Economy
Naira Appreciates to N1,470/$1 on Improved Economic Signals
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira experienced a breather on Wednesday, October 8 in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) after it appreciated against the US Dollar by 47 Kobo or 0.03 per cent to trade at N1,470.62/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,471.09/$1.
However, it lost 55 Kobo against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment to close at N1,975.19/£1 compared with Tuesday’s rate of N1,974.64/£1 and depreciated against the Euro by N4.96 to sell for N1,711.51/€1, in contrast to the N1,716.47/€1 it was exchanged a day earlier.
The exchange rate of at GTBank, according to its data, saw the local currency losing N3 against the greenback yesterday to quote at N1,478 compared with Tuesday’s price of N1,475/$1.
In the parallel market, the Nigerian Naira depleted by N5 against the Dollar at midweek to N1,485/$1 compared with the preceding session’s rate of N1,480/$1.
Forex demand pressure has returned to the market evidenced by an imbalance between US Dollar demand and supply in the forex market as inflows into the currency market declined last week.
However, the World Bank provided some positive signals for the domestic currency noting that the country has seen progress in economic growth, revenue mobilisation, and external balances after the removal of fuel subsidy, devaluation of the Naira and tax reforms.
The lender noted that Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.9 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2025, up from 3.5 per cent in the same period of 2024, with growth driven by strong performance in services and non-oil industries, alongside improvements in oil production and agriculture.
There was also boosts in the country’s external position and decline in public debt to GDP below the 40 per cent line.
Meanwhile, the digital currency market was mixed on Wednesday amid fresh expectations of interest rate cuts in the US.
Minutes from the September Federal Reserve meeting released on Wednesday showed most officials still anticipate interest rate cuts later this year. Some policymakers, however, argued a cut wasn’t necessary in September, and the majority emphasized upside risks to inflation.
Solana (SOL) gained 3.5 per cent to settle at $227.31, Litecoin (LTC) grew by 2.3 per cent to $119.24, Dogecoin (DOGE) jumped by 1.5 per cent to $0.2495, Cardano (ADA) appreciated by 0.9 per cent to $0.8220, and Bitcoin (BTC) rose by 0.4 per cent to $121,952.86.
On the flip side, Ripple (XRP) declined by 0.6 per cent to $2.83, Binance Coin (BNB) fell by 0.4 per cent to $1,274.47, and Ethereum (ETH) dropped 0.1 per cent to sell at $4,441.58, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 each.
Economy
Presco, GTCO List Additional Shares on Stock Exchange
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The duo of Presco Plc and Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc has listed additional shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
The extra equities of these two publicly-listed organisations were admitted to the local stock exchange last Friday, increasing their respective total issued and fully paid-up shares.
For Presco, it listed fresh 166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each on the daily official list of the NGX on Friday, January 30, 2026, increasing its total issued and fully paid-up stocks from 1,000,000,000 units to 1,166,666,667 units.
The additional equities were from the rights issue of the firm allotted to shareholders on the basis of one new share for every existing six ordinary shares held as at close of business on Monday, October 13, 2025.
In a circular issued over the weekend, the NGX said, “Trading licence holders are hereby notified that additional 166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of Presco Plc were on Friday, January 30, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited (NGX).
“The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of 166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N1,420.00 per share on the basis of one new share for every existing six ordinary shares held as at close of business on Monday, October 13, 2025.
“With the listing of the additional 166,666,667 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Presco Plc has now increased from 1,000,000,000 to 1,166,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.”
As for GTCO, it listed additional125,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N80.00 per unit offered through private placement.
The fresh equities taken to Customs Street have raised the total issued and fully paid-up shares of GTCO from 36,425,229,514 to 36,550,229,514 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.
Economy
FG, States, Local Councils Share N1.969trn FAAC Allocation
By Adedapo Adesanya
A total of N1.969 trillion was shared to the federal government, the 36 state governments and the 774 local government councils from the gross revenue of N2.585 trillion generated by the nation in December 2025.
The money was disbursed to the three tiers of government at the January 2026 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr Bawa Mokwa, it was stated that the FAAC allocation comprised statutory revenue of N1.084 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N846.507 billion, and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N38.110 billion.
“Total deduction for cost of collection was N104.697 billion, while total transfers, refunds, and savings were N511.585 billion,” the statement partly read.
It was also revealed that from the N1.969 trillion total distributable revenue, the federal Government received the sum of N653.500 billion, and the state governments received N706.469 billion, the local government councils received N513.272 billion, and the sum of N96.083 billion was shared with the benefiting state as 13 per cent derivation revenue.
He said of the N1.084 trillion distributable statutory revenue, the central government received N520.807 billion, the state governments got N264.160 billion, the local councils were given N203.656 billion, and N96.083 billion was shared to the benefiting states as 13 per cent derivation revenue.
FAAC noted that from the N846.507 billion distributable VAT earnings, the federal government got N126.976 billion, the state governments received N423.254 billion, and the local government councils got N296.277 billion.
From the revenue from EMTL, Mr Mokwa explained that the national government was given N5.717 billion, the state governments got N19.055 billion, and the councils collected N13.338 billion.
He added that the companies’ Income Tax (CIT)/CGT and STD, Import Duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) increased significantly in December, while oil and gas royalty, CET levies and fees increase marginally, with excise duty, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT)/Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), and EMTL considerably down.
Economy
Oil Exports to Drop as Shell Commences Maintenance on Bonga FPSO
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s oil exports will drop in February following the shutdown of the Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel scheduled for turnaround maintenance.
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) Limited confirmed the development in a statement issued, adding that gas output will also decline during the maintenance period.
This comes as SNEPCo begun turnaround maintenance on the Bonga FPSO, the statement signed by its Communications Manager, Mrs Gladys Afam-Anadu, said, describing the exercise as a statutory integrity assurance programme designed to extend the facility’s operational lifespan.
SNEPCo Managing Director, Mr Ronald Adams, said the maintenance would ensure safe, efficient operations for another 15 years.
“The scheduled maintenance is designed to reduce unplanned deferments and strengthen the asset’s overall resilience.
“We expect to resume operations in March following completion of the turnaround,” he said.
Mr Adams said the scope included inspections, certification, regulatory checks, integrity upgrades, engineering modifications and subsea assurance activities.
“The FPSO, about 120 kilometres offshore in over 1,000 metres of water, can produce 225,000 barrels of oil daily.
“It also produces 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day,” he said.
He said maintaining the facility was critical to Nigeria’s production stability, energy security and revenue objectives.
Mr Adams noted that the 2024 Final Investment Decision on Bonga North increased the importance of the FPSO’s reliability. He said the turnaround would prepare the facility for additional volumes from the Bonga North subsea tie-back project.
According to him, the last turnaround maintenance was conducted in October 2022.
“On February 1, 2023, the asset produced its one billionth barrel since operations began in 2005,” Mr Adams said.
SNEPCo operates the Bonga field in partnership with Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, under a Production Sharing Contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
The last turnaround maintenance activity on the FPSO took place in October 2022. On February 1, the following year, the asset delivered its 1 billionth barrel of oil since production commenced in 2005.
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