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.
FG to Launch National Campaign to Promote Made-In-Nigeria Goods The Federal Government, FG, is set to launch a national campaign to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods and services under the Nigeria First policy as part of efforts to revitalise the manufacturing sector. President Bola Tinubu made this known in Lagos at the fifth Adeola Odutola lecture by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). He was represented at the event by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Enoh. According to him, the campaign aims to shift national demand towards Nigerian products that meet global quality standards, while also…
Nigerian Treasury Bills Yield Falls to 17.39% on Disinflation The average yield on Nigerian Treasury bills fell slightly as investors maintained buying momentum via secondary market transactions, a demand surge influenced by reactions to disinflation. The real interest rate inched higher to about 9% after inflation rate fell to 18.02%, as per statistics office’s latest consumer price index update for Sept. With disinflation, the market expects the monetary authority to axe the benchmark interest rate to pave the way for private sector-driven economic growth. Banks are still holding to their portfolio given the surplus liquidity level in the financial system,…
Global Islamic Finance Assets to Reach $9.7trn by 2029 –Report Global Islamic finance assets have been projected to reach $9.7 trillion by 2029, a report by London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in collaboration with the Islamic Corporation for the Development (ICD) of the Private Sector revealed. The collaboration announced the findings of the 2025 Islamic Finance Development Indicator (IFDI) report, a global benchmark assessing the development of the Islamic finance industry across 140 countries. Malaysia maintained its top position in the global rankings, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting their continued investment and policy leadership in…
UBA to Unveil Whitepaper on Africa’s Financial Infrastructure Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, is set to reinforce its role in shaping the continent’s financial ecosystem with the launch of its landmark whitepaper. The whitepaper, titled “Banking on Africa’s Future: Unlocking Capital and Partnerships for Sustainable Growth”, will be unveiled on the sidelines of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in October 2025 in Washington, D.C., placing Africa’s economic agenda at the heart of global financial discussions. The document presents a comprehensive and actionable framework for unlocking Africa’s vast economic potential, providing analysis of critical…
Eterna CEO Adeosun Seeks Targeted Funding to Boost LPG Use Mr Olumide Adeosun, Managing Director of Eterna Plc, has called for targeted funding and policy-driven investments in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector to scale up domestic usage and promote clean cooking across Nigeria. Adeosun made the call while speaking on the theme, “Driving a Sustainable Energy Future through Investment in Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure”, on Wednesday in Lagos. He emphasised the need to shift more attention toward LPG, describing it as vital to public health and environmental protection. “Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is currently receiving a lot of attention,…
Dollar Falls Amidst Heightened US-China Trade Tensions The dollar fell against trading partners on Wednesday as markets anticipate the US Federal Reserve rate cut will happen in October amidst US-China trade tensions. FX data highlighted that the greenback retreated midweek after shows of strength that started last week. The greenback declined to a week low against a basket of currencies after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signalled further interest-rate cuts and as U.S.-China trade tensions build. The dollar is heavy today, FX market analysts said, noting that the greenback trades weaker against nearly all the world’s currencies. The dollar index…
Naira Falls in Absence of FX Sales to Boost Dollar Supply The naira fell again, settling at N1473.2943/$ at the official window in the absence of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) FX intervention sales to support rising demand for US dollar. The local currency has maintained a downward trend since the beginning of the week when it opened at N1455, traded at N1473 per dollar at the official window as demand eclipsed aggregate market supply. But updated FX data from the CBN showed that the local currency spot rate touched an intraday high of N1479 per dollar at the official…
Bank of America Profit Soars by 23.18% to $8.5bn in Q3 Bank of America (BoA) profit after tax soared by 23.18% year on year to $8.5 billion, details from its third quarter of 2025 earnings release for 2025 revealed. The bank’s net income came in at $8.5 billion compared to $6.9 billion in the comparable period in 2024. Its diluted earnings per share printed $1.06 compared to $0.81, up 31%. Revenue jumped by 11% to $28.1 billion, reflecting higher net interest income (NII), investment banking and asset management fees, and sales and trading revenue. Net interest income rose by 9%…
US 10-Year Treasury Yield Falls as Shutdown Reaches 15 Days The US 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4% on Wednesday, nearing April lows after US Federal Reserve Chair Joseph Powell’s comments on labor market weakness strengthened expectations for more rate cuts. The ongoing US government shutdown, which has delayed key data releases, further clouded the outlook and fuelled demand for safe-haven assets. US government shutdown reaches 15 days with distortions to data and market activities. The economic and financial market impact has been muted thus far, Wells Fargo said in a commentary note. Approximately 600,000 federal government workers have been…
Naira Faces Selloffs, Forex Demand Climbs at Official Window The naira weakened against the dollar on Tuesday, declining 0.39% to ₦1,463.23 at the Nigerian foreign exchange market. For the second days, the naira lost value as the greenback gained momentum across the global forex market today. The greenback has seen about a 3% uptrend against a basket of currencies (DXY) since mid-September, recovering from more than three-year lows after falling nearly 11% earlier this year. Updated FX data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that US dollar demand pressures lifted the intraday spot rate to N1474, depreciated by…