Author: Julius Alagbe

Bitcoin, Ethereum Rally Boosts Crypto Market Cap to $3trn Bitcoin (BTCUSD) and Ethereum (ETHUSD) rallies have lifted global cryptocurrency market capitalisation to $3 trillion on Friday, with the two top digital assets trading in green on improved sentiment. Trading data showed Bitcoin is trading above $88k, up from $85k level on Thursday amidst fluctuation in trading volume. Ethereum is trading above $2,900, though it is struggling to keep at $3000, fluctuation has been slowed albeit. Bitcoin navigates regulatory crackdowns, exchange incentives, and quantum threats while bulls and bears clash on price trajectory. Supporting the uptrend, a new US bill proposes…

Nigerian Treasury Bills Rally after Spot Rates Repricing The Nigerian Treasury bills rallied in the secondary market after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spot rates adjustments for 91- and 182-day maturities at the primary market auction on Wednesday. The lost bids at the main auction conducted on Wednesday filtered into the secondary market on Thursday as investors sought to boost their portfolios. The market recorded strong interest in the new 1-year (17-Dec-26) bill, which traded as low as 16.90% – 61 bps below the stop rate – during the day before ending at 16.95/16.80; bullish momentum began early in…

DFC Announces Fully Operational U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) today held its second U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund Board of Directors meeting.  At the meeting, it was announced that the Fund is fully operational and poised to start diligencing its first investments in 2026.  “Activating a fund of this size and complexity in less than a year is a testament to the tireless dedication of DFC’s worldclass professionals and our excellent partners in the Government of Ukraine, the U.S. Treasury, and the Department of State. “Today’s news is clear: The U.S. and Ukraine are ready…

China Demands U.S. to Halt $11bn Arms Sale to Taiwan China on Thursday called on the United States to halt its planned weapons sales worth some U.S. 11.1 billion dollars to Taiwan. Washington announced on Wednesday that it had approved the massive arms package to help boost the island’s defence capability, prompting a strong response from Beijing. The planned arms sale violates the “One China” policy and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. Beijing called on Washington to stop the arms deliveries and vowed countermeasures. China considers the island state,…

NCAA Okays Return of Commercial Flights At Ibadan Airport The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved the commencement of scheduled flight operations at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan. This was disclosed in a statement issued in Ibadan on Wednesday by the Special Adviser on Media to Gov Seyi Makinde, Dr Suleimon Olanrewaju. According to Olarenwaju, the approval is contained in a letter dated Dec. 16 by the NCAA, and addressed to the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). “In the letter, the NCAA approved the issuance of a provisional interim operational permit for the…

Ghana Unlocks Access to $385 Million IMF Loan Ghana unlocked a fresh access to $385 million in loans from the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday following the completion of the fifth review of the US$3 billion, 39-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement, which was approved by the Board in May 2023. Completion of this review allows for an immediate disbursement of about US$385 million or SDR 267.5 million, bringing Ghana’s total disbursements under the arrangement to about US$2.8 billion. According to IMF, Ghana’s IMF-supported reforms are yielding results after last year’s policy slippages. Growth through…

Beyond the Showroom: Economic Shift in How Nigerians Trade Vehicles The Nigerian automotive sector has long been a bellwether for the broader economy. From foreign exchange (FX) fluctuations affecting import tariffs to the rising cost of logistics, the price of a “Tokunbo” or Nigerian-used vehicle tells a story of economic resilience. However, a quiet revolution is taking place—not at the ports, but on the cloud. As inflation tightens consumer spending, the traditional model of physical car lots is facing an efficiency crisis. In response, digital marketplaces are stepping in to bridge the gap between nervous buyers and liquidity-seeking dealers. Leading…

Lekki Deep Sea Port Reaches Half of Its Designed Operational Capacity The Managing Director of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Ltd., Mr Wang Qiang, says the port has reached half of its designed operational capacity, with steady growth in container throughput since September 2025. Qiang made the disclosure during an end of the year media parley with journalists on Tuesday in Lagos. He said that the port was now operating at close to 50 per cent capacity, reflecting increasing confidence by shipping lines and cargo owners in Nigeria’s first deep seaport. “We already reached 50 per cent of our capacity now,…

U.S Imposes Travel Ban on Nigerians, Others President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Tuesday that further restricts and limits the entry of foreign nationals to the United States, the White House said. With Nigeria on the list, Tuesday’s proclamation said the restrictions were “necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose”. The US imposed full restrictions and entry limitations on nationals from five countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria – in addition to the initial list of 12 countries. Partial restrictions…

NGX Climbs by N13.5bn, Investors Rebalance Portfolio The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) market capitalisation swelled as equities investors gained about N14 billion on Tuesday amidst year end portfolio rebalancing.  The local bourse closed trading activities on a positive note with key market performance indicators jumping by 0.01%. The slight uptick was triggered by bargain hunting as investors traded with caution in selective stocks, trading data obtained from the NGX showed. The market recorded price upticks in GUINNESS, MECURE, CUSTODIAN, FIRSTHOLDCO, EUNISELL and others, with investors showing interest across key market sectors. The NGX All-Share Index specifically added 21.23 basis points in…