Economy
Capital Market Transformation Incomplete Without Fintech—Yuguda
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Lamido Yuguda, has said the role of financial technology (fintech) in deepening capital market operations cannot be overemphasised.
According to him, fintech can be used to attract more young people to the capital market, noting that the success achieved with the electronic offering by MTN was visible for the blind to see.
Mr Yuguda said this at the Supernews Nigeria Fintech Conference held in Lagos recently, where he described fintech as a game changer in deepening the capital market and enhancing financial inclusion.
The DG, represented by the Director of Registration, Exchanges, Market Infrastructure and Innovation at SEC, Mr Abdulkadir Abbas, informed the participants that the theme of the event, Imperative of Fintech in Promoting Financial Inclusion in Nigeria, was very important to the capital market.
“We can see a kind of game changer and rapid transformation in the financial sector due to fintech. It is a building block for enhancing financial inclusion.
“Traditional means can no longer work, the average age of investors in the capital market is 45-50 years, and we are currently trying to attract the millennials to the market, and this can be achieved with the aid of fintech.
“We are exploring ways to leverage fintech to bring on young people to the market. The capital market sees fintech as an opportunity, and that is one of the ways we intend to change the dynamics of the capital market,” he said.
Mr Yuguda stated that it was in view of the importance of fintech that the capital market initiated the fintech roadmap, which enabled the SEC to come up with innovations and rules to support the initiative.
“We need innovation to deepen and broaden the market, and we had to develop rules to support it, like the rules on crowdfunding, among others.
“We all saw the success achieved with the electronic offering by MTN, a lot of Nigerians could subscribe with their phones and other gadgets conveniently. We realised that one of the ways to unlock investment opportunities is through fintech, and we are stepping up such strategies to deepen the market,” he said.
The SEC chief, however, stressed the need to strike a balance between investor protection and innovation, adding that financial inclusion cannot be achieved without it a good strategy for financial literacy, expressing the readiness of the agency to collaborate with other regulators and stakeholders in the quest to attract more investors to the capital market and grow the economy.
In her remarks, the Publisher/CEO of Supernews Nigeria, Mrs Ngozi Onyeakusi, said the conference centred on fintech and financial inclusion, which holds great potential for the Nigerian economy and for the financial stability of the country.
Mrs Onyeakusi said the choice of the theme was aimed at contributing its quota to the financial inclusion target of the federal government.
“This conference centres on fintech and financial inclusion, which holds great potential for the Nigerian economy and for the financial stability of the country.
“It is a learning opportunity designed to enhance awareness, deepen understanding of participants in the role of fintech in rendering banking, capital market, insurance and pension services cheaper, faster and conveniently,” she stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The duo of Afriland Properties Plc and Geo-Fluids Plc crashed the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by a marginal 0.06 per cent on Wednesday, December 11 due to profit-taking activities.
The OTC securities exchange experienced a downfall at midweek despite UBN Property Plc posting a price appreciation of 17 Kobo to close at N1.96 per share, in contrast to Tuesday’s closing price of N1.79.
Business Post reports that Afriland Properties Plc slid by N1.14 to finish at N15.80 per unit versus the preceding day’s N16.94 per unit, and Geo-Fluids Plc declined by 1 Kobo to trade at N3.92 per share compared with the N3.93 it ended a day earlier.
At the close of transactions, the market capitalisation of the bourse, which measures the total value of securities on the platform, shrank by N650 million to finish at N1.055 trillion compared with the previous day’s N1.056 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) went down by 1.86 points to wrap the session at 3,012.50 points compared with 3,014.36 points recorded in the previous session.
The alternative stock market was busy yesterday as the volume of securities traded by investors soared by 146.9 per cent to 5.9 million units from 2.4 million units, as the value of shares transacted by the market participants jumped by 360.9 per cent to N22.5 million from N4.9 million, and the number of deals increased by 50 per cent to 21 deals from 14 deals.
When the bourse closed for the day, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units valued at N3.9 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units worth N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc 297.5 million units sold for N5.3 million.
Also, Aradel Holdings Plc, which is now listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited after its exit from NASD, remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 108.7 million units sold for N89.2 billion, trailed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.5 million units worth N5.3 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The euphoria around the recent appreciation of the Naira eased on Wednesday, December 11 after its value shrank against the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by N5.23 or 0.3 per cent to N1,547.50/$1 from the N1,542.27/$1 it was valued on Tuesday.
It was observed that spectators’ activities may have triggered the weakening of the local currency in the official market at midweek as they tried to fight back and ensure the value of funds in foreign currencies strengthened.
The domestic currency was regaining its footing after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched an Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) platform to tackle speculation and improve transparency in Nigeria’s FX market.
At midweek, the Nigerian currency depreciated against the Pound Sterling by N3.56 to close at N1,958.68/£1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,955.12/£1 and against the Euro, it slumped by 34 Kobo to trade at N1,612.66/€1, in contrast to the previous session’s N1,613.00/€1.
As for the black market segment, the Naira lost N45 against the American currency during the session to quote at N1,670/$1 compared with the N1,625/$1 it was traded a day earlier.
A look at the cryptocurrency market showed a recovery following profit-taking as the US Consumer Price Index report matched economist forecasts.
The news was enough to convince traders that the Federal Reserve is certain to trim its benchmark fed funds rate another 25 basis points at its meeting next week.
The move also saw Bitcoin (BTC), the most valued coin, return to the $100,000 mark as it added a 2.9 per cent gain and sold for $100,566.12.
The biggest gainer was Cardano (ADA), which jumped by 15.00 per cent to trade at $1.16, as Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 10.4 per cent to sell for $121.76, and Ethereum (ETH) surged by 7.0 per cent to $3,929.30, while Dogecoin (DOGE) recorded a 6.7 per cent growth to finish at $0.4181.
Further, Binance Coin (BNB) went up by 5.2 per cent to $716.72, Solana (SOL) expanded by 4.6 per cent to $229.77, and Ripple (XRP) increased by 4.2 per cent to $2.43, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 apiece.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Dangote Refinery located in the Lekki area of Lagos State has made its first export of premium motor spirit (PMS) just three months after it commenced the production of petrol.
In September 2024, the refinery produced its first petrol and began loading to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on September 15.
However, due to some issues, the facility has not been able to flood the local market with its product, forcing it to look elsewhere.
In a landmark move for regional energy integration, Dangote Refinery has partnered with Neptune Oil to take its petrol to neighbouring Cameroon.
Neptune Oil is a leading energy company in Cameroon which provides reliable and sustainable energy solutions.
Dangote Refinery said this development showcases its ability to meet domestic needs and position itself as a key player in the regional energy market, adding that it represents a significant step forward in accessing high-quality and locally sourced petroleum products for Cameroon.
“This first export of PMS to Cameroon is a tangible demonstration of our vision for a united and energy-independent Africa.
“With this development, we are laying the foundation for a future where African resources are refined and exchanged within the continent for the benefit of our people,” the owner of Dangote Refinery, Mr Aliko Dangote, said.
His counterpart at Neptune Oil, Mr Antoine Ndzengue, said, “This partnership with Dangote Refinery marks a turning point for Cameroon.
“By becoming the first importer of petroleum products from this world-class refinery, we are bolstering our country’s energy security and supporting local economic development.
“This initial supply, executed without international intermediaries, reflects our commitment to serving our markets independently and efficiently.”
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