those who tragically perished in the Dar-es-Salam catastrophe, characterising the ceremony as a moment of collective mourning. She extended sincere condolences to bereaved families, the President of the Republic, and the Guinean populace, warmly welcoming the Sierra Leonean delegation for accompanying Guinea in shared sorrow, concluding with a prayer for eternal repose.

Mr. Lancei Touré, representing victims’ families, directly addressed President Mamadi Doumbouya, expressing gratitude for leadership, government support, and the Governor and Mayor’s presence during the crisis. Coffins draped in national flags lined the mosque courtyard beneath marquees as distraught relatives gathered. Following afternoon prayers, remains were conveyed for burial at Martyrs Cemetery.

Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah led the Guinean government delegation, with the diplomatic corps also in attendance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – Republic of Sierra Leone.

Source: APO

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has issued a stern warning to sub-county and parish leaders in West Budama Central County, Tororo District, against mismanaging Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.

Speaking during a comprehensive PDM progress review meeting held at his residence in Muwafu Ward, Nabuyoga Town Council, Oboth warned that any form of corruption, particularly the demanding of kickbacks from vulnerable beneficiaries, would face a swift and unyielding crackdown.

“I was elected Speaker to fight corruption, and I will lead by example,” Oboth declared before an assembly of local leaders, administrators, and security chiefs. “Public resources must reach their intended recipients without being diverted along the way.”

The high-level performance review brought together a broad cross-section of grassroots stakeholders, including sub-county and parish chiefs, LC II and LC III chairpersons, Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISOs), local councilors, and SACCO leaders. Also in attendance were key district heads, including Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Salim Bategana and District Police Commander (DPC) Martin Karrekyezi.

Bategana strongly urged the gathered administrators to champion the PDM as a powerful catalyst for lifting households permanently out of poverty.

The meeting showcased several life-changing achievements, notably the story of Beatrice Nyafwono. After receiving a Shs1 million loan, Nyafwono strategically split her capital, spending half on three piglets and feeds, and investing the other half in a cassava garden. The profits from both ventures enabled her to purchase a cow, which has since multiplied to two, and to establish a retail shop that now provides her with a steady daily income.

Addressing security concerns and localised crime, DPC Karrekyezi pledged the police’s full support in protecting PDM beneficiaries, particularly against the theft of livestock purchased with programme funds. He urged leaders not to conceal or shield criminals, calling instead for full legal transparency.

Speaker Oboth reinforced this message, urging officials to resist interfering with the course of justice and to let the law take its course. He also commended District Internal Security Officers (DISOs) for their rigorous monitoring of government programmes and for the vital reports they provide to strengthen accountability.

The Speaker issued a clear warning that anyone attempting to exploit the system by conniving with local officials to divert PDM resources would be held strictly accountable. He urged leaders to remain content with their official salaries rather than seeking kickbacks or engaging in lavish spending to court public praise.

“You are not working for the President or any leader, but for yourself,” Oboth emphasised, calling for seamless cooperation and mutual respect across all administrative tiers.

Despite ongoing implementation challenges, progress reports compiled by sub-county and parish chiefs show that the PDM has already delivered substantial financial support to West Budama Central County. The county, which spans six sub-counties of Nabuyoga, Mulanda, Mwello, Pajwenda, Siwa, and Nabuyoga Town Council and comprises 22 parishes, has recorded significant milestones. Between 2022 and 2025, a total of Shs8.590 billion was successfully disbursed, directly benefiting 7,873 families, with an additional Shs 1.072 billion still pending disbursement to eligible households.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

Health Committee calls for probe into drug theft, extortion at Iganga, Bugiri Hospitals

The House Committee on Health has asked the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) of Iganga and Bugiri districts to investigate allegations of theft of medicines, extortion and mismanagement of funds in government hospitals there.

The committee gave the instructions during its oversight visit to health facilities in Eastern Uganda on Tuesday, 08 September 2026.

At Iganga General Hospital, MPs uncovered serious gaps in the management and accountability of government medicines, raising suspicion that weak record-keeping could be facilitating theft and diversion.

Some medicines found in the hospital stores had no supporting documents indicating how they were received. Other medicines had been reported out of stock, but hospital officials could not produce records showing how they had been dispensed until the supplies were exhausted.

Hon. Hope Nakazibwe, who led the committee said the irregularities made it difficult to establish the quantities of medicines delivered to the hospital and how they were used.

“We found some medicines that cannot be accounted for. Their inlet and outlet are unknown, and we cannot tell whether it was only the quantities we saw or it was a big consignment,” said Nakazibwe.

She said persistent weaknesses in the management of medical supplies were making it difficult for leaders to explain recurring drug stock-outs to the public, calling on RDCs’ intervention.

“We have asked the RDC to take charge of this irregularity as the law deems fit. We have also asked him to confiscate the medicines which have not been accounted for,” said Nakazibwe.

During an interaction with patients, the Bunyangabu District Woman MP, Hon. Sarah Kabarokole, also received complaints that some health workers were demanding money before providing services, particularly in the pharmacy section.

Workers’ MP Hon. Margaret Rwabushaija condemned reports that expectant mothers were being charged money to receive special assistance during deliveries at night.

“This will push away many others to seek maternity services from other risky providers,” said Rwabushaija.

At Bugiri Hospital, the committee received similar allegations of corruption and extortion. MPs heard that the hospital administration collected money from patients admitted to the private wing but did not remit it to the Consolidated Fund as required.

Patients told the committee that they sometimes paid more than the official charge of Shs10,000 per night declared by the hospital administration.

The Bugiri Hospital Administrator, Nuhu Kisambira, said the facility was waiting for the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to enrol it on the government’s electronic payment system to enable the remittance of the revenue.

However, Kisambira could not provide records showing how much money had so far been collected or where it was being kept.

The committee consequently directed the Bugiri RDC to investigate the management of revenue collected from the private wing. The RDC was also tasked with examining allegations that patients were being asked to pay unofficial charges to access services, including surgical procedures. Ends

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

CDA Hines joined the Minister of Health Honourable ‘M’amokete Ntšekhe, World Vision Lesotho National Director Dr James Chifwelu, and senior government and development partners to launch the Faith and Community Initiative (FCI) in Lesotho.

FCI transforms U.S. foreign assistance into a strategic investment, strengthens health systems, and delivers integrated HIV and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services through local solutions. In its first year alone, the United States will provide Lesotho with $7 million — $5 million for HIV programming and $2 million for MCH services — delivered through a network of faith-based partners led by World Vision. Faith-based and community organizations are trusted partners who bring quality healthcare closer to where people live. By uniting HIV, TB, and MCH efforts through faith and community platforms, FCI strengthens local health workers and builds a sustainable path toward self-reliance. Together, we are investing in a healthier future for Lesotho.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of Lesotho.

Source: APO

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With Zambia having received the delivery of the first US-funded HIV prevention medicine Lenacapavir, UNAIDS is now working in close partnership with the Zambian government, communities, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and the US government to ensure that this new HIV prevention option reaches the people who need it the most to prevent new HIV infections in the country. The rollout of Lenacapavir offers Zambia an opportunity to accelerate prevention and protect hard-won gains in the country’s HIV response. 

The Government of Zambia received the first stock of the highly anticipated, twice-yearly injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), long-acting medication at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka on 1 September 2026. The shipment was officially received by the Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary for Donor Coordination, George Sinyangwe, alongside the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, highlighting a continued strategic health partnership between the two countries. 

Lenacapavir’s efficacy has been established, having been found to be almost 100% working in preventing HIV infection. It offers the country an important opportunity to build on its significant progress in the HIV response and advance efforts to end AIDS in Zambia.  

UNAIDS will work with partners, including providing data and evidence on populations that are at high risk of acquiring HIV, to guide the rollout of Lenacapavir and scale up access with the aim of reaching 82 000 people by the end of 2026 across selected 542 health facilities.  

UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Anne Githuku-Shongwe, welcomed the arrival of the medicines. “This collaboration demonstrates what is possible when political leadership, global solidarity, communities, science and partners come together around a common goal. The rollout of Lenacapavir will bring Zambia one step closer to ending AIDS as a public health threat.” said Anne Githuku-Shongwe. 

Approximately 21 000 of the people to benefit from Lenacapavir are pregnant and breastfeeding women which will boost efforts to protect maternal health and eliminate vertical transmission of HIV which is estimated to be at around 6% in Zambia. 

At the event marking the arrival of the shipment on 1 September, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia said that the US was proud to stand with Zambia in rolling out Lenacapavir, signaling a longstanding partnership in the country’s HIV response through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). 

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest number of people living with HIV, home to 26.3 million of the 41 million people living with HIV globally. Zambia joins Eswatini, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa as the first countries in the region to receive the ground-breaking HIV prevention medicine.  

In Zambia, there were 23 000 new HIV infections in 2025, with adolescents and young people accounting for 37% of new annual HIV infections – of whom 29% are adolescent girls and young women – who continue to face disproportionate vulnerability to HIV in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Having access to discreet, long-acting prevention will offer an important additional HIV prevention to them.  

“The introduction of Lenacapavir gives us an opportunity to build on that progress and ensure that prevention reaches the people who need it most, particularly adolescent girls and young women.” said Ms Githuku-Shongwe. 

Lenacapavir will be integrated into Zambia’s broader combination HIV prevention approach. UNAIDS will offer strategic coordination, technical advice and advocacy to ensure the roll out of Lenacapavir is guided by evidence and equity, to reach people who will benefit most. 

UNAIDS has been working closely with Zambia over many years, supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen its national HIV response. The partnership includes support for policy development, strategic information, sustainability, community engagement, and efforts to ensure that HIV services reach people who are most vulnerable. Lenacapavir will be an important part of that next chapter.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Source: APO – Report:

• Resolution tabled by Togo with the backing of the African Union calls for equal-area map projections in schools, institutions, media and digital platforms. Speak Up Africa (www.SpeakUpAfrica.org) and Africa No Filter, which launched the Correct the Map campaign, welcome a historic shift from advocacy to global institutional action.

On Friday 4 September, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution “Correct the Map: rebalancing global cartographic representation and promoting a more equitable representation of the world’s regions”, by 164 votes in favour, 1 against and 6 abstentions. Tabled by the Republic of Togo with the backing of the African Union, the resolution encourages governments, educational institutions, international organisations, media and technology companies to adopt equal-area map projections, such as the Equal Earth projection, wherever the true size of countries and continents matters.

“Africa is at the centre of this century, yet the world still pictures it through a tool designed for sixteenth-century navigation, at half its true size. That gap between reality and representation has a cost in how Africa is taught, reported, negotiated with and invested in. This resolution shifts the burden of proof onto those who would keep the distortion. Our job now is to make sure the classroom, the newsroom and the screen catch up with the vote.” Fara Ndiaye, Deputy Executive Director, Speak Up Africa

The vote marks the first time the world’s governments have collectively acknowledged that the Mercator projection, the default image of the planet for nearly five centuries, misrepresents the relative size of continents. Designed in 1569 for European maritime navigation, Mercator preserves angles at the expense of area, showing Africa at roughly half its true scale while enlarging Europe and North America. On a Mercator map, Africa and Greenland appear similar in size; in reality, Africa is about fourteen times larger.

Speak Up Africa and Africa No Filter launched the Correct the Map campaign to challenge this distortion and to call for maps that reflect Africa’s true dimensions in classrooms, media and public life. More than 11,000 citizens joined the movement by signing the Correct the Map petition, alongside educators, researchers and partners across the continent and beyond. The campaign received the formal support of the African Union in June 2025, through the leadership and championing of Deputy Chairperson, H.E. Ambassador Selma Malika Haddadi, which transformed a civic demand into a continental political position, before Togo carried it to the General Assembly.

“Speak Up Africa was created on the conviction that Africans must lead the conversations that shape Africa’s future. This vote is that conviction made visible on the world stage: an African campaign, endorsed by the African Union, carried by an African government and adopted by the overwhelming majority of the world’s nations. Representation and development are not competing priorities. We thank every member state that voted for a fairer map, and we will be at the table for what comes next.” Yacine Djibo, Executive Director, Speak Up Africa

Speak Up Africa and Africa No Filter pay tribute to Professor Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Togo, who carried the resolution from Lomé to the floor of the General Assembly and built the case with member states. Addressing the Assembly ahead of the vote, Professor Dussey said: “A fair world begins with a fair map.”

Speak Up Africa and Africa No Filter also salute Professor Carlos Lopes of the University of Cape Town, promoter of the Correct the Map campaign, whose engagement was instrumental in engaging the African Union and researchers across the continent to the case for a fairer map, giving the campaign the intellectual weight it needed on the road to New York.

Why it matters

Maps shape perception, and perception shapes decisions. A continent that appears small is more easily treated as marginal in diplomacy, investment and global priorities. Africa is the second-largest continent by land area and population, and by 2050 one in four people on earth will be African. The continent is central to the defining questions of this century: climate, energy, trade, demography, security and innovation. Correct the Map argues that the way the world pictures Africa should match that reality.

The distortion is not confined to Africa. The Mercator projection reduces the apparent size of the entire equatorial belt, including South America, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Equal-area projections such as Equal Earth, which preserve the true proportions of continents while retaining familiar shapes, are freely available and widely used in scientific and educational settings.

What comes next

Following the vote, Speak Up Africa and Africa No Filter will focus on implementation across five areas:

• The United Nations system: applying the resolution to its own reports, publications and public materials, so that member states and international organisations have a model to follow.
• Education: working with ministries of education, beginning with African Union member states, to integrate equal-area maps into curricula, textbooks and classroom materials.
• Media and publishing: engaging newsrooms, publishers and editorial bodies to adopt accurate projections wherever the relative size of regions is relevant.
• Digital platforms: calling on technology companies to change default map settings where the true scale of continents matters, recognising that most people now encounter the world through a screen.
• Tracking progress and accountability: monitor the adoption of equal-area projections across governments, institutions, media and digital platforms, highlight early adopters and document progress over time.

Pan-African partners have a direct role in what follows. Speak Up Africa and Africa No Filter invite ministries of education, media houses, publishers, universities and civil society organisations across the continent to signal their adoption of equal-area maps, to share materials and lessons, and to be recognised among the first movers. Partners wishing to join the implementation phase are invited to contact the campaign at the address below.

The vote

• In favour: 164, including every African member state present, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, China, Russia, India, Japan, Australia and Brazil.
• Against: 1 (United States).

• Abstentions: 6 (Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine).

– on behalf of Speak Up Africa.

Media contact:
Fara Ndiaye
Deputy Executive Director
Speak Up Africa
fara.ndiaye@speakupafrica.org
+221 33 822 49 22

About Speak Up Africa:
​Speak Up Africa is a Senegal-based, not-for-profit advocacy organisation. Founded in 2011, it works to catalyse leadership, enable policy change and raise awareness for sustainable development in Africa, across health, equity and education. Speak Up Africa co-leads the Correct the Map campaign with Africa No Filter. www.SpeakUpAfrica.org 

Source: APO – Report:

Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited (www.Sunbeth.net), a leading agro-commodities sourcing and trading company, has announced the successful and timely redemption of its ₦25.1 billion Series 1 Commercial Paper (CP) issued under its ₦200 billion Commercial Paper Programme.

The redemption, completed on the notes’ maturity date of 4 September 2026, underscores the Company’s financial discipline, liquidity position and commitment to meeting its obligations to investors.

Sunbeth, one of Nigeria’s leading cocoa exporters and a significant contributor to the country’s non-oil export sector, secured regulatory approval in March 2026 to establish a ₦200 billion Commercial Paper Programme to support the continued growth of its agricultural export operations. Under the programme, the Company completed its Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 issuances in March 2026, attracting total subscriptions of ₦165.73 billion against an initial target of ₦100 billion. Of this amount, Sunbeth accepted ₦150.4 billion across the three series, reflecting strong investor demand for the issuance Commenting on the redemption, Olasunkanmi Owoyemi, Chief Executive Officer, Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited, said:

“Meeting our Series 1 obligation in full and on schedule reflects the strength of our business fundamentals, prudent financial management and the confidence investors have placed in Sunbeth.

“Credibility is earned through consistent performance, transparency and honouring our commitments. As we continue to scale our participation across the agricultural value chain, maintaining that discipline remains central to how we grow.”

Adeyemi Aduwo, Chief Financial Officer of Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited, added:

“The successful redemption of the Series 1 notes reflects the disciplined approach we take to capital and liquidity management. Our focus remains on deploying capital efficiently, maintaining strong financial controls and ensuring that our growth is supported by a funding structure that enables us to meet our obligations as they fall due.”

In under ten years of operations, Sunbeth has grown into a significant player in Nigeria’s agricultural export ecosystem. The Company has exported more than 200,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans and 60,000 metric tonnes of cashew nuts to international markets, positioning it among the country’s leading commodity exporters.

The Company works directly with more than 30,000 farmers and collaborates with over 250 local buying agents nationwide. Its global strategic partners include multinational commodity and financial institutions such as Cargill, GCB Group, JB Cocoa, Touton, Macquarie and StoneX.

Sunbeth currently holds investment-grade ratings across both short- and long-term categories from DataPro, GCR, Agusto & Co. and Intelligence Africa. The Company is rated A2 on the short-term scale by all four agencies, with long-term ratings of A by DataPro, BBB+ by GCR, BBB by Agusto & Co. and BBB+ by Intelligence Africa, the latter with a stable outlook.

Its Commercial Paper Programme is also subject to FMDQ Securities Exchange’s disclosure and reporting requirements, providing noteholders and the broader market with ongoing visibility into the Company’s financial position and performance.

The Company continues to deepen its procurement capacity, strengthen international partnerships and expand its participation across higher-value segments of the agricultural value chain in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa, where it continues to build a growing operational footprint.

– on behalf of Sunbeth Global Concepts.

About Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited:
Sunbeth Global Concepts is a global agro-commodities sourcing and trading company committed to empowering farmers and driving socio-economic impact through strategic partnerships, innovation and industry expertise.

Since its establishment in 2017, the Company has built strong roots in the cocoa industry and continues to expand its presence across the broader agricultural value chain, delivering sustainable growth and trusted solutions to partners worldwide.