Author: Julius Alagbe
Julius Alagbe
Julius Alagbe is a senior financial journalist and Editor at MarketForces Africa with nearly two decades of experience in finance, accounting, and economics reporting.He is one of Nigeria's most prolific financial market reporters, covering capital markets, monetary policy, corporate earnings, banking, telecoms, and macroeconomic developments across Africa.Julius has built a strong footprint reporting on Nigeria's leading corporates and financial services sector, including coverage of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Central Bank of Nigeria monetary operations, MTN Nigeria, GTCO, and major investment banking transactions.He regularly monitors the CBN’s open market operations, interbank FX markets, and equity market movements, providing readers with real-time intelligence on Nigeria’s financial landscape.His reporting draws on direct access to institutional research from firms including Moody’s Ratings, CardinalStone Securities, Fitch, and other leading African investment houses.Julius brings analytical depth and editorial rigour to every story, making complex financial data accessible to professionals, investors, and policymakers across Africa.Julius Alagbe is based in Lagos, Nigeria.
Zenith Bank Plc, one of the top banks in Nigeria, hit its highest value in the last 52 weeks on Nigeria Exchange
Ahead of its 2025 earnings release, GTCO Plc has crossed N4 trillion in market capitalisation, its highest valuation reached in the last 52 weeks in the Nigerian stock market.
Ethereum has risen approximately 6.4% over the past 24 hours, with its price reaching $2,081.38 at the time of writing, surpassing the broader market’s increase of 4.44%.
XRP Gains 3.3% as Capital Flows Back into Crypto Ripple (XRP) gained 3.3% in 24 hours, trading at $1.40 as capital began to flow back into cryptocurrencies. The altcoin is closely tracking a broader market rally but slightly underperforming Bitcoin’s 3.84% gain. A slew of crypto analysts highlighted that XRP’s trajectory is being shaped by concrete institutional adoption and proactive regulatory engagement, moving beyond speculative narratives. Based on trading data from exchanges, the total crypto market cap increased 3.36% in the last 24 hours, with Bitcoin leading at +3.84%. XRP’s +3% move is directionally aligned and within a typical beta…
Naira Halts Rally on Foreign Payments, FX Supply Gap The surge in international payment requests at the Nigerian foreign exchange market (NFEM) nudged the value of the naira, the local currency, downward again, reflecting the absence of the Central Bank’s intervention. For the second consecutive day, the official rate pulled back against the US dollar, settling at N1,355 against some naira bull analysts’ expectations. The authority has refrained from the official window as the naira embarked on a fast-and-furious gain streak in recent days. The FX supply side was eclipsed by growing demand for foreign payments. Exporters inflows, non-bank corporate…
Agriculture, Investment to Drive Morocco’s Economic Growth Morocco’s economic projection of 4.9% has been further affirmed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following a discussion by a staff team led by Laura Jaramillo on the 2026 Article IV Consultation. Ms. Jaramillo said Economic growth in 2025, estimated at 4.9 percent, has been boosted by strong agriculture, construction, and services. IMF said the momentum is expected to continue in 2026, with growth projected at 4.9 percent, supported by public and private investment and solid agriculture output following exceptional rainfall. Headline inflation averaged 0.8 percent in 2025, reflecting low food inflation, and…
INEC Picks Feb.20 for Presidential Election Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday released the notice of election and the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, officially released the timetable at a news conference at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. According to the schedule, the national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) will be held on Feb. 20, 2027, while state elections (Governorship and State Houses of Assembly) are slated for March 6, 2027. The conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, is expected to commence on…
INEC Lacks Capacity to Conduct E-Voting – Senate The Senate has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacks the capacity to conduct e-voting at present. The upper chamber also clarified that electronic transmission of election results in real time does not translate to e-voting, as being peddled in some quarters. Chairman, Senate Ad hoc Panel to Review the 2026 Electoral Bill, Sen. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, made the clarifications on Thursday, when he appeared on a programme in Abuja. Adegbonmire equally maintained that INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) not an e-voting platform. “It is a platform where the election results…
Nigeria Can Transform Risks in Oil Industry to Opportunities -SNEPCo The Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) says Nigeria can transform risks and complexities in the oil and gas industry to opportunities for growth and development. SNEPCo’s Managing Director, Ronald Adams, made the expression in a statement by the Communications Manager, Mrs Gladys Afam-Anadu on Friday. According to the statement, Adams spoke at the ongoing 10th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Lagos. Adams said that turning risks into opportunities required operators and regulators to collaborate in a business environment that encouraged transparency and governance discipline. “Nigeria…
Oil Prices Surge Amidst Demand, Supply Uncertainties In the global commodity market, the prices of crude oil increased week-on-week (W.o.W), supported by lingering geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East, although signs of softer demand capped further gains. International benchmark Brent crude traded at $69.24 per barrel, up 2.3% from last Friday’s close of $67.66. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 2.3% to $64.75 per barrel, compared with $63.31 a week earlier. Prices wavered earlier in the week after US and Iranian officials signaled that negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program would continue following indirect talks in Muscat, Oman’s capital. US…