Author: Olu Anisere

Olu Anisere is a financial and economic journalist at MarketForces Africa, specialising in African macroeconomic policy, international finance, energy markets, and continental development.He covers major multilateral institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), providing readers with frontline reporting on policies shaping Africa's economic trajectory.Olu has reported extensively on Nigeria's fiscal and monetary policy landscape, including CBN interest rate decisions, Nigeria's bond market, FX inflows, and the country's engagement with global financial institutions.His coverage spans IMF and World Bank Spring and Annual Meetings, African Ministers of Finance conferences, and high-level economic forums where Africa's development agenda is set.His reporting captures perspectives from Africa's most influential economic voices, including Tony Elumelu, senior IMF officials, and CBN leadership, bringing institutional insight and policy depth to MarketForces Africa's readers.Olu also covers Inside Africa — tracking economic, investment, and development stories from across the continent. Olu Anisere is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

NLNG Calls for Global Action on Methane Gas Mitigation Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has urged global cooperation to tackle methane emissions and accelerate climate action. Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of NLNG, made the call during a panel session at the Gastech Exhibition and Conference in Milan, Italy. The session was themed, “Advancing Progress on Methane Abatement Through Strategic Cooperation and the Mobilisation of Finance and Technologies.” Mshelbila stressed that methane reduction must be prioritised due to its high climate potency and short atmospheric lifespan compared to carbon dioxide (CO₂). He explained that about 40 per cent of…

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Oil Prices Dip on U.S Inflation Concern, OPEC+ Output Surges Oil prices dipped on Friday over concern that rising US inflation and President Donald Trump’s push for new tariffs could sap demand, adding to pressure from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) forecast for stronger global supply growth. Brent crude was trading at $65.72 per barrel, down 0.5% from the previous close of $66.08. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) decreased by 0.6% to $61.68 from $62.05 in the prior session. Investors grew cautious as tariff-driven inflation risks clouded expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) still has room to cut interest…

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Naira: CBN Injects over $200m into FX Market – Analysts Note The Nigerian naira has been trading relatively strong versus the dollar amidst broader pressures on the greenback, with the current value of the U.S. Dollar Index settling at 97.640. In a commentary note, analysts at CSL Stockbrokers acknowledged that the local currency strengthened to 7 months high on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) support in addition to offshore inflows. “The Naira has sustained a strong run in recent weeks, appreciating steadily from ₦1,532/US$ at the end of August to around ₦1,500/US$, its strongest level in more than seven…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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,…

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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…

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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,…

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