JMG Limited has showcased the Kaeser SM-13T air compressor at the 2026 Propak West Africa exhibition in Lagos, highlighting the growing role of compressed-air systems in manufacturing and other industrial operations.

The three-day exhibition, held from 8 to 10 September at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, brought together organisations and professionals from the packaging, plastics, printing and food-processing industries.

The Kaeser SM-13T was among the solutions displayed by JMG, which distributes and provides services for Kaeser air-compressor systems in Nigeria.

What the Kaeser SM-13T offers

According to JMG’s Business Development Manager, Olanrewaju Agbede, the SM-13T featured at the exhibition has an integrated dryer and a 7.5-kilowatt capacity.

He said the unit operates at 38 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and 11 bar, equivalent to about 160 psi.

Agbede said JMG’s participation was aimed at engaging businesses across different sectors and helping them develop compressed-air stations and installations, including piping, commissioning and maintenance.

“The SM-13T which we have showcased comes with an integrated dryer, with a 7.5-kilowatt capacity, at 38CFM, and 11 bar or 160Kilo PSI.”

He added that compressed-air systems are used across sectors including manufacturing, construction, mining, automobile and healthcare.

“We are here to engage with captains of industry, people from different walks of life, to provide solutions for them.”

JMG highlights wider Kaeser portfolio

JMG said its Kaeser portfolio extends beyond the SM-13T to include rotary screw compressors, trades and workshop compressors, industrial reciprocating compressors and portable compressors.

Its offerings also include marine compressed-air systems, compressed-air treatment, condensate treatment, oil-free reciprocating compressors and rotary screw vacuum pumps.

The company also supplies rotary lobe blowers, rotary screw blowers, turbo blowers and related air-compressor services.

Why compressed-air systems matter to industry

Compressed air is used in numerous industrial processes, making the reliability and efficiency of compressor systems an important consideration for businesses.

Speaking about JMG’s participation, its General Manager, Air Compressor, Ashwini Kumar Patel, said the exhibition provided an opportunity to increase awareness of the Kaeser range and explain its applications to potential users.

Kaeser Kompressoren, the German manufacturer of the products, is known for producing compressed-air systems and related technologies.

“Our presence here is to keep the people informed of our offerings in air compressors, to keep them focused, and also to understand that JMG delivers the best solutions to keep their business operations running at full capacity,” Kumar said.

He described the Kaeser products as premium and reliable, adding that they are manufactured using what he described as advanced technology.

Kumar also said multinational companies operating in Nigeria use Kaeser compressors and have reported positively on their efficiency and durability.

Industry stakeholder commends JMG

An industry stakeholder, Gbenga Akinsola, who visited the exhibition, said the display gave professionals an opportunity to examine the technology and consider its potential applications.

“What stands out for me is the practicality of the solution and the opportunity for industry professionals to see the technology up close and understand how it can address real operational needs.”

Akinsola said JMG’s participation demonstrated a commitment to making international engineering technologies available to Nigerian businesses.

He added that such platforms could help businesses explore technologies aimed at improving efficiency, reliability and productivity.

JMG promises after-sales support

Beyond equipment supply, JMG said it provides after-sales services intended to support the performance of its compressor systems.

Kumar said the company’s participation was also about showing businesses how its solutions could support continuous operations.

The exhibition was organised by Afrocet Montgomery, a subsidiary of London-based Montgomery Group.

It brought together industry participants from sectors connected to packaging, plastics, printing and food processing, providing companies with a platform to display equipment and technologies for industrial applications.

For Nigerian businesses looking to expand into other African markets, making and receiving payments across borders can be as important as finding new customers and suppliers.

Fidelity Bank Plc is positioning its access to the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) as a way for businesses and individuals to make eligible cross-border payments in African currencies without relying on traditional international payment routes.

PAPSS is an African payment infrastructure designed to enable near-instant cross-border transactions between participating countries.

Under the system, an eligible customer in Nigeria can initiate a payment in naira, while the beneficiary receives the equivalent value in the currency applicable to the receiving market.

Why cross-border payments matter

The expansion of intra-African trade has created opportunities for businesses beyond their home markets.

A Nigerian fashion business could source materials from Ghana, while manufacturers, pharmaceutical distributors, technology companies, farmers, traders and commodity aggregators can develop commercial relationships with partners in other African countries.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also intended to support greater economic integration and trade among African countries.

But cross-border transactions can create practical challenges, particularly where businesses have to deal with foreign currency requirements, multiple conversions, intermediary banks and additional charges.

For smaller businesses operating with limited cash flow, delays in settling an invoice can affect supply schedules and day-to-day operations.

How PAPSS works

PAPSS is designed to allow eligible payments between participating African markets to be processed through an African payment network.

For a Nigerian customer, this can reduce the need to first obtain US dollars or euros for eligible transactions with participating African countries.

The system can also reduce the number of currency conversions involved in a transaction and lessen dependence on correspondent banking arrangements outside Africa.

Fidelity Bank says eligible PAPSS transfers through its platform can be completed in about 120 seconds, subject to applicable requirements and the receiving market.

For businesses, faster settlement can help with supplier payments, inventory planning and cash-flow management.

What Fidelity Bank offers

Fidelity Bank says customers can initiate eligible PAPSS transactions through its Fidelity Mobile App, Fidelity Online Banking and its branch network.

Customers who require assistance can also contact their Relationship Managers or visit a branch to obtain guidance on documentation and transaction requirements.

The service is available for eligible commercial and personal transactions, including payments to suppliers, distributors and service providers, as well as approved education and family-support payments.

However, transactions remain subject to applicable regulatory requirements, limits, charges, documentation and the rules governing individual payment corridors.

Fidelity Bank’s PAPSS experience

Fidelity Bank says it onboarded PAPSS in September 2024 and recorded more than N46 billion in transactions during its early adoption phase, ahead of the platform’s official launch in August 2025.

The bank also says PAPSS identified it as one of the first Nigerian banks to meet the relevant integration requirements.

Fidelity Bank has subsequently expanded access through its digital banking channels and branches.

The bank’s combination of digital services and physical branches is intended to give customers options depending on the nature and requirements of their transactions.

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What it means for Nigerian businesses

The attraction for businesses is not simply the ability to send money across borders.

More predictable settlement can help companies pay suppliers on time, coordinate deliveries and maintain commercial relationships across African markets.

An importer purchasing products from another African country, for example, may benefit from a payment process that reduces some of the foreign-currency and intermediary-bank complications associated with conventional cross-border transfers.

Exporters and other businesses receiving eligible payments may also benefit from the ability to transact through participating African markets while complying with applicable regulatory and export requirements.

For individuals, PAPSS can similarly provide a formal banking channel for approved transactions such as education-related payments and family support.

Security and compliance

Cross-border payments still require customers to provide accurate information and meet applicable banking and regulatory requirements.

Beneficiary details, the purpose of a transaction and supporting documentation must be correctly provided where required.

Transactions are subject to authentication, compliance checks and other regulatory controls as part of the banking process.

This means PAPSS does not remove the need for businesses to comply with foreign exchange, trade, anti-money-laundering and other relevant regulations.

PAPSS expands Africa’s payment network

The growing use of PAPSS reflects a broader push to make trade within Africa easier to execute.

According to figures cited by TechCabal, PAPSS is live in 19 countries and connects more than 160 commercial banks and 15 national payment switches.

As more financial institutions and payment systems connect to the network, the potential value for businesses seeking customers, suppliers and partners across African markets could increase.

For Nigerian companies, access to efficient payment infrastructure may therefore become an important part of regional expansion.

What businesses should know

PAPSS transactions are not automatically available for every type of payment or every African country.

Customers should confirm that the intended transaction and destination corridor are supported and check the applicable limits, charges, documentation and regulatory requirements before initiating a transfer.

Fidelity Bank says customers can access eligible PAPSS services through its mobile app, online banking platform or branches.

As intra-African commerce develops, payment systems such as PAPSS could help address one of the practical barriers facing businesses that want to trade beyond their domestic markets.

For Nigerian businesses, the ability to make eligible payments in naira while beneficiaries receive the applicable value in their local currencies could make cross-border transactions simpler and more predictable.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, says it has intercepted smuggled goods with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N604.33 million across several routes in the state.

The seizures include foreign spaghetti, rice, used clothing, petrol, tramadol and two vehicles, according to figures released by the command on Thursday, September 10.

The command also reported generating N7.98 billion in revenue during the period under review.

Foreign spaghetti accounts for N201m

The largest food-related seizure was 6,705 cartons of foreign spaghetti, intercepted along the Bode-Saadu axis, with a DPV of N201.15 million.

Customs also reported the seizure of 270 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, valued at N25.25 million.

Fourteen bags of Basmati rice, weighing 5kg each, were also intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway, with a stated value of N350,000.

The command said enforcement against illegally imported food products was aimed at supporting government policies to encourage local agricultural production and protect domestic businesses.

However, it stressed that the seizure of food products should not be interpreted as opposition to food availability.

Customs explains food seizures

The command said legitimate food imports are not its target, but goods brought into Nigeria through unapproved routes or without the required documentation can be seized under customs regulations.

“When goods are moved through unapproved routes, bypass regulatory checks, or lack proper documentation, the Service is legally mandated to intervene,” the command said.

Customs argued that the illegal movement of foreign food products could put compliant traders and local producers at a disadvantage because smugglers avoid some of the costs and regulatory requirements faced by legitimate importers.

Tramadol, petrol also intercepted

Among the seizures was 3,396 packets of 100mg Tramadol, which Customs put at a DPV of N50.95 million.

The command described the interception as significant because of the risks associated with the unregulated movement of controlled pharmaceutical products.

It also reported intercepting 6,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) along the Bukuro, Okuta and Chikanda axis, with a stated value of N2.75 million.

According to the command, the interception formed part of efforts to prevent petroleum products intended for domestic consumption from being diverted into illicit cross-border markets.

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Luxury vehicles among seized goods

Customs said two vehicles were also intercepted.

They are a 2025 Toyota Highlander, intercepted along the Bode-Saadu Expressway and valued at N214 million, and a 2018 Dodge Charger SXT, intercepted on the Lagos-Kwara highway at Eyankorin, with a DPV of N77.59 million.

Used clothing also featured prominently in the seizures, with 80 bales and six sacks intercepted along the Ogbomoso-Jebba axis. Customs valued the consignment at N32.3 million.

The command said the seizures demonstrate the changing tactics used by people involved in illicit cross-border trade.

Kwara Customs reports N7.98bn revenue

Beyond enforcement, the command said it generated N7,978,338,031.21 in revenue during the period under review.

It described the figure as evidence of its efforts to increase revenue while balancing trade facilitation with border enforcement and national security responsibilities.

The command did not provide a comparative figure for the previous corresponding period in the briefing, making it difficult to independently assess the scale of the reported increase or decrease in revenue.

Customs calls for public cooperation

The Area Command urged residents of border communities, traditional leaders and commercial transport operators to provide credible information that could assist efforts against smuggling.

It also appealed to the media to help explain the difference between legitimate international trade and illicit movement of goods.

The command said its operations were driven by intelligence and carried out in collaboration with other security agencies.

It also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his strategic direction and support.

For now, the command’s position is that legitimate traders will continue to receive support, while goods moved illegally through border routes will face enforcement.