By Adedapo Adesanya

The Naira depreciated further against the Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Thursday, February 19, by N3.24 or 0.24 per cent to N1,341.35/$1 from the N1,338.11/$1 it was traded a day earlier.

However, it improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the official market during the session by N11.16 to sell for N1,805.86/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,817.02/£1, and gained N7.83 against the Euro to close at N1,577.29/€1 versus Wednesday’s closing price of N1,585.12/€1.

At the GTBank forex counter, the Naira lost N2 against the greenback to settle at N1,349/$1 compared with the N1,347/$1 it was exchanged at midweek, and at the black market, the exchange rate remained unchanged at N1,370/$1.

The performance of the domestic currency in the spot market was weak yesterday amid prevailing dynamics of supply and demand, as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) maintains its efforts to stabilise the foreign exchange market. The exchange rate remained within the expected range, lifted by strong forex inflows and central bank dollar sales to Bureaux de Change (BDC) operators.

Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market remained bearish, as there was continued caution in coins amid shaky interest in the digital assets.

On the policy front, there were tentative signs of progress on the digital asset market structure bill. The White House hosted talks between crypto industry representatives and bankers, which yielded incremental movement, though no compromise has yet emerged.

Ripple (XRP) declined by 1.7 per cent to $1.39, Litecoin (LTC) went down by 1.3 per cent to $52.46, Cardano (ADA) dropped 0.8 per cent to trade at $0.2715, Dogecoin (DOGE) retreated by 0.7 per cent to $0.0978, and Ethereum (ETH) contracted by 0.2 per cent to $1,943.30.

On the flip side, Solana (SOL) appreciated by 0.8 per cent to $82.12, Bitcoin improved its value by 0.7 per cent to $66,854.86, and Binance Coin (BNB) chalked up 0.1 per cent to sell for $605.58, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 each.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Crude oil prices were up by around 2 per cent as traders worried about escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, which have stepped up military activity in the oil-producing Middle East.

The price of Brent crude futures grew by $1.31 or 1.9 per cent to $71.66 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures appreciated by $1.24 or 1.9 per cent to $66.43 a barrel.

Axios reported that the US is moving closer to a war with Iran. A campaign in Iran would be nothing like the Venezuela blitz and could involve “a massive, weeks-long campaign,” the publication reported, citing sources. The US has deployed aircraft carriers, warships and jets to the region.

Two aircraft carriers and dozens of land-based planes have moved to the Gulf, which The Wall Street Journal reported was enough to wage a sustained and weekslong air war against Iran.

Although the US President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision about a possible military intervention, it has been reported that it has been discussed among top US national security officials.

However, it was also reported that the US President has discussed options, including a strike that could be ordered as soon as this coming Saturday. He warned Iran on Thursday that it must reach a deal over its nuclear programme or “bad things” will happen, and appeared to set a 10-day deadline before the US might take action.

Iran planned a joint naval exercise with Russia after it shut down the Strait of Hormuz for a few hours for military drills. The Strait is a vital link for trade, with about 20 per cent of global oil supply passing through it.

It issued a notice to airmen that it planned rocket launches in areas across the south of the country on Thursday, while some countries have asked their residents to leave Iran.

Adding to the difficult U.S.-Iran talks, the Russia-Ukraine talks in Geneva also broke down without any breakthrough and pushed oil prices higher.

Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, fell to 6.988 million barrels per day, their lowest level since September.

US crude stocks dropped by 9 million barrels, as refining utilisation and exports climbed, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Gasoline (petrol) and distillate inventories also fell last week, thanks to higher consumer demand. Before this, the American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the US fell by 609,000 barrels in the week ending February 13, after increasing by 13.4 million barrels in the week prior.

By Adedapo Adesanya

A Nigerian fintech that allows users to invest in US Dollar-denominated assets, Risevest, has secured a Fund and Portfolio Manager licence from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The new licence, obtained through its subsidiary, RV Fund Management Limited, brings Risevest’s operations under the capital market’s regulatory framework, enabling it to operate independently and legally in the country.

“This approval reflects months of rigorous review and engagement,” Mr Eke Urum, Risevest’s co-founder, wrote in a message to users on Wednesday. “We’re grateful to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the critical work they do in safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system and maintaining standards that protect investors. Strong regulation builds strong markets and strong markets build lasting wealth.”

This marks a pivotal regulatory win for Risevest, which in January 2025 came under pressure after the regulator publicly warned Nigerians against investing through the platform, citing a lack of a required licence to operate within Nigeria’s capital market.

In a response, Risevest said its Nigerian investment activities were safeguarded through a trusteeship arrangement with Meristem Trustees Limited, an SEC-licensed trustee.

Risevest’s Nigerian operations were previously structured through partnerships and regulatory cover, most notably its September 2023 acquisition of Chaka, an SEC-licensed digital trading startup. The deal allowed Risevest to leverage Chaka’s licence to provide Nigerian users with access to global securities.

With this, Risevest joins other regulated fintech including Bamboo and Trove, with a proper broker-dealer licence.

“It has always been our goal to operate at the highest level of global compliance,” Mr Urum noted.

The licence positions the company to legally capture a part ofthe rising interest in Nigeria’s capital market, with a young, booming population seeking profitable investment and avoiding Ponzi schemes.

Founded in 2019 by Mr Urum, Mr Bosun Olanrewaju, and Mr Tony Odiba, Risevest curates and presents portfolios in US stocks and global fixed-income assets, and allows users to choose how much they want to invest.

In 2024, the company acquired Hisa, a Kenyan investment startup, marking its entry into the East African country.