Economy
$4.31b FX Was Sold To Dealers In 2016 Q2—CBN
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released the economic report for the second quarter of 2016.
In the report seen by Business Post, growth in the key monetary aggregates accelerated in the second quarter of 2016.
The apex bank said during the period under review, provisional data showed that foreign exchange inflow and outflow through it amounted to US$5.89 billion and US$6.09 billion, respectively, resulting in a net outflow of US$0.20 billion.
It further said foreign exchange sales by it to the authorized dealers amounted to US$4.31 billion in the second quarter of 2016. It explained that the average exchange rate of the naira vis-à-vis the US dollar at the inter-bank was N209.13/US$.
CBN also said over the level at the end of the preceding quarter, broad money supply, (M2), grew by 5.9 percent.
It explained in the report that the development reflected the increase in net foreign assets, domestic credit (net) and other assets (net) of the banking system, respectively.
Similarly, narrow money (M1), grew by 0.9 per cent over the level at the end of the preceding quarter.
Developments in banks’ deposit and lending rates were mixed during the second quarter of 2016. The spread between the weighted average term deposit and maximum lending rates widened to 21.43 percentage points at the end of the second quarter of 2016.
Similarly, the margin between the average savings deposit and the maximum lending rates widened to 24.10 percentage points.
At the inter-bank funds segment, the weighted average inter-bank call rate rose by 12.55 percentage points to 15.56 per cent in the second quarter of 2016, reflecting the liquidity condition in the banking system.
The total value of money market assets outstanding at the end of the second quarter of 2016, stood at N10,460.66 billion, showing an increase of 6.7 per cent, compared with the level at the end of the first quarter of 2016. The development reflected the 8.09 and 2.73 per cent increase in FGN bonds and treasury bills, respectively.
Developments on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) were mixed in the review quarter.
At N1,159.05 billion, total federally-collected revenue was 51.3 and 8.6 per cent lower than the quarterly budget estimate and the preceding quarter’s receipts, respectively. At N537.19 billion or 46.3 per cent of the total, gross oil receipt was lower than both the provisional quarterly budget and the receipts in the preceding quarter.
The development was attributed to the continued fall in receipts from crude oil/gas exports arising from persistent low price of crude oil and incidences of shut-ins and shut-downs at some NNPC terminals, owing to pipeline vandalism. Non-oil receipts, at N621.86 billion or 53.7 per cent of the total, was above the level in the preceding quarter by 3.2 per cent, but was significantly lower than the proportionate quarterly budget.
Federal Government retained revenue was N677.88 billion, while total expenditure was N1,768.85 billion, resulting in an estimated deficit of N1,090.96 billion in the second quarter of 2016, compared with the proportionate quarterly budget deficit of N555.49 billion.
The CBN said in the report that agricultural sector activities increased due to well distributed rainfall in most parts of the country. Major activity in the South was harvesting of maize and yam, while planting and off-season harvesting dominated in the North. In the livestock sub-sector, farmers engaged in the breeding of poultry and migration of cattle from North to South in search of green pastures. The end-period inflation rate on year-on-year and 12-month moving average basis for the second quarter of 2016, was 16.5 per cent and 11.4 per cent, respectively.
World crude oil demand and supply were estimated at 93.25 mbd and 94.34 mbd, respectively, in the second quarter of 2016. Nigeria’s crude oil production, including condensates and natural gas liquids, was estimated at an average of 1.54 million barrels per day (mbd) or 141.68 million barrels (mb) for the second quarter of 2016. Crude oil export was estimated at 1.09 mbd or 100.28 million barrels, while deliveries to the refineries for domestic consumption remained at 0.45 mbd or 41.40 million barrels during the review quarter.
The average price of Nigeria’s reference crude, the Bonny Light (370 API), was US$46.44 per barrel in the review quarter.
Global growth remained modest and uneven. Risks to the global outlook remained tilted to the downside, due to ongoing adjustments in the global economy, general slowdown in emerging market economies, China’s rebalancing, lower commodity prices and gradual exit by the US from extraordinarily accommodative monetary policy.
Other major international economic developments and meetings of importance to the domestic economy during the review period included: The 2016 Spring Meetings of the Board of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Inter-Governmental Group of Twenty-Four (G-24) on International Monetary Affairs and Developments held from April 11 – 18, 2016 in Washington D. C., USA. Also, the 2016 continental seminar of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) was held from May 9 -11 2016 in Cairo, Egypt, on the theme “Financial stability: New Challenges for Central Banks.
Finally, the 51st Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the 42nd Meetings of the Board of Governors of the African Development Fund (ADF) were held from May 23 – 27 2016 in Lusaka, Zambia.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has been urged to give all the necessary support to indigenous investors, as they remain Nigeria’s most important drivers of employment, foreign exchange generation and long-term economic resilience.
This advice was given by foremost businessman, Mr Aliko Dangote, when he welcomed the Minister of State for Industry, Mr John Owan Enoh, to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos recently.
The business mogul noted that efforts must be made to place industrialisation at the centre of the government’s economic strategy, insisting that no nation has attained prosperity without a strong manufacturing base.
“If Nigeria is to achieve sustainable growth and become a trillion-dollar economy, industrialisation must be the foundation. Indigenous investors remain the strongest catalysts for that transformation,” Mr Dangote stated.
He further stated that, “There is no way to create jobs and prosperity without industrialisation,” declaring that, “The greatest attraction for foreign investors is the success of domestic investors. When local investors thrive, they send a powerful signal that the environment is conducive for investment.”
In his remarks, the Minister promised deeper collaboration with the private sector to accelerate industrialisation, job creation and economic transformation.
He also pledged that the Ministry and its agencies would remain strong advocates of the refinery and the broader industrialisation agenda, adding that the government would continue to engage Dangote Industries Limited through the Industrial Revolution Work Group and ministerial roundtables to address challenges facing manufacturers, particularly access to affordable long-term financing.
Mr Enoh described the integrated industrial complex as one of the most significant investments in Africa and a model for the type of industrial development required to drive Nigeria’s economic growth aspirations.
“This facility matters because of what it represents for Nigerian industry, for our people and for the realisation of President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a one trillion-dollar economy,” he stated, noting that the refinery has emerged as a powerful symbol of value addition, industrial competitiveness and Nigeria’s growing manufacturing capability.
The Minister noted that the refinery has fundamentally changed global perceptions of Nigeria by helping to transform the country from a major importer of refined petroleum products into an exporter serving international markets.
“When global supply disruptions occurred, Nigeria was able to export petroleum products to markets in the Middle East and beyond. That is an extraordinary achievement and one that deserves recognition,” he added.
By Bon Peters
The Port Harcourt Area I Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, handed over a consignment of intercepted expired medicaments to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Rivers State.
The command’s spokesperson, Barilule Aanee, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, said in a statement that the transfer of the items underscored the strong inter-agency collaboration in safeguarding public health.
The handover was witnessed by representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies, freight forwarding associations, stakeholders and members of the media.
The Customs Area Controller for the command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, stated that the seizure was a clear demonstration of the agency’s commitment to preventing harmful and prohibited pharmaceutical products from finding their way into Nigerian markets, disclosing that the expired medicaments were intercepted during a joint examination conducted by officers of the command in collaboration with NAFDAC and other relevant agencies.
She added that the consignment contained several cartons of expired pharmaceutical products with a Combined Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of over N50 million.
Ms Atuluku emphasised that the interception prevented what could have resulted in serious public health consequences, as expired medicines posed significant health risks, including treatment failure, drug toxicity and antimicrobial resistance.
She reaffirmed that her organisation “would remain resolute in protecting the nation’s borders against the importation of expired, substandard, falsified and prohibited goods.”
Receiving the items, the Deputy Director of NAFDAC for Port Inspection Directorate, Mr Adepoju Bayo Raufu, commended the customs for its vigilance and sustained partnership in protecting Nigerians from harmful pharmaceutical products.
He assured that the agency would immediately commence the necessary regulatory procedures to ensure the safe disposal of the expired medicaments in accordance with established laws and guidelines.
By Adedapo Adesanya
United Capital Plc has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to surpass N2 trillion in total assets by the end of 2026, following a strong first-half performance that saw gross earnings rise by 58 per cent to N37.9 billion and profit before tax increase by 80 per cent.
The company disclosed this during its H1 investor relations call on Wednesday, where executives outlined plans to drive growth through digital transformation, Pan-African expansion, and disciplined capital management.
Speaking during the call, Group Managing Director of United Capital Plc, Mr Peter Ashade, said the company is undergoing a major “retooling” process to position itself for long-term growth beyond Nigeria.
“We are equipping from people, technology, governance, and our structure as we retool because what we see ahead is bigger than where we are today,” Mr Ashade said.
He noted that the firm’s long-term vision is to build a platform that allows clients to trade seamlessly across its African footprint, including Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal and Burkina Faso.
Mr Ashade added that the company has deliberately reduced its borrowing in favour of expanding its managed funds business, which it considers its biggest growth opportunity.
“We have decided deliberately to reduce our borrowing so that we can focus on growing managed funds to about 71 per cent of our funding size, which is where we see the greatest opportunities for the group,” he said.
He disclosed that managed funds have recorded significant growth, while total assets have already exceeded the N1 trillion mark.
“Our target for this year is to do over N2 trillion in terms of total assets,” he added.
Providing a breakdown of the financial performance, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr Shedrack Onakpoma, said profit before tax rose to N24.78 billion, significantly outpacing revenue growth as a result of improved operational efficiency.
“We are building a resilient and thriving institution of great repute that focuses on sustainable value creation and delivery across multiple markets,” Mr Onakpoma said.
“The numbers tell a story of innovation and how we are building a lasting legacy that goes beyond mere revenue growth or short-term profitability.”
Addressing shareholders’ concerns over the company’s 30 kobo interim dividend, the firm’s Chief Economist, Ayodele Akunwunmi, said the decision reflects a long-term capital allocation strategy anchored on the residual dividend theory.
“Residual dividend theory says that a company must finance all profitable investments available from internally generated cash flows before paying the residual to shareholders,” Mr Akunwunmi explained.
“By financing our expansion this way rather than borrowing money that would dilute earnings, we have the opportunity to grow the bottom line and potentially double profitability in the future.”
He urged shareholders to focus on the company’s broader value creation strategy, arguing that prioritising investment today would generate stronger returns over the long term.
