Economy
Africa Still Attractive To Investors—PenCom Boss
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigeria’s National Pension Committee (PenCom) boss, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, has disclosed that despite how people downgrade Africa, the continent was still very attractive to foreign investors.
Mrs Anohu-Amazu said, “There is a lot of talk around retrenching from Africa but I’m not seeing this at all,” pointing out that, “Look at what the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are doing in the region for instance. If you look at the amount of money they are putting into Africa, I wouldn’t say this meant that investment was scaling back at all.”
Her remarks come at a time when private equity, the long-term investment vehicle often heralded as complimenting Africa’s long-term development needs, in the continent appears to be losing its shine.
Most recently, the IFC has leant $25m to support the expansion of Nigerian dairy company, Promasidor, invested $200m in Guinea’s bauxite mining sector and arranged a financing package to expand Ghana’s seaport to boost trade.
Although the IFC as part of its mandate often invests in sectors and countries that are not as popular for mainstream investors, for Mrs Anohu-Amazu, this highlights an interesting point: “Institutions such as the IFC are coming into Africa because there are still obvious returns to be made – impact investing can still be profitable.”
In September, Marlon Chigwende announced his departure from Carlyle, and in August, Peter Baird was removed as Africa head from Standard Chartered private equity team. Meanwhile, it is rumoured that John van Wyk may be leaving his post as head of Africa at Actis.
According to the African Economic Outlook Report 2016, published by the AfDB, the OECD and the UNDP, portfolio flows into Africa have fallen from $23bn in 2014 to $13bn in 2015. In the second half of 2015, there was a net portfolio exit of equity while bond flows remained relatively stable. Remittances are still the most important source of external finance accounting for $64bn in 2015.
“Portfolio flows in and out of Africa can be more reactionary,” says Mrs Anohu-Amazu. “Many of these investors will be waiting to see how policy changes react to recent economic headwinds affecting the region.”
The recent fall in commodity prices, inflation and stringent foreign exchange policies that commodity producers have introduced in response to fiscal and economic pressure has been a turn off for some investors.
Nigeria, one of Africa’s major oil producers, has seen foreign direct investment fall 27% from $4.7bn in 2014 to $3.4bn in 2015.
“Foreign exchange receivables from oil in Nigeria have fallen which in itself reduces portfolio flows into the country, but the downturn in the global oil price marks a period of readjustment for commodity and oil exporters, and we hope that in Nigeria, this will mean that government policy will reinvigorate investment into agriculture and technology for instance,” says Mrs Anohu-Amazu.
“I don’t think there is a scaling back in terms of investment into Africa, more a realignment. Investment into the continent is changing,” she adds.
She further said in June 2016, total assets under management for PenCom reached N5.73 trillion up from N2 trillion in 2010 with an average annual growth of 20 percent.
Around 11.43 percent of Nigeria’s total labour force and 3.95 percent of the population contribute to a pension, but new initiatives coming in to increase this.
“Our micro pension initiative aims to attract contributions from the 20m Nigerians who work in the informal sector. The rules for these types of contributors will be more flexible, however, to fit in with the way in which they work,” says Mrs Anohu-Amazu.
“Education around pensions will also be a key part of the initiative,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria, through the Debt Management Office (DMO), has offered three bonds for subscription to interested investors to the tune of N450 billion.
The DMO, in its offer circular on Monday, said that the first offer was an April 2029 FGN bond, valued at N100 billion at an interest rate of 19.30 per cent per annum. (5-year re-opening).
It listed the second offer as a February 2031 FGN bond valued at N150 billion at an interest rate of 18.50 per cent per annum. (7-year re-opening) and the third offer (January 2035 FGN bond) valued at N200 billion.
The auction date is January 27, and the settlement date is January 29, the notice stated.
According to the DMO, the FGN bonds are offered at N1,000 per unit subject to a minimum subscription of N50 million, and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter.
“For re-openings of previously issued bonds, successful bidders will pay a price corresponding to the yield-to-maturity bid that clears the volume being auctioned, plus any accrued interest on the instrument.
“Interest is payable semi-annually, while bullet repayment (principal sum) is on the maturity date, ” the DMO said.
It said that the bonds were backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government, and were charged upon the general assets of Nigeria.
“They qualify as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act.
“They qualify as government securities within the meaning of the Company Income Tax Act and Personal Income Tax Act for tax exemption for pension funds among others.
“They are listed on the Nigeria Exchange Limited, ” it said.
It said that they qualified as liquid assets for liquidity ratio calculations for banks,” the debt office added.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigerians have been warned against putting their hard-earned money in Risevest (Victoria Island) Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited and Stecs (Alausa) Multipurpose Cooperative Society, commonly known as Stecs, as they could lose their funds.
The capital market regulator in a circular in Abuja said investments in these entities, which it described as unregistered and unregulated, could expose investors to the risk of fraud and potential loss of investment.
SEC said Risevest and Stecs had not been authorised to carry out capital market operations in the country, and as such, investing in them was risky.
“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of Risevest (Victoria Island) Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, which is engaging in capital market activities by inviting the public to invest in its various investment schemes.
“The commission hereby notifies the public that Risevest (Victoria Island) Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited and Stecs (Alausa) Multipurpose Cooperative Society are not registered to operate in any capacity in the Nigerian capital market. Similarly, the investment schemes promoted by them have not been authorized by the commission.
“Accordingly, the SEC advised the public to refrain from engaging with Risevest (Victoria Island) Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited and Stecs (Alausa) Multipurpose Cooperative Society in respect of any business pertaining or relating to the Nigerian capital market,” the notice read.
In the same vein, the agency said, “Our attention has been drawn to Stecs (Alausa) Multipurpose Cooperative Society (popularly known as Stecs), which is engaging in capital market activities by inviting the public to invest in its Stecs Commodity Mudarabah Investment Series I.
“The commission hereby notifies the public that Stecs (Alausa) Multipurpose Cooperative Society is not registered to operate in any capacity in the Nigerian capital market. Similarly, the investment schemes promoted by the cooperative society have not been authorized by the commission.”
“Accordingly, the public is advised to refrain from engaging with Stecs (Alausa) Multipurpose Cooperative Society in respect of any business pertaining or relating to the Nigerian capital market.”
“The commission uses this medium to reiterate that transacting in the Nigerian capital market with unregistered and unregulated entities exposes investors to the risk of fraud and potential loss of investment.”
“The SEC remains committed to the protection of investors in the Nigerian capital market and is working diligently to combat the activities of illegal/unregistered entities.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange saw a 65.1 per cent boost in its market capitalisation in the fourth trading week of 2025, closing at N1.770 trillion compared with the N1.075 trillion it quoted in the preceding week (Week 3), as the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) rose by 0.68 per cent or 21.29 points to 3,133.20 points from 3,111.91 points.
The sterling performance occurred amid a surge in the volume of transactions by 4,402.4 per cent to 425.3 million units from the 9.45 million units recorded in the previous week.
Equally, the total value of trades during the week jumped by 740.5 per cent to N410.5 million from the previous week’s N48.4 million, with these transactions carried out in 102 deals involving 16 stocks.
In the week, there were eight appreciating securities and four depreciating securities led by Impresit Bakolori Plc, which shed 9.5 per cent to end at 95 Kobo per share compared with N1.05 per share, Geo-Fluids Plc lost 6.8 per cent to close at N4.38 per unit versus N4.70 per share, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc depreciated by 2.7 per cent to N38.58 per unit from N39.65 per unit, and UBN Property Plc, which slid by 1.4 per cent to N1.84 per unit from N2.20 per unit.
On the flip side, Okitipupa Plc gained 33.1 per cent to trade at N52.69 per share against the former value of N39.55 per share, Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc expanded by 11.1 per cent to 40 Kobo per unit versus 36 Kobo per unit, Nipco Plc grew by 10 per cent to N165.11 per share from N150.10 per share, and Mixta Real Estate Plc rose by 9.7 per cent to N2.83 per unit from N2.58 per unit.
Further, Food Concepts Plc increased by 8.8 per cent to N1.74 per share from N1.60 per share, Access Bank jumped by 8.8 per cent to N19.30 per unit from N9.68 per unit, First Trust Microfinance Bank improved by 8.8 per cent to 39 Kobo per share from 37 Kobo per share, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc soared by 3.5 per cent to N24.00 per unit from N23.20 per unit.
The most traded stock for the week by value was Impresit Bakolori Plc with N386.5 million, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc recorded N8.5 million, IGI Plc traded N7.04 million, 11 Plc recorded N2.7 million, and Okitipupa Plc posted N1.7 million.
Also, Impresit Bakolori Plc was the most traded stock by volume with 406.5 million units, IGI Plc transacted 17.5 million units, UBN Property Plc recorded 0.67 million, Mixta Real Estate Plc traded 0.27 million units, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc transacted 0.22 million units.
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