Author: Olu Anisere

Nigeria Unveils Industrialisation Policy to Boost Jobs, Value Addition The Federal Government has launched the Nigerian Industrialisation Policy aimed at driving value addition, industrial growth, and employment creation across the country. The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, who spoke at the soft launch of the policy, said the initiative marked a strategic step in translating Nigeria’s industrial potential into measurable productivity. This was done on the sidelines of the launch of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Macroeconomic Outlook Report for 2026 on Thursday, in Lagos. Enoh noted that the policy, approved and validated in 2025, reflected a…

Banking Index Pops as FirstHoldco, Zenith Rally Amid Block Trades The banking index popped up as the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) recorded its first red rain in 2026 with investors losing about N458 billion from their combined portfolio value. The momentum was boosted by interest in First Holdco, Ecobank Transnational Incorporation (ETI), and Zenith Bank, with huge crossed trades, including bargain hunting in FCMB and Fidelity Bank. There were profit-taking activities on top tier 1 banks like UBA, Access Holdings, and GTCO due to portfolio rebalancing ahead of the fourth quarter of 2025 earnings release. The losses in lightweight banking names…

Oil Prices Decline over Weak U.S. Demand Expectation Amidst uncertainties in the global commodity market, prices of crude oil eased due to a weak U.S. demand outlook after data showed a surge in inventories. Brent crude traded slightly lower on Thursday , supported by easing geopolitical tensions, and signs of rising oil inventories in the U.S. Brent crude was trading at $63.85 per barrel, down 0.6% from the previous close of $64.23. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also decreased by 0.5% to $59.77, compared to $60.10 in the prior session. The modest pullback in prices came as geopolitical risk…

NGX Index, Market Cap Rise Hit New High on 22-Day Rally The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) sustained its bullish momentum with an uptick in key performance indicators as the local bourse rallied for 22 consecutive trading sessions. Trading data showed that NGX All-Share Index (ASI) advanced by 56 basis points on Wednesday, driven by gains in ARADEL and 45 other stocks, according to stockbrokers. Market breadth remained positive, with 46 gainers against 28 losers. ACADEMY Plc led the gainers’ chart with a 10.0% appreciation, while MAY & BAKER Plc topped the losers’ chart, declining by 9.8%. The market recorded a turnover…

Seplat, Zenith Bank Drive NGX Rally, Investors Gain N598bn Seplat Energy, Transcorp, and Zenith Bank Plc were among the top gainers on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) trading platform that drove momentum in the local bourse on Wednesday. Equities investors saw more than N598 billion as the Nigerian Exchange all-share index (NGX) rose by 0.56%, extending the ongoing rally as bullish sentiment continued to dominate trading activity. The benchmark NGX All-Share Index advanced by 56 basis points to close at 166,771.95 points, reflecting a market fuelled by firm investor confidence. The market strengthened further due to gains in SEPLAT, MBENEFIT, CHAMPION,…

U.S. Energy Agency Hikes Oil Price Forecast for 2026 The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has revised up its average oil price forecast for this year but expects oil prices in 2026 to be lower than in 2025 as global oil production exceeds demand, leading to inventory builds. In its Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) released late Tuesday, the EIA raised its average Brent crude price forecast to $55.87 per barrel, up from $55.08, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was revised to $52.21 per barrel from $51.42. The agency expects oil prices to decline in 2026 to roughly 19% below 2025…

Who Should Invest in Treasury Bills, Bonds? Fixed-income market securities are for those that have made money, and the only thing they need now is to preserve their wealth. A 50% annual return on a small investment outlay cannot make anyone rich or bring you into the high-net-worth individual fold. It is an absolute way to avoid investment drama, meaning you don’t want to take risk with what you have. Investment in fixed-interest income assets is far better than keeping your money in savings. What do you think your banks do with your deposit? Check their financial statements and see…

Rates Mixed as OMO Inflow, Banks’ Placement Boost Liquidity Interbank rates mixed as the repayment of OMO bills and the placement of funds by deposit money banks (DMBs) at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) enhanced liquidity within the financial system. The money market remained flooded with a flow of cash as banks took advantage of placements with the CBN to drive earnings growth. It was also noted that some local lenders were at the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) to patch their respective liquidity gaps at a rate above the average return on short-term investment securities. …

Naira Climbs to N1,419 Per Dollar as Foreign Reserves Surge The naira rose against the US dollar at the official window on Tuesday, settling at N1,419.66 per dollar, according to forex market data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). In the absence of liquidity pressures, the spot fx rate traded between N1,418 and N1,424 per dollar at the Nigeria foreign exchange market, the CBN reported. FX liquidity was bolstered by $50 million sold to banks and other authorised dealers on Friday, with data showing that aggregate FX inflows on the decline. In the parallel market, the naira appreciated…

NCC Studies Competition to Address Market Dominance in Telecom Sector The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced a comprehensive study on competition in the telecommunications sector to address concerns around market dominance and ensure fair, effective and sustainable competition. NCC said this during a stakeholders’ forum on the Study of Competition in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Lagos on Tuesday. Speaking at the forum, the Head of Tariff, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis Department, NCC, Mrs Omotayo Mohammed, said that the exercise was necessary to validate existing competition policies against current market realities. Mohammed said the…