Economy

Business, Consumer Expectations Improve in Nigeria

Published

9 years ago

17/07/2017

By FSDH Research

The Business Expectations Survey (BES) and the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) Reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) published for Q2, 2017 show that confidence of both the firms and consumers about the Q3, 2017 and the next 12 months has improved.

The BES shows that the respondents’ overall confidence index on the macro-economy in Q2, 2017 was less pessimistic when compared with the level recorded in Q1, 2016.

The major drivers of the improved optimism in Q2, 2017 were services, wholesale/retail trade, industrial and construction sectors. The respondent firms identified the following as major business constraints: insufficient power supply, financial problem, high interest rate, unfavourable economic climate, competition, unclear economic laws, and unfavourable political climate.

Most of the surveyed firms expect the value of the Naira to appreciate against the US Dollar in the next two quarters. The report also shows that businesses with expansion plans are in the following sectors: wholesale/retail trade, services, construction and industrial.

The BES added that respondent firms expect inflation rate and interest rate to moderate in the next two quarters.

The CES shows that the respondents’ overall confidence outlook moderated in Q2, 2017.

According to the survey, some respondents attributed the improved outlook to the increased confidence in the economy. Despite the improved confidence the overall outlook was negative, majority of the respondents ascribed this development to a decline in their net income leading to draw-down on savings/getting into debt.

The consumer outlook for the next quarter and that of the next 12 months were positive. The outlook is attributed to the anticipated improvement in the Nigerian economic conditions, expected increase in net household income and expectation to save in the next 12 months.

On the expectation of consumer expenditure, the survey says more households across the country expect some increase in their expenditure on basic commodities and services in the next 12 months. Most consumers expect to spend a substantial amount of their income on food and other household needs, education, savings, purchase of consumer durables, medical expenses and investment.

Nevertheless, they do not plan to spend on large ticket items such as purchase of car/motor vehicle and house.

Most surveyed consumers expect the prices of goods and services to increase in the next 12 months. The major drivers are: house rent, education, medical care, transport and electricity. On the consumer buying outlook, consumers believe Q2, 2017 was not the ideal time to buy consumer durables like motor vehicle and house.

It also added that the next 12 months are not the best time to buy items such as furniture, gas cooker, refrigerator, air conditioners, television and other durables. However the next 12 months seem to be an ideal time to buy big-ticket items like motor vehicles and house.

Although consumers expect inflation rate to rise in the next 12 months, they expect exchange rate to appreciate and interest rate (borrowing rate) to drop.

We note that there are still some challenges in the economy that need to be addressed.

However, our review of the Nigerian economy shows that the worst performance may be over. Thus the economy is ready for a recovery. We are of the view that inflation rate will decline for the rest of the year 2017 (but still in double digits).

We also expect the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN to adopt a more accommodating monetary policy stance when there is sustainable stability in the foreign exchange rate and inflation expectation is properly anchored within the level that is not growth retarding. Such a change in the monetary policy stance will lead to a drop in the interest rates (both deposit and lending) and yields on the fixed income securities.

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) needs to address the challenges in the power sector in order to reduce firms’ operating cost and increase the spendable and investible income of consumers. Other areas that need attention in order to improve business and consumer confidence are the political and policy uncertainties in the country.

Economy

UAE to Leave OPEC May 1

Published

2 hours ago

28/04/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The United ‌Arab Emirates has announced its decision to quit the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to focus on national interests.

This dealt ⁠a heavy ⁠blow to the oil-exporting group at a time when the US-Israel war on Iran had caused ⁠a historic energy shock and rattled the global economy.

The move, which will take effect on May 1, 2026, reflects “the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile”, a statement carried by state media said on Tuesday.

“During our time in the organisation, we made significant contributions and even greater sacrifices for the benefit of all,” it added. “However, the time has come to focus our efforts on what our national interest dictates.”

The loss of the UAE, a longstanding OPEC member, could create disarray and weaken the oil cartel, which has usually sought to show a united ⁠front despite internal disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to production quotas.

UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei said the decision was taken after a careful look at the regional power’s energy strategies.

“This is a policy decision. It has been done after a careful look at current and future policies related to the level of production,” the minister said.

OPEC’s Gulf producers have already been struggling to ship exports through the Strait of Hormuz, a ‌narrow chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass, because of threats and attacks against vessels during the war.

The UAE had been a member of OPEC first through its emirate of Abu Dhabi in 1967 and later when it became its own country in 1971.

The oil cartel, based in Vienna, has seen some of its market power wane as the US has increased its production of crude oil in recent years.

Additionally, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have increasingly competed over economic issues and regional politics, particularly in the Red Sea area.

The two countries had joined a coalition to fight against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis in 2015. However, that coalition broke down into recriminations in late December when Saudi Arabia bombed what it described as a weapons shipment bound for Yemeni separatists backed by the UAE.

Economy

NASD OTC Exchange Inches Up 0.03% as CSCS Outshines Four Price Decliners

Published

14 hours ago

28/04/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc bested four price decliners on the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange on Monday, April 27. The alternative stock market opened the week bullish during the session with a 0.03 per cent uptick.

According to data, the security depository company added N2.61 to its share price to close at N76.26 per unit compared with the preceding session’s N78.87 per unit.

As a result, the market capitalisation of the platform increased by N820 million to N2.425 trillion from N2.424 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) gained 1.38 points to finish at 4,053.97 points compared with the 4,052.58 points it ended last Friday.

The four price losers were led by NASD Plc, which slumped by N3.80 to sell at N34.70 per share versus N38.50 per share. FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc fell by N1.45 to N98.10 per unit from N99.55 per unit, Food Concepts Plc slid by 27 Kobo to N2.43 per share from N2.70 per share, and Geo-Fluids Plc dipped by 9 Kobo to N2.91 per unit from N3.00 per unit.

The value of securities transacted by market participants went down by 82.0 per cent to N7.4 million from N41.3 million units, the volume of securities declined by 28.5 per cent to 319,831 units from 447,403 units, and the number of deals dropped by 34.1 per cent to 29 deals from 44 deals.

Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc was the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, followed by CSCS Plc with 59.6 million units sold for N4.0 billion, and Okitipupa Plc with 27.8 million units exchanged for N1.9 billion.

Also, GNI Plc was the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units traded for N415.7 million, and Infrastructure Guarantee Credit Plc with a turnover of 400 million units worth N1.2 billion.

Economy

Naira Opens Week Weaker at N1,364/$ at NAFEX After N5.80 Loss

Published

15 hours ago

28/04/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The first trading day of the week in the currency market was bearish for the Naira in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Monday, April 27.

Yesterday, it lost N5.80 or 0.43 per cent against the United States Dollar to trade at N1,364.24/$1, in contrast to the N1,358.44/$1 it was traded last Friday.

In the same vein, the Nigerian currency depreciated against the Pound Sterling in the official market by N13.70 to close at N1,847.72/£1 versus the preceding session’s N1,834.02/£1, and slumped against the Euro by N11.56 to sell at N1,602.29/€1 versus N1,590.73/€1.

Also, the Nigerian Naira tumbled against the greenback during the trading day by N5 to quote at N1,385/$1 compared with the previous rate of N1,380/$1, and at the GTBank FX desk, it traded flat at N1,370/$1.

The poor performance of the domestic currency could be attributed to liquidity shortage at the official currency market on Monday, which came amid surging demand for international payments. At $76.50 million, interbank liquidity printed higher across 79 deals, up from the $43.572 million reported on Friday.

Nigeria’s gross external reserves declined to $48.45 billion amid a month-long decline in inflows, amid uncertainties in the global commodity market. The depletion of foreign reserves could be partly attributed to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention in the FX market.

The market remains perturbed by persistent concerns over liquidity constraints, policy transparency, and weakening confidence in Nigeria’s FX market, while boosters, including oil prices, continue to look rocky due to stalled discussions and unclear ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran.

A look at the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin (BTC) has been rejected near $79,000 three times in eight sessions, leaving the level as the de facto ceiling of its current trading range even as major cryptocurrencies trade lower over the past day. It lost 0.9 per cent to sell at $77,003.61.

Analysts say that upcoming US Federal Reserve policy decisions and top tech firms’ earnings this week could provide the catalyst to push bitcoin decisively above $80,000.

The market also continued to weigh Iran’s interim deal proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which failed to advance over the weekend. The White House said US officials were discussing the latest Iranian proposal but maintained “red lines” on any deal to end the eight-week war.

Solana (SOL) dropped 1.8 per cent to $84.25, Ripple (XRP) went down by 1.6 per cent to $1.39, Ethereum (ETH) depreciated by 1.3 per cent to $2,290.00, Binance Coin (BNB) declined by 0.5 per cent to $625.18, and Cardano (ADA) fell by 0.2 per cent to $0.2480.

However, Dogecoin (DOGE) rose by 2.0 per cent to $0.1002, and TRON (TRX) appreciated by 0.2 per cent to $0.3242, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 apiece.