Economy

Crude Oil Accounts for 74.45% of Nigeria’s Exports in Q1 2019

Published

7 years ago

09/06/2019

By Dipo Olowookere

It seems efforts by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to diversify the nation’s economy so as to stop the heavy reliance on crude oil as Nigeria’s major exports are not yielding any meaningful results.

This is because the commodity is still the main driver of the economy despite attempts to make the non-oil industry contribute significantly to revenue generated.

Last week, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics for the first quarter of 2019, but the figures showed that much of the trades carried out by the Africa’s largest economy was still in the oil sector.

According to the stats office, Nigeria’s export in the first quarter of this year was still oil dependent, with exports trade dominated by crude oil exports, which contributed N3.377 trillion or 74.45 percent to the value of total exports in Q1, 2019.

However, the non-oil products accounted for 25.55 percent of total exports in the quarter under review.

In Q1 2019, Nigeria exported most products to Europe, Asia and Africa equivalent to N1.833 trillion or 40.43 percent of total exports, N1.325 trillion or 29.2 percent and N936.8 billion or 20.67 percent respectively.

Furthermore, Nigeria exported goods worth N405.8 billion or 8.95 percent to the Americas and N34.5 billion or 0.76 percent to Oceania.

Within Africa, Nigeria exported goods valued at N300.6 billion to ECOWAS member states, representing 32.08 percent of total merchandise exports to Africa.

By country of destination, Nigeria exported goods mainly to India, Spain, Netherlands, South Africa and France, valued at N745.0 billion or 16.43 percent, N487.1 billion or 10.74 percent, N405.4 billion or 8.9 percent, N325.5 billion or 7.2 percent and N302.3 billion or 6.7 percent respectively.

In the report, the NBS said the total trade recorded in Nigeria in the first quarter of 2019 grew by 2.50 percent when compared with what was achieved in the fourth quarter of and by 7.52 percent as against the corresponding quarter in 2018.

In the period under consideration, the country’s total exports was recorded at N4.535 trillion, which represents a 1.78 percent rise compared with the fourth quarter of 2018 but a 3.9 percent fall compared to the first quarter of 2018.

Similarly, the value of total imports increased to N3.704 trillion, representing an increase of 3.39 percent relative to Q4 2018 and 29.84 percent compared with Q1 2018.

It further stated that the trade balance of Nigeria remained positive at N831.6 billion in the first quarter of this year, boosted by increase in both exports and imports, with the boost also helped total trade increase to N8.239 trillion.

A breakdown of the imports showed that imported agricultural products were 7.98 percent higher in value than in Q4 2018, and 28.1 percent higher than in Q1, 2018, while the value of raw material imports grew 6.62 percent more than the value recorded in Q4, 2018 and 20.76 percent more than the value recorded in Q1 2018.

Also, the value of solid minerals imports was 1.26 percent more than the value of imports in Q4, 2018 and 35.90 percent higher than the value recorded in Q1 2018, while the value of energy goods imports was 20.28 percent lower than in Q4, 2018. Compared with the corresponding quarter of 2018, a decrease of 0.94 percent was recorded.

In the report analysed by Business Post, the stats office said the value of imported manufactured goods increased by 25.81 percent in Q1, 2019 against the value recorded in Q4, 2018 and rose by 130.7 percent against its value in Q1, 2018. The increase in value of imported manufactured goods was partly as a result of the importation of hygienic/ pharmaceutical product for humanitarian purposes during the quarter.

In addition, the value of other oil products imported was 58.4 percent lower than in Q4, 2018 and 72.71 percent lower than the corresponding quarter of 2018.

For the exports, the value of agricultural exports in Q1 2019 was 11.89 percent lower than in Q4, 2018 but 17.5 percent higher than Q1 2018.

The value of raw material exports in Q1, 2019 was 10.67 percent lower than the value in Q4, 2018 but 11.57 percent higher than in Q1 2018.

The value of solid minerals exports increased by 16.88 percent relative to Q4 2018 but decreased by 66.6 percent compared to the corresponding quarter in 2018.

The exports of energy goods decreased in value by 1.3 percent compared to Q4, 2018 but increased by 2.17 percent when compared with Q1 2018.

The value of manufactured goods exports rose by 511.19 percent in Q1 2019 when compared with the value recorded in Q4 2018 and 6.43 percent compared to the corresponding quarter in 2018. The increase in export during the quarter was due to the re-export of vessels and other floating structures during the quarter, amongst other high value re-exports.

The value of crude oil exports in Q1 2019 was 7.78 percent lower than in Q4 2018 and 5.67 percent lower than in Q1 2018.

The value of other oil products exports decreased by 1.42 percent compared to Q4 2018, and 1.44 percent compared to Q1 2018.

Economy

Nigerian Stocks Close 1.13% Higher to Remain in Bulls’ Territory

Published

18 hours ago

20/12/2025

Dipo Olowookere

By Dipo Olowookere

The local stock market firmed up by 1.13 per cent on Friday as appetite for Nigerian stocks remained strong.

Investors reacted well to the 2026 budget presentation of President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly yesterday, especially because of the more realistic crude oil benchmark of $64 per barrel compared with the ambitious $75 per barrel for 2025. This year, prices have been between $60 and $65 per barrel.

Business Post observed profit-taking in the commodity and energy sectors as they respectively shed 0.14 per cent and 0.03 per cent.

But, bargain-hunting in the others sustained the positive run, with the consumer goods index up by 3.82 per cent.

Further, the industrial goods space appreciated by 1.46 per cent, the banking counter improved by 0.08 per cent, and the insurance industry gained 0.04 per cent.

As a result, the All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 1,694.33 points to 152,057.38 points from 150,363.05 points and the market capitalisation chalked up N1.080 trillion to finish at N96.937 trillion compared with Thursday’s closing value of N95.857 trillion.

A total of 34 shares ended on the advancers’ chart, while 24 were on the laggards’ log, representing a positive market breadth index and bullish investor sentiment.

Austin Laz gained 10.00 per cent to close at N2.42, Union Dicon also jumped 10.00 per cent to N6.60, Tantalizers increased by 9.80 per cent to N2.69, Aluminium Extrusion improved by 9.78 per cent to N12.35, and Champion Breweries grew by 9.71 per cent to N16.95.

Conversely, Sovereign Trust Insurance dipped by 7.42 per cent to N3.87, Royal Exchange lost 6.84 per cent to trade at N1.77, Omatek slipped by 6.84 per cent to N1.09, Eunisell depreciated by 5.88 per cent to N80.00, and Eterna dropped 5.63 per cent to close at N28.50.

Yesterday, traders transacted 1.5 billion units worth N21.8 billion in 25,667 deals compared with the 839.8 million units sold for N32.8 billion in 23,211 deals in the preceding session, showing a surge in the trading volume by 76.61 per cent, an uptick in the number of deals by 10.58 per cent, and a shrink in the trading value by 33.54 per cent.

Economy

FrieslandCampina, Two Others Erase N26bn from NASD OTC Bourse

Published

20 hours ago

20/12/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Three stocks stretched the bearish run of the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 1.21 per cent on Friday, December 19, with the market capitalisation giving up N26.01 billion to close at N2.121 billion compared with the N2.147 trillion it ended a day earlier, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) dropping 43.47 points to 3,546.41 points from 3,589.88 points.

The trio of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, and NASD Plc overpowered the gains printed by four other securities.

FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc lost N6.00 to sell at N54.00 per unit versus N60.00 per unit, NASD Plc shrank by N3.50 to N58.50 per share from N55.00 per share, and CSCS Plc depleted by N2.91 to N33.87 per unit from N36.78 per unit.

On the flip side, Air Liquide Plc gained N1.01 to close at N13.00 per share versus N11.99 per share, Golden Capital Plc appreciated by 70 Kobo to N7.68 per unit from N6.98 per unit, Geo-Fluids Plc added 39 Kobo to sell at N5.50 per share versus N5.11 per share, and IPWA Plc rose by 8 Kobo to 85 Kobo per unit from 77 Kobo per unit.

During the trading day, market participants traded 1.9 million securities versus the previous day’s 30.5 million securities showing a decline of 49.3 per cent. The value of trades went down by 64.3 per cent to N80.3 million from N225.1 million, but the number of deals jumped by 32.1 per cent to 37 deals from 28 deals.

Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc finished the session as the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units valued at N16.4 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 178.9 million units transacted for N9.5 billion, and MRS Oil Plc with 36.1 million units traded for N4.9 billion.

The most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis was still InfraCredit Plc with 5.8 billion units worth N16.4 billion, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 1.2 billion units sold for N420.7 million, and Impresit Bakolori Plc with 536.9 million units traded for N524.9 million.

Economy

Naira Crashes to N1,464/$1 at Official Market, N1,485/$1 at Black Market

Published

23 hours ago

20/12/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

It was not a good day for the Nigerian Naira at the two major foreign exchange (FX) market on Friday as it suffered a heavy loss against the United States Dollar at the close of transactions.

In the black market segment, the Naira weakened against its American counterpart yesterday by N10 to quote at N1,485/$1, in contrast to the N1,475/$1 it was traded a day earlier, and at the GTBank forex counter, it depreciated by N2 to settle at N1,467/$1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,465/$1.

In the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) window, which is also the official market, the nation’s legal tender crashed against the greenback by N6.65 or 0.46 per cent to close at N1,464.49/$1 compared with the preceding session’s rate of N1,457.84/$1.

In the same vein, the local currency tumbled against the Euro in the spot market by N2.25 to sell for N1,714.63/€1 compared with the previous day’s N1,712.38/€1, but appreciated against the Pound Sterling by 73 Kobo to finish at N1,957.30/£1 compared with the N1,958.03/£1 it was traded in the preceding session.

The market continues to face seasonal pressure even as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is still conducting FX intervention sales, which have significantly reduced but not remove pressure from the Naira. Also, there seems to be reduced supply from exporters, foreign portfolio investors and non-bank corporate inflows.

President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented the government’s N58.47 trillion budget plan aimed at consolidating economic reforms and boosting growth.

The budget is based on a projected crude oil price of $64.85 a barrel and includes a target oil output of 1.84 million barrels a day. It also projects an exchange rate of N1,400 to the Dollar.

President Tinubu said inflation had plunged to an annual rate of 14.45 per cent in November from 24.23 per cent in March, while foreign reserves had surged to a seven-year high of $47 billion.

Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was dominated by the bulls but it continues to face increased pressure after million in liquidations in previous session over accelerating declines, with Dogecoin (DOGE) recovering 4.2 per cent to trade at $0.1309.

Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 3.9 per cent to $1.90, Cardano (ADA) rose by 3.5 per cent to $0.3728, Solana (SOL) jumped by 3.4 per cent to $126.23, Ethereum (ETH) climbed by 2.9 per cent to $2,982.42, Binance Coin (BNB) gained 2.0 per cent to sell for $853.06, Bitcoin (BTC) improved by 1.7 per cent to $88,281.21, and Litecoin (LTC) soared by 1.2 per cent to $76.50, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each.