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NGX N-Zero Begins Corporate Climate Baseline Assessments

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Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) has commenced corporate baseline assessments under its N-Zero initiative, marking the next phase of its effort to help Nigerian businesses strengthen climate readiness, develop credible net-zero pathways and position for emerging opportunities in climate-aligned capital.

Launched in January in partnership with DEG Impulse gGmbH and Africa Foresight Group (AFG), N-Zero is designed to support companies in moving from climate ambition to practical action by strengthening their capabilities in climate strategy, emissions measurement, transition planning and access to emerging carbon-market opportunities.

The baseline assessment will establish each participating company’s starting point and provide a structured view of its readiness across key areas, including climate-risk management, emissions measurement and reporting, target-setting, transition planning, technical capabilities and understanding of carbon-market opportunities. The findings will identify priority gaps and inform tailored support for each company.

Since its launch, N-Zero has engaged more than 50 companies across key sectors of the economy, with 17 formally onboarded as community members and more than 100 companies receiving the baseline survey. Current community members include Access Holdings, Dangote Cement, United Bank for Africa, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, First HoldCo, Fidelity Bank, Zenith Bank, Wema Bank, NEM Insurance, Chapel Hill Denham, BUA Cement, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Presco, Oando, HBM Nigeria, Seplat Energy and Skyway Aviation Handling Company, with further companies being engaged as the initiative expands.

Commenting on the development, Temi Popoola, GMD/CEO, NGX Group, said:

“The transition to a net-zero economy is increasingly becoming a factor in competitiveness, investor confidence and access to capital. Nigerian businesses therefore need to move beyond climate ambition to demonstrate measurable and credible progress. N-Zero is designed to help companies understand where they stand today, identify the gaps that matter most and build practical pathways towards where they need to be. The baseline assessment is a critical step because it gives us the evidence and insight required to tailor support and help participating companies turn climate intent into measurable action and long-term value.”

Following the baseline exercise, companies will undergo needs assessments combining digital diagnostics with expert technical review to determine their readiness levels, identify priority gaps for intervention and define the next steps towards credible climate targets, transition plans and implementation.

N-Zero is structured as a progression from awareness and assessment to target setting, transition planning, validation, implementation and impact tracking. This approach is intended to help companies strengthen internal capabilities while identifying commercial opportunities arising from the transition to a lower-carbon economy.

Under the 2026 roadmap, baseline analysis and initial needs assessments are expected to conclude in September, followed by partner-led sessions and tailored support packages in October and November. The broader programme targets include supporting participating companies to develop science-aligned targets and transition plans, assess emissions-reduction potential, facilitate eligible carbon-offsetting projects and track progress towards the reduction or avoidance of approximately 20,000 tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent (tCO₂e) emissions.

For NGX Group, the initiative also supports the development of a more climate-ready corporate sector and a capital market better positioned to respond to the risks and opportunities associated with the global transition to a lower-carbon economy.

As N-Zero enters this next phase, its focus is clear: establishing a measurable baseline for corporate climate readiness and helping Nigerian businesses move from commitment to credible, verifiable action.

The post NGX N-Zero Begins Corporate Climate Baseline Assessments appeared first on Business Today NG.

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Business

EXPLAINER: OPay is not replacing phone numbers with standard account numbers

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A social media claim that OPay has stopped using customers’ phone numbers as account numbers and is now issuing standard bank account numbers has sparked confusion among users of the fintech platform.

The claim, which circulated among social media users, urged OPay customers still using their phone numbers as account numbers to visit OPay agents to have their accounts updated.

“OPay is no longer using phone numbers as account numbers. They’re now issuing standard account numbers, so if you’re still using your phone number as your OPay account number, hurry to an OPay agent to get yours updated,” an X user, Israel Gharee, posted.

However, an OPay official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told PREMIUM TIMES that the claim is inaccurate, adding that the company would communicate any major changes to its customers through its official communication channels.

“I have seen the tweet. But even from the comments you will see people are already correcting him. If we have any update or news, we will always share through our communication channels,” the official said on Sunday.

Clarification

The official said the claim may have been prompted by OPay’s My BizPayment feature, which provides users with a separate account number for business transactions.

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The feature is available to existing OPay users who want to use their accounts for business purposes. It allows users to provide information about their businesses and, after completing the process, receive a merchant account number.

The existence of the merchant account number does not mean OPay has replaced the phone-number-based account details used by its regular customers.

The business account number is associated with the user’s existing OPay account and is intended for business-related transactions.

BizPayment account

My BizPayment is a business feature within the OPay app, and it’s not a recent update.

Users can access it through the “Me” section of the app and provide information about their businesses, including the nature of the business and how it operates.

The process includes different business categories and operating models. Once the required information is provided, eligible users can proceed to generate a merchant account number.

ALSO READ: Eight years on, OPay keeps Nigerian businesses moving

The account number generated through this process may therefore look different from the phone-number format associated with a regular OPay account.

That distinction appears to be at the centre of the social media claim.

No instruction to change existing accounts

There is no indication from OPay that ordinary customers have been instructed to visit agents to replace their existing phone-number-based account details.

The company said any change to its account system would be communicated through its official channels.

The OPay official said the availability of a separate merchant account number through My BizPayment should not be interpreted as an announcement that OPay has discontinued the use of phone numbers for regular customer accounts.


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Leadway Assurance Calls for Stronger Climate Risk Solutions to Protect Africa’s Food Systems

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 Leadway Assurance Limited has advocated for stronger climate risk solutions to safeguard Africa’s food systems at the ninth edition of Agriculture Summit Africa (ASA)2026, convened by Sterling Bank.

The summit focused on improving food production, financing, processing , technology, trade, and policies to help Africa build stronger value chains, create jobs, strengthen intra-African trade, and become a stronger global food power.

These objectives align with Leadway’s commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector by providing risk protection for farmers, agribusinesses and investments across the agricultural value chain.

Speaking during a panel session titled “Climate Risk Management for Sustainability: Future-Proofing Africa’s FoodSystem,” Ayoola Fatona, Global Head, Agricultural Risk Solutions, Leadway Assurance, highlighted affordability and the trust deficit as two key barriers to insurance adoption among smallholder farmers. “At Leadway, we have sought to addressthese challenges by building partnerships with organisations thatshare our commitment to advancing the livelihoods ofsmallholder farmers and strengthening their resilience toclimate-related risks. Through these collaborations, we have been able to mobilise funding to pre-finance insurancepremiums, ensuring that farmers have the protection they need inplace from the outset of the planting season, when their risk exposure is at its highest.”

“In the 2025 wet season alone, our partnerships enaabled us to mobilise over US$1.2 million to provide insurance coverage formore than 400,000 farmers, and we are continuing to build onthat progress. Beyond affordability, we recognise that trust mustbe earned through action. That is why we remain committed to ensuring constant and rapid payouts, no matter how large,whenever insured events occur,” he added.

Considering the practical challenges of reaching farmers,particularly in communities affected by insecurity, Leadway is leveraging remote sensing and other technology-enabled solutions to assess farms virtually, understand their structure and farming practices, and maintain engagement with farmersdespite access constraints. Through its participation inAgriculture Summit Africa 2026, Leadway Assurance isreinforcing its commitment to advancing insurance solutions that protect agricultural investments, strengthen farmer resilience,and support the sustainable development of the agriculture sector.

The ninth edition of Agriculture Summit Africa 2026, themed“Building the Next Super Power: Africa’s Food Power Play,”held on 15–16 September 2026 at the Transcorp Hilton

Hotel, Abuja, brought together key stakeholders across Africa’s agricultural sector, including representatives from government, agribusiness, insurance, finance, technology, research, and farming, to strategies on moving the continent from food to food sovereignty

The post Leadway Assurance Calls for Stronger Climate Risk Solutions to Protect Africa’s Food Systems appeared first on Business Today NG.

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