Economy
CBN, Others Seek N120bn to Fight COVID-19
By Dipo Olowookere
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has joined forces with some big players in the private to come up with strategies to urgently raise funds to tackle the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.
In a statement issued on Friday, Governor of the CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, said “information gathered so far has revealed that to procure all the needed equipment, material, and all infrastructure required to fight this pandemic, over N120 billion need to be raised.”
He said in view of this, the central bank, on behalf of the Bankers’ Committee and in partnership with the private sector led by Aliko Dangote Foundation and Access Bank, have come together to form the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19.
According to him, the objectives of the group are to mobilise private sector thought leadership; mobilise private sector resources; increase general public awareness, education and buy-in; provide direct support to private and public healthcare’s ability to respond to the crisis; and support government effort.
He said to achieve these goals, four major committees have been set and they are the Steering Committee, Funding Committee, Operational Committee and the Technical Committee.
Mr Emefiele explained that the Steering Committee will provide leadership and steer the coalition and committees in procuring all needed funding, equipment and materials for the battle against this pandemic.
He said this committee will be chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who currently chairs the Federal Government Committee on COVID-19. He said other members of the committee will be announced later.
The CBN chief stated that the Funding Committee will be responsible for the initial funding of the effort, with membership comprising the CBN Governor, Aliko Dangote, Herbert Wigwe, Jim Ovia, Tony Elumelu, Segun Agbaje, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Femi Otedola.
According to him, each member of the committee is to ensure that their institution contribute at least N1 billion to this effort, saying more members are allowed as long as they are willing to contribute at least N1 billion.
For the Operational Committee, it will be responsible for project management, logistics, communication and advocacy. This comprises CBN Governor, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTBank, Stanbic IBTC, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank and Nigerian Breweries Plc.
He said the Technical Committee will be responsible for gathering data about the equipment and materials needed nationwide. The group will also be responsible for intellectual leadership around testing issues, treatment protocols, isolation centres, etc.
Membership comprises NCDC, WHO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Federal Ministry of Health and select members of the operational and funding committee.
Mr Emefiele said the team will work with reputable institutions and consultants including the Lagos State Commisioner of Health, Dr. Akin Abayomi, Dr Christian Happi, Dr. Phillip Onyebujo.
“We are already engaging other important stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad, such as the NNPC and players in Oil industry.
“An account will be set up at the Central Bank of Nigeria to receive both Naira and foreign currencies from our donors.
“The Technical Committee will be providing information about the venue where equipment and materials will be received just for those who wish to donate materials and equipment.
“They have made commitment to provide funding, equipment and material, as well.
“At the end of the process, we shall use a reputable firm of Accountants to render full account of how the funds were utilized as well as account for the materials donated,” he said.
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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