Economy
CBN’s Monetary Policies Boosted Economy, Stock Market—Elumelu
By Dipo Olowookere
Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Tony Elumelu, has heaped praises on Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele.
According to the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, the fiscal and monetary policies put in place by the apex bank when Nigeria was in recession in 2016 helped in the putting back the economy on its feet.
Mr Elumelu further said the interventions of the CBN also buoyed the performance of the stock market last year, which closed over 40 percent higher, making it among the top five performers in the world in 2017.
Speaking in an interview with ThisDay, the serial entrepreneur, who is presently in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum (WEF), disclosed that he has a huge confidence in the nation’s economic recovery especially with the equities market sustaining its gains.
As at the close of business on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, the Nigerian stock market has risen by 16.07 percent this year alone and analysts believe the market will close 2018 higher than last year.
Mr Elumelu praised the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema, saying “their commitment to governance and market integrity has increased investors’ confidence in the market.”
He said further that, “Consolidating on the 42 percent rally in 2017, the benchmark All Share Index has gained 18 percent year-to-date, an unprecedented return in recent times, driven by renewed local and foreign investor confidence in the Nigerian economy and markets.
“The valuation of the Nigerian market, which is currently on a 14.5x P/E, still trades at a discount to its frontier market peers and more so, at a gross undervaluation to emerging market peers, especially when we take the improving fundamentals of the economy in perspective.
“Further reinforcing prospects for the equities market, is the moderating yield on fixed income securities, given the lower interest rate outlook. I fully expect fund managers to continue to allocate increasing money to Nigerian equities.”
Speaking further, the Chairman of Transcorp Plc said, “The fruits of patient and judicious central bank interventions are being rewarded by increasing local and international investor confidence, demonstrated by the recent unprecedented performance of the Nigerian equities market and the broader improvement in the domestic macroeconomic environment.”
According to him, “Nigeria’s external reserves, which are now at almost a five-year-high, have grown to over $40 billion, just as trade and current account balances are now positive. This strong performance underpins the naira today and will indeed ensure its stability in the near and medium term.
“Inflation, which peaked at 18.7 percent a year ago, has continuously trended downwards to 15.37 percent in December 2017, with a benign outlook of further moderation, as both food and core inflation ease.
“These impressive positive developments are a clear demonstration of effective monetary policy management and businesses across Nigeria need to recognise the role of the CBN governor.”
“I salute the unwavering tenacity and enterprise of the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, for his initiative in creating the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I&E) window and, more importantly, the commitment of the governor in ensuring the efficient functioning of this market.
“The I&E window has attracted over $15 billion to Nigeria, enhanced the liquidity of the FX market, reduced speculative demand for foreign currency, stabilised the naira and provided the vital foundation for renewed local and foreign investors’ confidence in the Nigerian market,” Mr Elumelu said.
He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari the clear and coherent policy-making framework put in place his administration, including “the positive engagement with the Niger Delta people, which has returned calm to this oil-producing region of the country leading to the current daily production of 2.2 million barrels of oil equivalent.”
However, Mr Elumelu cautioned that Nigeria must translate these recent improvements into a long-term strategy of ensuring economic success for all.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, has said ongoing reforms and strategic policy implementation in Nigeria’s petroleum sector are driving significant investments and strengthening the country’s position as a leading energy destination in Africa.
Mr Lokpobiri stated this at the Management Retreat of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, where he stressed the need for improved institutional performance and accountability to sustain growth in the sector.
According to the Minister, the federal government has deliberately pursued far-reaching reforms aimed at creating a stable and investor-friendly environment capable of attracting local and foreign capital into the oil and gas industry.
“From far-reaching institutional reforms to the effective implementation of strategic policies, we have remained committed to carrying all stakeholders along, fostering a conducive environment for investments to flourish,” Mr Lokpobiri said.
“As a result, our petroleum sector has witnessed significant investments that continue to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading energy destination.”
The Minister noted that the gains recorded in the sector were the product of collective efforts across the Ministry and its agencies, commending staff for their dedication and professionalism.
“The Management Retreat of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources provided an important platform to reiterate that these accomplishments would not have been possible without the collective dedication, professionalism and teamwork of every staff member across the Ministry and its agencies,” he stated.
Mr Lokpobiri said the retreat, themed Driving Institutional Performance and Accountability in the Petroleum Sector for Sustainable National Development, underscored the importance of continuous improvement in service delivery and operational efficiency.
Drawing lessons from the theme, he urged officials of the Ministry and regulatory agencies to intensify efforts toward enhancing institutional effectiveness and strengthening governance frameworks.
“I encouraged that we must redouble our efforts, continuously improve the quality of our services, and strengthen institutional performance,” he said.
The Minister further emphasised the continued relevance of fossil fuels in the global energy mix, stressing that Nigeria must leverage its hydrocarbon resources to drive economic growth while ensuring citizens benefit from ongoing reforms.
“With fossil fuel as the dominant source of energy, we must ensure that Nigerians experience the benefits of our progress and that Nigeria remains the preferred investment destination in Africa and a globally competitive hub for energy investments,” Mr Lokpobiri added.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The N3.2 billion rights issue of Universal Insurance Plc has been extended by almost two weeks after securing regulatory approval.
The exercise was earlier scheduled to close on June 10, 2026, but will now close on Monday, June 22, 2026.
The extension was granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after a request from the underwriting organisation.
In the rights issue, Universal Insurance is offering to shareholders 2,666,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N1.20 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing six ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Subscription for the acquisition of the company’s extra shares opened on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
The extension gives investors more time to increase their stake in the insurance firm, which intends to use proceeds from the exercise to boost its capital base, as mandated by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).
Insurance companies operating in Nigeria have been given till July 31, 2026, to shore up their capital base or pack up. Operators can also explore a merger if they wish.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited opened its doors to market participants in four days last week as a result of a public holiday observed on Friday, June 12, for 2026 Democracy Day in the country.
In the week, investors bought and sold 4.964 billion shares worth N207.521 billion in 235,966 deals, as against the 3.966 billion shares valued at N175.659 billion that exchanged hands in 343,587 deals a week earlier.
Analysis showed that the financial services industry led the activity chart with 4.116 billion shares valued at N84.607 billion in 96,165 deals, contributing 82.92 per cent and 40.77 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.
The services sector transacted 232.479 million shares worth N4.955 billion in 17,614 deals, while the industrial goods segment exchanged 144.988 million shares worth N39.077 billion in 24,775 deals.
Sterling Holdings, FCMB, and Access Holdings were the most traded stocks with 2.883 billion units sold for N36.188 billion in 15,533 deals, accounting for 58.09 per cent and 17.44 per cent of the total trading volume and value, respectively.
A total of 40 equities appreciated in the week versus 23 equities in the previous week, 53 equities depreciated versus 65 equities a week earlier, and 53 equities remained unchanged versus 58 equities in the preceding week.
ABC Transport was the best-performing equity for the week after it gained 25.60 per cent to trade at N7.80, Consolidated Hallmark appreciated by 23.13 per cent to N8.25, Abbey Mortgage Bank rose by 21.93 per cent to N11.40, Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank grew by 20.32 per cent to N11.25, and Austin Laz soared by 15.16 per cent to N4.33.
The worst-performing equity last week was Fidson Healthcare because of its 25.86 per cent loss, closing at N101.20. Neimeth declined by 19.14 per cent to N8.55, Union Homes REIT shed 17.36 per cent to close at N70.00, SUNU Assurances slipped by 11.38 per cent to N3.97, and Unilever Nigeria dropped 10.26 per cent to trade at N140.00.
As for the index movement, the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation chalked up 0.88 per cent each to settle at 244,738.74 points and N156.970 trillion, respectively.
Similarly, all other indices finished higher apart from the pension, AFR Bank Value, MERI Growth, MERI Value, consumer goods, Lotus II, industrial goods, sovereign bond and commodity indices, which fell by 0.03 per cent, 1.20 per cent, 0.21 per cent, 1.61 per cent, 0.54 per cent, 0.51 per cent, 1.00 per cent, 2.04 per cent and 0.34 per cent, respectively.
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