Author: Julius Alagbe

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…

Tinubu’s Reforms Strengthened Investor Confidence – Leo Stan Mr Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Group, has described President Bola Tinubu as a courageous and investment-friendly visionary whose reforms have strengthened investor confidence and repositioned Nigeria’s economy. Ekeh said in a statement on Friday in Lagos that the President demonstrated courage by commencing reforms immediately after assuming office. He said any delay would have further shrunk the economy and completely wiped out investors’ confidence in Nigeria. He referenced endorsements by the World Bank and comments by the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as validation that…

Investors Record N2.4 trillion Gain in Nigerian Stock Market Stock market investors recorded a gain of about N2.4 trillion in the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Friday, as the market ended the week on a strong bullish note. Increased and sustained investor interest in stocks such as Nestlé Nigeria, Union Dicon Salt, Infinity Trust, Mc Nicholas, Cornerstone Insurance, and 48 other advancing equities drove the market into positive territory. Financial experts attributed the development to the continuous release of companies’ annual financial reports and the increase in equity investment cap by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) for pension fund administrators. Market…

Tinubu, Elumelu Discuss Tax Reforms, Rower, SMEs President Bola Tinubu on Friday met with Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group PLC, to advance plans for economic growth and tax reforms aimed at strengthening small businesses. Elumelu spoke with State House Correspondents after the closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the discussions focused on how to strengthen small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), describing them as the engine of economic growth. Elumelu said the president was passionate about “capacitising” SME operators and supporting young entrepreneurs across the country. “Today we talked about small and medium-scale…

Seplat, Deap Capital, and R.T BRISCOE drove momentum in Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Thursday with a N283 billion surge in equities portfolio value, based on trading data obtained.

Ripple (XRP) inched higher by about 2% in 24 hours to $1.38, slightly outperforming a broader market that rose 1.02%, primarily driven by a technical bounce from oversold conditions.