Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

Nigerian Exchange Rises by N369bn as GTCO, Zenith Rally Nigerian Exchange, NGX, market capitalisation rose by about N369 billion as banking stocks caught investors’ attention after sell pressure last week. The local equities market kicked off the week on a positive note, fuelled by renewed buying interest in GTCO, Zenith, and other financial stocks. Today, the Nigerian Exchange All-Share index advanced by 56 basis points to close at 105,551.39 points, while the market capitalisation added N369.0 billion to reach N66.19 trillion. Reversing the previous selldown, the release of audited financials and dividend announcement from UBA spurred positive sentiments in the…

Dangote Cement Achieves Higher CDP Ratings for Climate Change Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 CDP results. CDP, formerly Carbon Disclosure Project, is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions. Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018, a platform that provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores…

The naira lost about N19 against the US dollar as demand for foreign currencies continued to increase in Nigerian markets.

Adeayworld Energy Limited Partners NASENI on CNG Kit Manufacturing Adeayworld Energy Limited says it’s partnering with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) on compressed natural gas (CNG) kits manufacturing and distribution in Nigeria. Prince Adeleke, Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said the partnership was in line with the Presidential Initiative on CNG (P-ICNG). He said that the collaboration would improve fuel efficiency, promote environmentally friendly energy solutions, and advance local capacity in CNG distribution and utilisation. “This partnership will directly support Nigeria’s long-term goals in terms of economic diversification,…

Tony Elumelu Foundation Grants $15m to 3,000 African Entrepreneurs The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has announced a $15 million grant to support 3,000 budding entrepreneurs from 52 African countries. TEF Founder, Mr Tony Elumelu, made this known on Sunday in Abuja during the unveiling of the 2025 cohort of the foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme. He stated that each beneficiary would receive a $5,000 seed grant to kick-start their businesses. Elumelu, who is also the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp, and United Bank for Africa (UBA), reaffirmed his commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs and transforming the continent’s economic landscape. According to Elumelu,…

Enugu to Surpass ₦600bn IGR Target for 2025 Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State says his government will surpass the projected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target of ₦600 billion for 2025, to fund more development projects. Mbah gave the assurance on Saturday night in Enugu during his investiture as President of the Enugu Sports Club. Governor Mbah inaugurated the newly remodeled clubhouse, as well as the installation of new club patrons by the Chairman of Enugu Sports Club, Chief Nnanna Atuonwu. Mbah recalled that when his administration set a goal to grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion,…

FAAC: FG, States, LGs Share N1.678trn for February The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), has shared N1.678 trillion among the Federal Government, states and the Local Government Councils (LGCs) for the month of February. This is according to a communiqué issued by FAAC and made available by Bawa Mokwa, the Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF). According to the communiqué, the total revenue of N1.678 trillion comprised statutory revenue of N827.633 billion and Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N 609.430 billion. It also comprised Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N35.171…

NGX Market Cap Falls by N532bn as Investors Exit Positions The Nigerian Exchange, NGX, shrank as equities investors trading highs and lows in the local bourse lost more than N532 billion in the week. Stockbrokers reported that the equities market continued its downward trend this week, with increasing volatility exerting pressure on stock prices. As a result, the NGX benchmark index declined for yet another consecutive week, falling by 0.94% on a week-on-week basis to settle at 104,962.96 points. The persistent downturn, according to Cowry Asset Limited, was primarily driven by investors reacting to evolving global economic conditions, despite the…

Oil Posts Weekly Gain over Budding Uncertainties Oil posted weekly gains in the global commodity market, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, fresh US sanctions on Iranian crude exports, and China’s latest economic stimulus measures. Brent crude traded at $71.22 per barrel on Friday, up by around 1.4% from last week’s closing price of $70.24 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the American benchmark, traded at $67.78 per barrel at the same time on Friday, up about 1.3% from last Friday’s closing price of $66.91 per barrel. On Thursday, the Houthi group reported that US warplanes conducted four…

First Bank Disburses N700 Billion to SMEs in 2024 First Bank of Nigeria Limited has pledged multi-trillion Naira investments in small businesses by 2025 to harness entrepreneurs’ potential in boosting Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product. Its official said the bank disbursed over N700 billion to small and medium scale entrepreneurs in 2024 to drive growth. The bank’s Managing Director, Mr Olusegun Alebiosu, confirmed this during an SME Scale Up workshop, sponsored by First Bank and Seven-Up Bottling Company on Friday in Lagos. The workshop hosted 100 Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Chief Executive Officers from across Nigeria seeking to scale up…