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.
LOTUS Bank Names Ajani-Lawal Chief Executive Officer LOTUS Bank, one of the leading non-interest banks in the country, has appointed Dr Isiaka Ajani-Lawal as its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective from December 2025. Its Board Chairperson, Mrs Hajara Adeola, announced the leadership transition in the bank in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. She said that Ajani-Lawal’s appointment was sequel to the retirement of the bank’s founding Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Kafilat Araoye, from office. The development, she said, marked the conclusion of Araoye’s distinguished tenure characterised by an impressive performance scorecard. She explained that Araoye, who was appointed…
U.S.-Headquartered Companies Exempted from Biden Global Tax Plan The U.S. Treasury has secured an agreement to exempt U.S.-headquartered companies from the American former President Joe Biden’s global tax plan. The OECD announced that nearly 150 countries have agreed on the plan, initially crafted in 2021, to stop large global companies from shifting profits to low-tax countries, no matter where they operate in the world. The amended version excludes large U.S.-based multinational corporations from the 15% global minimum tax after negotiations between President Donald Trump’s administration and other members of the Group of Seven wealthy nations. In a statement, U.S. Secretary…
Nigerian Bonds Yield Rises as Investors Book Profit The average yield on Nigerian government bonds rose in the secondary market as trading actions suggest waning investors appetite. Trading activities was subdued with pocket of transactions observed in the short duration amidst expectation of huge local borrowing in 2026. The Debt Management Office is anticipated to release its Q1 auction calendar as part of a move to finance Nigeria’s expanding budget deficit as a result of an unimpressive fiscal performance. At the last monthly auction in December, the Debt Office reprised rates on 5-and 7-year reopened local bonds despite disinflation signal…
Short-Term Rates Ease on Excess Liquidity in Banking System The short term benchmark interest rates eased as money market remained flooded with excess liqudity, reflecting absence of funding pressures. The money market has seen tight movement in short terms rates due to sufficient funding in the financial system since the last lap of year 2025. In an attempt to make their money work, deposit money banks have been staking bets on placements at the Central Bank standing despoit facility. This market action has continued into the new year as system liquidity opened the first full week of the year with…
Treasury Bills Investors Step Up Buying Action Ahead of Q1 Auction The Nigerian Treasury market rallied as investors began to build portfolio amidst changing macroeconomic indicators and hope that the monetary easing will begin in 2026. Inflation rate has been on decline but policy rate stayed in double digit high of 27%, widening real return on investment. The Apex Bank, has, surprisingly being offering premium on risk free short term investment securities. The trend is projected to persist as the authority continue to attract local and foreign portfolio investors into the financial market. In the secondary market on Monday, trading…
Naira Touches N1,424 per Dollar as FX Demand Pressure Eases The naira touched an intraday low of N1424 per dollar at the official window on Monday, reflecting the absence of FX pressures at the beginning of the New Year. The official market recorded about a 21% decline in FX inflows last week, with total FX inflows settling at US$593.70 million from US$748.40 million in the prior week, Coronation Merchant Bank’s research subsidiary said in a report. The daily FX update released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the official rate closed at N1429.31 per dollar on Monday,…
Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation for NMDPRA, NUPRC Board Nominees President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate, seeking confirmation of 21 nominees for the boards of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Monday in Abuja. In the first letter, Tinubu nominated Sen. Magnus Abe as Chairman of the NUPRC Board. Abe, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District for two terms, is a former board member of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and currently chairs the…
Nasarawa Targets N5 billion Monthly IGR in 2026—Official The Nasarawa State Government has expressed its determination to increase its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to N5 billion per month in 2026 as part of its “Budget of Strategic Consolidation”. Haj. Munira Abdullahi, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, stated this in Lafia on Monday during a ministerial briefing organised by Dr Ibrahim Tanko, Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism. The briefing is to enable government officials to showcase their achievements. The commissioner, represented by Mr Peter Akolo, Director of Budget in the ministry, said the budget, valued at N545.2…
Bitcoin Rises as BoA Begins to Advise Clients to Buy Crypto Bitcoin (BTCUSD) climbed by about 1.4% to $92.522K in the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, outpacing the broader crypto market’s +1.05% gain. The key driver of its latest price momentum is investors returning to take positions by buying the dip in anticipation of price surge. The rally was supported by bullish technical, geopolitical event trading, and institutional demand signals. BTC price is hovering at $92.5k on Monday, according to data from crypto exchange CoinMarketCap.com, with about 36% spike in trading volume valued at $33.57 billion. The positive…
Ghana All-Share Index Tops African Performers in 2025 The Ghanaian All-Share Index gained approximately 80% in local currency terms in 2025, being the best-performing equity market in the region, Meristem Securities Limited said in its report. The investment firm said investors’ confidence was rekindled following the country’s fiscal debt restructuring and improved macro fundamentals. In 2025, Ghana experienced rapid disinflation, currency appreciation, and monetary easing as government sought to drive economic growth. “We observed strong buying interest in the financial services and energy sectors,” Meristem Securities Limited said in its report. In the same vein, investors in the Kenyan market…