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.
Gates Foundation Announces $1.4bn to Boost Climate-Resilient Farming The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a new 1.4 billion dollar commitment to help smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia adapt to growing impacts of climate change. The announcement was made at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, where global leaders called for stronger and locally driven approaches to climate adaptation. According to the Foundation, the four-year investment will expand access to innovative tools that will enable farmers build resilience against extreme weather events, while protecting hard-won gains against poverty. “Smallholder farmers are feeding…
UN Reaffirms Commitment to Africa’s Digital Transformation The United Nations University on E-Governance (UNU-EGOV) says it will continue to support International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) for digital transformation in Africa. Ms Delfina Soares, Director of UNU-EGOV said this at the weekend during the closing ceremony of the 18th edition of the ICEGOV organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Abuja. The theme of the conference was “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance Through Cooperation, Innovation and Inclusion.” Soares said over the years ICEGOV had served as a global platform for countries to…
Nigerian OMO Bills Yield Climbs 15 bps to 22.2% The average yield on Nigerian OMO bills rose by 15 basis points to 22.2% in the secondary market due to sell pressures amidst two primary market auctions. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) floated two OMO bill auctions totalling N1.2 trillion in an attempt to mop up excess liquidity in the financial system. In the secondary market, banks and foreign portfolio investors rebalance positions in anticipation of rates adjustment across the short term OMO bills tenors. OMO curve witnessed mild selloffs as investor jitters following President Trump’s recent comments on Nigeria’s…
Fuel Import Tariff Will Strengthen Naira, Spur Investment — NECA The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has expressed support for the Federal Government’s 15 per cent import tariff on petrol and diesel. Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director-General of NECA, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja said the move will strengthen the Naira and attract investment. Oyerinde said the policy is a welcome step toward protecting local industries and encouraging domestic refining of petroleum products. “It is absurd for a country blessed with crude oil to spend so many years importing petrol and diesel,” he said. He said that the comatose…
NCC to Host Digital Economy Awareness, Sensitization Fora The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to host the inaugural edition of the Digital Awareness and Sensitisation Fora as a platform to strengthen policy and innovation for a digital future. The fora are to facilitate a conducive environment to build infrastructure for innovation and inclusion and to lay a solid foundation for bridging gaps between policy and infrastructure for national development. The maiden edition, with the theme: “Leaving No One Behind: Digital Assets, Equity, and Empowerment” which is scheduled to take place on November 13, 2025, will bring together industry experts,…
Customs Intercepts 60,000 Litres of Diverted Petrol In Katsina The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said, on Friday, it intercepted a tanker loaded with 60,000 litres of petrol, suspected to be diverted to the border area in the state. The tanker, suspected to be en route to the border area for smuggling, was intercepted on the Jibia Road on Sept. 30 by the NCS’s special task force, ‘Operation Whirlwind’. The National Coordinator of the task force, ACG Kola Oladeji, disclosed this while handing over the tanker to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Katsina. Oladeji was represented…
COP30: UN Chief Calls for Shift to Clean Energy UN Secretary-General António Guterres has continued his campaign to accelerate the global shift from fossil fuels to clean energy – “the cheapest source of new electricity in nearly every country.” The latest push came on Friday, in his remarks to the Energy Transition Roundtable in Belém, Brazil, held just days before the formal opening of the COP30 climate change conference. “The fossil fuel age is ending. Clean energy is rising. Let us make the transition fair, fast, and final,” he said. The UN chief told world leaders that “the global energy landscape is…
How to Invest in Nigerian Treasury Bills Fixed interest rate investments like Treasury bills are better than naked money put in a savings account. Guess what? Banks will use your deposit to increase their bets at the treasury bills primary market – and they will make money that you are willing to borrow. Spot interest rate slowed down by 10 basis points to 16.04% for one-year treasury bills papers. If N16 million is okay on your N100 million investment in treasury bills, you are on the right path. (You get the interest upfront.) Many of us don’t like to lose…
Naira Closed N15 Weaker, CBN Sells US Dollar to Banks The Nigerian naira closed this week N15 weaker against the US dollar as foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) reacted negatively to US President Donald Trump’s invasion threat over Christian genocide in the country. Demand for the US dollar increased above previous average as offshore investors exited their positions in the financial market after Trump’s planned military action. Still, the FX market traded largely stable, supported by a relatively liquid currency market, exporters, non-bank corporate inflows and softened support from the Apex Bank intervention. The naira saw a huge loss early in…
Nigerian Exchange Shrinks to N95trn as Sectoral Indexes Plunge The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) market capitalisation shrank to N95 trillion on Friday as selling rallies persisted in the local bourse. Price depreciation in key market movers dragged the local bourse southward. Investors trimmed stockholding across sectoral names as unimpressive banking and oil and gas performance triggered selloffs. Profit-taking activities heated up as the market recorded losses in nine out of the last 10 trading sessions. The NGX All-Share Index fell 0.33% to 149,524.81 points, trimming year-to-date gains to 45.27%. The Nigerian stock market contracted by ₦318.78 billion to ₦95 trillion. Market…