Economy
Continental Reinsurance Plc Replaces Two Directors
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Continental Reinsurance Plc has announced the replacement of two of its directors with effect from November 8, 2016.
The directors replaced by the company are Mrs Nadia Alaoui Fettah and Mr Merrick Wayne Oeschger.
They are to be replaced by Mr Ajibola Olusanya Ogunshola and Mr Emmanuel Brule as Non-Executive Directors of the company representing C-Re Holding Limited.
According to a statement issued by the company, it was disclosed that Mr Ogunshola holds a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Mathematics from the University of Ibadan (1967) and became a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, United Kingdom in 1973, the first black African to become a Fellow of the Institute.
He was the representative of the Institute of Actuaries of the United Kingdom in Nigeria from 1973 to 1996 and a member of the International Association of Actuaries.
Mr Ogunshola began his career as a trainee Actuary with Eaglestar Insurance Company, London in 1967. He joined the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria in 1972 as the first head of Life Division from where he joined Niger Insurance Company Limited (now Niger Insurance Plc) as Chief Executive, later Managing Director from 1974 to 1985, the first Nigerian to hold the position. He was Chairman and Managing Consultant of Ajibola Ogunshola & Company (Actuaries & Employee Benefit Consultants) from 1986 to 2004 and Chairman of Alexander Forbes Consulting Actuaries (Nigeria) Limited from 2005 to March 2015.
Over the years, Mr Ogunshola has contributed to the development of many organizations. He was foundation President of the Nigeria Actuarial Society, 1982; Chairman of the Committee of Actuaries that gave actuarial advice to the United Nations Staff Pension Fund from 1987 to 2006; Chairman of the Board of Directors, The Punch Nigeria Ltd, 1987 – 2011; President of the Association of Pension Fund and Investment Managers (now Association of Pension Fund Managers), 2001 – 2003, a fellow of the Association in 2009 and received a lifetime achievement award in the same year; member, National Political Reform Conference, 2005; President, Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria from 2007 to April 2011; member of the South-West delegation to the 2014 National Conference.
Mr Ogunshola also served the Government and other Institutions in several capacities. He was Chairman of the Federal Government Technical Committee on the Review of the Nigerian Civil Service Pension Scheme (1988/1989), Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Harmonization of the Public and Private Sector Pension Schemes (Nigeria), 2000; member, relief Committee for victims of the Asian Tsunami Disaster, 2005; Director, News Agency of Nigeria, 2009 – 2011; member, Federal Government Panel on Election Violence and Civil Disturbances, 2011; member, Academic Board of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, 2006 – 2008; member, Executive Committee of the West African Insurance Companies’ Association, 1976 – 1982; member of the Governing Council of Nigerian Insurers’ Association, 1977 – 1985 and first Chairman of its statistical Committee.
Mr Ogunshola has to his credits several honours, prices and awards which include, amongst several others, Doctor of Science in Management (Honoris Causa) from Olabisi Onabanjo University; special media award for Commendable Management of a Media Organization by the Trustees of the Nigerian Media Merit Award; award for excellence by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, 2001; Ba’rohin Ibadan Chieftaincy title from the Olubadan-in-Council), 2009 and NUJ (Oyo State) award for contribution to the growth of Journalism, 1991.
On the part of Mr Emmanuel Brule, he is a graduate of Ecole Centrale de Paris. He has always operated in an international environment and held a number of senior executives’ roles with SCOR, a global Tier 1 reinsurance company (1997 – 2001) and American International Group (AIG) (2002 – 2015) in diverse functions and in various territories. He is currently Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Saham Finances and a member of Saham Group Executive Committee.
Mr Brule is an impactful C-Level Insurance Executive with significant and successful experience in growing profitable business and leading transformation of insurance operations across EMEA. He is recognized as a strategic leader and critical thinker, with a strong record of execution in multiple environments and cultures.
By Dipo Olowookere
About 0.04 per cent was recovered on Friday from the loss recorded by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) the previous due to profit-taking.
Yesterday, investors were in the market with renewed vigour, mopping up stocks trading at relatively cheaper prices.
According to data, the insurance counter gained 0.41 per cent, the banking sector appreciated by 0.38 per cent, and the consumer goods index grew by 0.14 per cent.
The gains achieved by these three sectors were enough to lift Customs Street at the close of business despite the 0.26 per cent decline printed by the industrial goods segment and the 0.14 per cent loss suffered by the energy industry. The commodity counter was flat during the session.
A total of 43 equities gained weight on the last trading day of this week, while 26 equities shed weight, indicating a positive market breadth index and strong investor sentiment.
Red Star Express increased its share price by 10.00 per cent to N13.20, NCR Nigeria grew by 9.97 per cent to N128.55, SCOA Nigeria inflated by 9.96 per cent to N14.90, Omatek appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N1.77, and Deap Capital expanded by 9.85 per cent to N4.46.
On the flip side, McNichols decreased by 8.81 per cent to N6.00, Legend Internet crumbled by 7.56 per cent to N5.50, Cornerstone Insurance crashed by 6.48 per cent to N6.35, C&I Leasing contracted by 6.29 per cent to N8.20, and Austin Laz slipped by 5.78 per cent to N3.75.
Yesterday, 539.9 million shares valued at N16.7 billion were transacted in 48,023 deals versus the 1.0 billion shares worth N31.6 billion executed in 51,227 deals in the preceding day, implying a shrink in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 46.01 per cent, 47.15 per cent, and 6.26 per cent apiece.
Zenith Bank was the most active for the day with 54.6 million stocks sold for N3.8 billion, Jaiz Bank traded 41.5 million units worth N359.4 million, Secure Electronic Technology transacted 37.7 million units valued at N39.2 million, Access Holdings exchanged 30.5 million units for N699.2 million, and Lasaco Assurance transacted 27.2 million units worth N68.3 million.
When the market closed for the day, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 72.21 points to 166,129.50 points from 166,057.29 points and the market capitalisation gained N31 billion to N106.354 trillion from N106.323 trillion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
It was a positive ending for the Naira this week after it further appreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, January 16 by N1.33 or 0.09 per cent to sell for N1,417.95/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,419.28/$1.
The domestic currency also gained N2.41 against the Euro in the official market to close at N1,647.51/€1 versus the preceding session’s closing price of N1,649.92/€1, however, it suffered a N7.97 loss against the Pound Sterling in the same market window to trade at N1,901.32/£1, in contrast to Thursday’s closing price of N1,893.35/£1.
In the same vein, the Nigerian Naira depleted against the Dollar at the GTBank FX counter by N2 to quote at N1,427/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,425/$1, but strengthened against the greenback at the black market yesterday by N5 to settle at N1,485/$1 versus the N1,490/$1 it was exchanged a day earlier.
Improved supply conditions helped keep the market within range as exporters’ and importers’ inflows in addition to non-bank corporate supply enhanced liquidity as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made no visible intervention.
Stronger external inflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and improving current account dynamics, continue to align with structural support in the wider economy.
Nigeria has seen projections of a stronger economic or gross domestic product (GDP) growth and lower inflation in 2026, with these forecasts citing improved macroeconomic fundamentals and reform impacts.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it was mixed following selloff in precious metals and lower US stocks appeared to be denting crypto sentiment.
Gold and silver, both of which also enjoyed big rallies earlier this week, tumbled 1.2 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively while key US stock indexes — the Nasdaq, S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average — all reversed from early gains to modest losses in Friday trade.
Dogecoin (DOGE) shrank by 2.2 per cent to $0.1370, Ripple (XRP) slipped by 0.8 per cent to $2.05, Ethereum (ETH) went down by 0.7 per cent to $3,228.56, and Bitcoin (BTC) slumped by 0.6 per cent to $95,086.80.
Conversely, Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 3.2 per cent to $74.48, Solana (SOL) rose by 0.4 per cent to $143.70, Cardano (ADA) jumped by 0.2 per cent to $0.3942, and Binance Coin (BNB) increased by 0.1 per cent to $935.88, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices settled higher amid lingering worries about a possible US military strike against Iran, a decision that may still occur over the weekend.
Brent crude settled at $64.13 a barrel after going up by 37 cents or 0.58 per cent and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $59.44 a barrel after it gained 25 cents or 0.42 per cent.
The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was expected to arrive in the Persian Gulf next week after operating in the South China Sea.
Market analysts noted that it doesn’t seem likely anything will happen soon. However, the weekends have become the perfect time for actions so as not offset the markets.
The market had risen after protests flared up in Iran and US President Donald Trump signalled the potential for military strikes, but lost over 4 per cent on Thursday as the American president said Iran’s crackdown on the protesters was easing, allaying concerns of possible military action that could disrupt oil supplies.
Iran produces approximately 3.2 million barrels per day, accounting for roughly 4 per cent of global crude production, so it was not a coincidence that markets rallied sharply through Tuesday and Wednesday as President Trump canceled meetings with Iranian officials and posted that “help is on its way” to Iranian protesters, raising fears of potential US military strikes that sent prices surging toward multi-month highs.
Weighing against those fears are potential supply increases from Venezuela.
The Trump administration is exploring plans to swap heavy Venezuelan crude for US medium sour barrels that can actually go straight into Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) caverns, since not all all oil belongs in the reserve.
According to Reuters, the Department of Energy is considering moving Venezuelan heavy crude into commercial storage at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, while US producers deliver medium sour crude into the SPR in exchange.
Analysts expect higher supply this year, potentially creating a ceiling for the geopolitical risk premium on prices.
Some investors covered short positions ahead of the three-day Martin Luther King holiday weekend in the US.
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