Economy
CBN’s New Capital Base for BDC Operators Unreasonable—ABCON
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has described the new regulatory guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that pegged the minimum capital base for tier-1 BDC operators at N2 billion and N500 million for tier-2 licence as unreasonable because it is far above global best practices.
The president of the group, Mr Aminu Gwadabe, at an emergency of the organisation in Lagos, said the new policy is discriminatory, kicking against it.
Recall that last week, the apex bank directed forex traders to reapply for operational licences as part of its efforts to sanitize the foreign exchange (FX) market, noting that operators must meet the minimum capital requirements for the license category applied within six months from the effective date of the guidelines, which is June 3, 2024.
But ABCON at the meeting asked the central bank to “allow the existing owners of both the eligible BDCs and revoked BDCs to recapitalise instead of reapplying for a new licence.
“The existing N35 million capital requirements should be recognised and be part of recapitalisation. The CBN should embark on nationwide enlightenment to address the fears of the willing investors.
“We observed the minimum financial requirements of N2 billion and N500 million for Tier-1 and Tier-2 BDCs respectively is discriminatory and higher than what is obtainable in other jurisdictions.
“In the United Kingdom, the capital base for a BDC is £50,000; Kenya $50,000; India $67,000; Uganda $13,000 among others which are far lower than what has been pegged for Nigeria operators,” Mr Gwadabe stated.
He argued that the six months compliance timeline is not sufficient to raise such funds but suggested two years as the apex bank did with financial institutions currently undergoing recapitalisation.
“Even BDC operators with landed properties or other assets for sale to raise the funds, will not be able to accomplish such within the time frame.
“Other sectors, including banks have a two-year timeline. Such timeline should also be granted to BDCs,” he stated, warning that the planned high capital base could chase genuine BDC operators to the parallel market and worsen the exchange rate.
“The CBN should avoid the Algerian example where higher capital pushed BDCs to the parallel market and disrupted the country’s exchange rate system.
“Existing BDCs to be allowed to use their generic names as against registration of new names at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
“The terms of engagement for mergers and acquisitions should be properly explained to allow for inclusion. The allocation of 75 per cent to cards and 25 per cent cash in forex transactions should be reversed inversely to encourage smooth take-off,” he stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a decline of 0.61 per cent in the 25th trading week of 2025, with the benchmark index, the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI), going down by 20.31 points to 3,320.91 points from the 3,341.22 points posted in Week 24.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation, which captures the total value of stocks on the platform, went down by N20 billion to N1.94 trillion from the N1.96 trillion recorded in the preceding week.
Business Post reports that there were eight price gainers and three price losers in the five-day trading week, led by Okitipupa Oil Palm Plc, which fell by 9.50 per cent to close at N219.00 per unit versus the preceding week’s N242.00 per unit, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc lost 2.78 per cent to trade at N29.00 per share versus N29.43 per cent share of the earlier week, and Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria Plc shed 2.06 per cent to trade at N69.38 per unit compared with the preceding week’s N70.84 per unit.
On the flip side, Geo-Fluids Plc gained 9.87 per cent to finish at N4.23 per share versus N3.85 per share. Air Liquide Plc appreciated by 9.80 per cent to N9.97 per unit versus N9.08, AG Mortgage Bank Plc rose by 9.21 per cent to N83 Kobo per share from 76 Kobo per share, FirstTrust Mortgage Bank Plc improved by 8.62 per cent to 63 Kobo per unit from 58 Kobo per unit, Food Concepts Plc expanded by 7.27 per cent N1.77 per share from N1.65 per share, Acorn Petroleum Plc grew by 6.36 per cent to N1.17 per unit from N1.10 per unit, Industrial and General Insurance Plc chalked up 2.86 per cent to quote at N36 Kobo per share versus N35 Kobo per share, UBN Property Plc increased by 2.75 per cent to N2.34 per unit from N2.18 per unit, and Afriland Properties Plc jumped by 0.78 per cent to N29.40 per share from N19.25 per share.
In the week, the total value of trades went up by 255.2 per cent to N113.13 million from N39.1 million, while the total volume of transactions went down by 35.6 to 2.44 million units from 3.80 million units.
FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc was the busiest stock by value with N90.3 million, CSCS Plc recorded N13.2 million, Okitipupa Plc posted N5.2 billion, Afriland Properties Plc sold N1.6 million, and 11 Plc achieved N1.1 million.
Also, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc was the most active by volume with 1.3 million units, CSCS Plc traded 0.43 million units, UBN Property Plc exchanged 0.27 million units, Lagos Building Investment Company (LBIC) Plc reported 0.15 million units, and Afriland Plc transacted 0.08 million units.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The suspension earlier placed on Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has been lifted.
This action was taken on Wednesday, allowing investors to resume trading in the shares of the company, a pioneer paper conversion and printing firm in Nigeria.
Recall that on February 11, 2025, the stock market regulator suspended trading in the equities of Thomas Wyatt because of its inability to publish its financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2024.
The embargo on the organisation, according to the NGX, was in line with the provisions of Rule 3.1: Rules for Filing of Accounts and Treatment of Default Filing (Default Filing Rules).
Business Post reports that the rule requires the regulator to prohibit the buying and selling of the company’s securities on its platform “If an issuer fails to file the relevant accounts by the expiration of the cure period.”
However, before the suspension if effected, the NGX must have sent the defaulting firm “a second filing deficiency notification” within two business days after the end of the cure period.
After the suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities, the NGX must “notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the market within 24 hours.”
In a statement last Wednesday, the stock exchange informed the market that “Thomas Wyatt Nigeria has now filed its audited financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2024, and other outstanding unaudited financial statements for 2024.”
“In view of the company’s submission of its 2024 AFS, and pursuant to Rule 3.3 of the default filing rules, which states that the suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities shall be lifted upon submission of the relevant accounts provided the exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the exchange. the exchange shall thereafter also announce through the medium by which the public and the sec was initially notified of the suspension, that the suspension has been lifted, trading license holders and the investing public are hereby notified that the suspension placed on trading on the shares of Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc was lifted on Wednesday, June 18, 2025,” the notice stated.
By Dipo Olowookere
There was an improvement in the level of activity at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited last week, with 3.566 billion stocks worth N115.403 billion exchanging hands in 99,960 deals compared with the 2.057 billion stocks valued at N51.015 billion traded a week earlier in 65,016 deals.
It was observed that the financial services sector was the most active with 2.166 billion shares sold for N62.046 billion in 45,851 deals, contributing 60.73 per cent and 53.76 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.
The consumer goods industry traded 580.893 million equities valued at N10.896 billion in 10,909 deals, and the services counter exchanged 193.300 million shares worth N2.449 billion in 6,306 deals.
The trio of Zenith Bank, Champion Breweries, and Access Holdings accounted for 1.003 billion stocks valued at N26.076 billion in 14,232 deals, contributing 28.14 per cent and 22.60 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.
In the five-day trading week, 55 equities appreciated like the preceding week, 42 shares depreciated versus 39 shares of the previous week, and 51 stocks closed flat, in contrast to 54 stocks of the previous week.
Ellah Lakes gained 23.09 per cent to sell for N5.33, Beta Glass appreciated by 19.43 per cent to N276.00, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank improved by 18.88 per cent to N6.80, GTCO advanced by 18.81 per cent to N84.95, and Meyer rose by 13.61 per cent to N9.60.
Conversely, Northern Nigeria Flour Mills lost 17.19 per cent to trade at N93.20, Sunu Assurances depleted by 12.81 per cent to N4.56, Oando tumbled by 11.59 per cent to N61.00, International Energy Insurance crashed by 9.55 per cent to N1.61, and Omatek deflated by 7.59 per cent to 73 Kobo.
Business Post reports that the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation appreciated by 2.35 per cent and 2.40 per cent to close the week at 118,138.22 points and N74.534 trillion, respectively.
Similarly, all other indices finished higher except the industrial goods and sovereign bond indices, which fell by 0.36 per cent and 0.78 per cent apiece, while the AseM index closed flat.
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