Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

FTSE Russell to Upgrade Nigeria to Frontier Market Status in Sept. FTSE Russell, the global index provider, today announced that Nigeria will be reclassified to frontier market status in September 2026, according to an official notice. The global index provider said this in a published report on its March 2026 semi-annual country classification review for countries monitored by its global equity and fixed-income indices. MarketForces Africa reported that Nigeria was added to the watch list in September 2025 for possible reclassification from Unclassified to Frontier market status. Recalled that Nigeria was reclassified from Frontier to Unclassified market status in September…

Equity investors gained N191 billion as Nigerian Exchange (NGX) recorded price appreciation in GTCO, FirstHoldco, Lafarge Africa, Aradel, among others.

PAX Gold (PAXG) price climbs slightly, hovering around $4,636 on Tuesday as investors reacted positively to direct trading of Ripple stablecoin (RLUSD) with PAXG.

Zenith Bank Plc’s board of directors has proposed to pay shareholders a final dividend of N8.75 for the 2025 financial year, according to details from its audited report filed with the regulator.

Access, Wema Bank Top Volume Drivers in Nigerian Market Access Holdings, Wema Bank and Secure Electronic Technology were top volume drivers in the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) last week as demand for financial stocks increased. The Nigerian equities market traded for four days, following the Federal Government’s declaration of 3 and 6 April 2026 as public holidays for Easter. The market rebounded from last week’s losses, driven by higher activity in the banking and consumer goods sectors, Futureview Financial Limited noted. Broadstreet analysts reported that the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) rose 0.39% to 201,698.89 points, lifting market capitalisation by 0.65% to…

Gold steadied around $4,650 per ounce on Tuesday after falling for two straight sessions, as investors focused on President Donald Trump’s threat to target Iranian civilian infrastructure unless his demands are met.

OPEC+ Warns of Cost Of Repairing Energy Assets in Middle East Eight countries forming the core of the OPEC+ group of oil producers have voiced concern over Iran’s attacks on energy infrastructure as oil shortages persist amid the war in the Middle East. “Restoring damaged energy assets to full capacity is both costly and takes a long time, thereby affecting overall supply availability,” the countries said in a joint statement after an online meeting. They also highlighted the “critical importance of safeguarding international maritime routes to ensure the uninterrupted flow of energy” – a reference to the Strait of Hormuz,…

XRP Price Drops to $1.32 as Altcoin Momentum Eases Ripple (XRP) price dropped by 3% to $1.32 over the past 24h as altcoin momentum eased, underperforming a slightly weaker broader market. The token is still trading below the cryptocurrency analysts’ target price set between $145. to $1.60, suggesting significant upside for investors who buy the dip. Price retreated from climbing further due to a technical rejection at key resistance and a lack of positive catalysts. Trading volume is down 8% to $1.69 billion after a strong bets seen the previous day. A slew of crypto analysts confirmed that XRP retreated…

Wema Bank Processed N32trn Transactions Via Digital Channels Wema Bank continues to boost earnings, driven by a strong digital footprint, with total transaction value processed across channels nearing N32 trillion, according to the company’s audited financial statements. In financial year 2025 alone, Wema Bank’s digital channels supported 3.75 million actively transacting customers, processing over 708 million digital transactions with a total value exceeding ₦31.9 trillion. The bank said these figures reflect not just adoption, but sustained, everyday reliance on digital banking. ALAT remains a core driver of this momentum. With 1.9 million active users, the platform processed over 162 million…

Hormuz Exposes Hidden Tech Chokepoint, Heightens Semiconductor, AI Infrastructure Risks A functional impairment of the Strait of Hormuz is rapidly emerging as a critical yet underappreciated risk to the global technology supply chain, with specialty materials such as helium now presenting a larger immediate threat to semiconductors and AI infrastructure than oil markets, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform. Energy markets and policymakers have long focused on crude oil flows through the Gulf, but the latest disruption reveals a hidden chokepoint for the technology sector: the shipping and logistics routes that underpin access to noble gases and…