Author: Olu Anisere

Major Shocks Cloud Madagascar’s Macroeconomic Outlook –IMF Major shocks cloud Madagascar macroeconomic outlook, International Monetary Fund (IMF) said after a review of the country’s economic data. IMF said Madagascar’s spending commitments outpaced tax collection in the first half of the year; adding that the authorities are activating contingency plans to stay in line with the budget in the months ahead. An IMF team, led by Mr. Constant Lonkeng, visited Antananarivo to assess recent economic developments and the outlook, take stock of the 2025 budget execution, discuss the contours of—and policy intentions under—the 2026 budget and gauge progress in the authorities…

South African Rand Drops Vs. USD Amidst GDP Growth Upgrade The South African rand (ZARUSD) dropped versus the US dollar at the forex market in early Thursday trade ahead of the release of domestic economic indicators and US consumer inflation data due later in the day. ZAR was trading at 17.52 against the U.S. dollar, according to updated forex market data, declining by 0.3% from Wednesday’s close. The South African Reserve Bank publisheded second-quarter current account data which show the deficit widened to 1.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2025, from a revised 0.6% deficit…

Oil Prices Decline as U.S Inventories, Production Increase The prices of crude oil pulled back marginally in the global commodity market on Thursday as markets anticipate softening demand in the United States following a sharp increase in inventories and production, according to the latest data. The oil market is also facing concerns over possible excess supply. However, losses were limited by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine, which continued to add uncertainty to the market. Brent crude futures slipped 0.1% to trade at $67.41 per barrel at the time of writing, while West Texas…

Nigeria LNG Deploys AI to Boost Domestic Gas Supply, Export Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has highlighted the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing operational efficiency, safety, and productivity across its vast gas infrastructure. Mr Olakunle Osobu, Deputy Managing Director, NLNG, disclosed this while addressing a global audience of more than 50,000 participants from 150 countries in a panel session at the ongoing Gastech Exhibition and Conference in Milan, Italy. The session was themed, “Operational Excellence Through the Application of Artificial Intelligence Technologies.” Osobu explained that NLNG’s adoption of AI was not just strategic but essential, driven…

CSCS Sensitises Stakeholders on T+2 Settlement Cycle The Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) on Wednesday sensitised capital market stakeholders on the smooth transition to a T+2 settlement cycle ahead of its Nov. 28 launch. The webinar brought together capital market operators, regulators, and the Nigerian Exchange Ltd., providing updates, guidance, and clarity on the transition process. The programme’s theme was ‘Advancing Market Efficiency through T+2 Settlement’. CSCS Chief Executive Officer, Haruna Jalo-Waziri, highlighted the extensive groundwork done to ensure a seamless transition, stressing the importance of efficiency and liquidity in Nigeria’s capital market. Represented by Adeyinka Shonekan, CSCS Executive Director,…

Benchmark Yield on Nigerian Bonds Falls to 16.68% Nigerian government bonds rallied in the secondary market as investors look forward to fresh supply for Sept., with hope that disinflation will trigger yield repricing. Investors continue to lock down yield on Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) bonds with mixed expectation on spot rate pricing after midterm expenditure document revealed a preference for local borrowing. Inflation is anticipated to decline further as the market expects the release of August consumer price index (CPI) by the National Bureau of Statistic (NBS) next week. In the secondary market, FGN bond traders sustained its bullish…

Nigeria’s Economic Fortunes Depend on Data-Backed Reforms -Afrinvest MD An Investment banking group, Afrinvest, has called for research-driven reforms to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential beyond the trillion-dollar gross domestic product milestone. Its Managing Director, Dr Ike Chioke, made call at the company’s 30th anniversary celebration and the unveiling of the 20th edition of its flagship Banking Sector Report (BSR) on Tuesday in Lagos. The theme of the report is “ACT-BOLD: Beyond a Trillion-Dollar Economy”. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the report outlines seven priority sectors, agriculture, creatives/tourism and hospitality, technology, banking & finance, oil and gas, logistics,…

Oil Prices Rise, Threat to Sanction Russia Heightens Supply Risks Oil prices rose in the global commodities markets on Wednesday due to concerns about potential supply interruptions caused by rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the possibility of more stringent US sanctions on Russian oil. Brent crude was trading at $66.85 per barrel, up 0.7% from the previous close of $66.38. The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 0.7% to $62.95. The gains followed Israeli airstrikes on senior Hamas leaders in Doha, a move that Qatar denounced as “treacherous” and “state terrorism.” Qatar, alongside Egypt and the…

GCR Affirms Lasaco Assurance Financial Strength A(NG) Rating GCR Ratings has affirmed Lasaco Assurance Plc’s national scale financial strength rating of A(NG), with the outlook maintained at stable. According to GCR, the assigned rating reflects the strengths and weaknesses of Lasaco Assurance Plc and its two wholly owned subsidiaries: Lasaco Trading and Investment Limited and Lasaco Properties Limited, collectively referred to as the group. The rating note released on Tuesday explained that the insurer is the core operating entity within the group, accounting for 99% and 81.6% of the group’s total assets and profit after tax as of 31 December…

Exchange Rates Gap Collapses as Naira Rallies Versus Dollar The Nigerian naira exchange rates gap has collapsed sharply as the local currency maintained an uptrend against the dominant US dollar. The dollar index declined on Tuesday as the market anticipates the US Federal Reserve to cut rates after a weak job report. In the local currency market, the naira has enjoyed successive rallies in the absence of significant demand for foreign currency by Nigerian companies and other eligible FX users. The naira debit card alternative has also helped the exchange rate at the unofficial market gain traction, with the US…