Economy
Côte d’Ivoire’s Economic Activity to Remain Strong—IMF
By Dipo Olowookere
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that economic activity in Côte d’Ivoire will remain strong this year.
The global lender made this prediction after its team held talks with authorities of the West African nation governed by President Alassane Ouattara.
An IMF team led Mr Dhaneshwar Ghura had visited Abidjan from March 22 to April 5, 2018, to hold discussions on the 2018 Article IV Consultation and the third review of the three-year economic and financial program supported by the IMF through arrangements under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
After the visit, Mr Ghura commended government’s commitment to converge to the Western Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) fiscal regional deficit norm of 3 percent of GDP by 2019.
The IMG team, which met with the country’s Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly; Minister of Economy and Finance, Adama Koné; and other top officials, stated that the medium-term outlook means favourable and risks to the forecast were broadly balanced.
“Economic activity is projected to remain strong and the medium-term outlook is for robust growth to continue.
“Inflation is expected to remain contained. The fiscal deficit should be maintained at 3.75 percent of GDP in 2018, in line with the program objectives,” Mr Ghura said.
He noted that, “Based on preliminary estimations, GDP grew by 7.8 percent last year despite the fall in cocoa prices and social demands.
“Inflation remained subdued at about 1 percent, well below the 3 percent regional threshold of WAEMU. Credit to the economy grew at a healthy pace of 13.3 percent in 2017. Reflecting the decline in cocoa prices in 2017, the deficit in the external current account reached 2.1 percent of GDP.”
He emphasised that, “Performance under the IMF-supported program was satisfactory in 2017. The budget deficit was 4.2 percent of GDP in 2017, somewhat lower than programmed. All performance criteria, and all but one indicative quantitative targets for end-December 2017 were met.
“All but one structural benchmark was also implemented. Sound policies implemented by the authorities in the context of the IMF-supported program and the country’s good economic performance have helped the Eurobond issuance in March 2018.”
“IMF staff and the authorities concurred on the need to accelerate reforms critical to maintaining growth at a sustainable pace and continue making it more inclusive. Staff welcomed the progress made by the authorities in prioritizing the new investment projects which should help maintaining space to finance the National Development Program (2016-2020). IMF staff and the authorities also agreed on the importance of increasing domestic revenues to create fiscal space to undertake priority spending and enhance debt payment capacity.
“The team noted the efforts to mitigate fiscal risks by advancing on restructuring the national oil refinery and public banks. The implementation of the new prudential regulations consistent with the Basel II/III principles should reinforce banking sector stability. While Côte d’Ivoire’s economic performance has been strong, there are also risks to the outlook from slower than expected progress in revenue mobilization, unfavourable terms-of-trade shock and tighter global financial conditions.
“The team and the authorities concurred that Côte d’Ivoire’s economic transformation program is progressing well. Continued fiscal consolidation, prudent debt management policy and supply-side reforms will support high growth rates. Continuing actions to spread growth benefits and reducing youth unemployment will also be important factors for ensuring the long-term success of government policies.
“The IMF team thanks the authorities for their hospitality and productive discussions.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is seeking a reduction in import duty exemptions, which rose to N34 trillion, limiting its ability to increase its revenue generation threshold.
The Comptroller-General of the Customs Service, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that the value of import duty exemption certificate approvals increased to that level in 2025, describing the policy as one of the major factors restricting its revenue generation.
At an investigative session of the Senate Committee on Finance with revenue-generating agencies in Abuja on Monday, Mr Adeniyi explained that government fiscal policies have continued to impact the revenue-generating capacity of the Customs Service, both positively and negatively.
“The NCS would have generated significantly higher revenue over the years if not for government-approved import duty waivers and other external factors affecting collections,” he said.
He added that the Import Duty Exemption Certificate scheme, introduced in March 2020, accounted for about N34 trillion in approvals in 2025, with nearly 60 per cent covering duty-free importation of military hardware due to Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges.
Other government-backed duty waivers, he noted, covered the importation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), electric and hybrid vehicles, healthcare equipment and medical supplies, industrial machinery and manufacturing inputs, as well as food import intervention programmes.
While acknowledging the impact of the waivers on Customs revenue, Mr Adeniyi argued that fiscal policy should not be assessed solely on the basis of revenue generation but also on its broader economic and social objectives.
He, however, urged the federal government to establish stronger monitoring mechanisms to ensure beneficiaries of duty waivers deliver the intended economic outcomes, including lower consumer prices, increased local production and improved healthcare access.
The committee also expressed displeasure over the absence of several heads of government agencies invited to the hearing, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Mr Sani Musa, warned that the affected chief executives must appear at the committee’s next sitting or face severe sanctions under the Senate’s rules.
In the competitive world of online trading, finding a trading brokerage partner that balances reliability, technological innovation, and accessible conditions is essential. Headway broker has emerged as a significant player, currently serving over 4 million users globally.
In this article, we take a detailed look at what makes this broker for trading a notable option for both novice and experienced traders.
Headway Regulatory Foundation and Safety
Safety is the cornerstone of any trading relationship. Headway broker operates under the regulation and licensing of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). This regulatory oversight ensures that the broker adheres to strictly defined standards for transparency and operational conduct, providing traders with an added layer of security and confidence when managing their portfolios.
Trading Platforms and Instruments
Efficiency in trading Forex and other markets is driven by the tools at your disposal. Headway provides a robust technological trading ecosystem:
Industry-Standard Platforms: The broker fully supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), the most widely used platforms for technical analysis and automated trading.
Proprietary Mobile App: For traders who prioritize mobility, Headway offers its own custom-built trading app. It is readily available for download on both Google Play and the App Store, allowing for seamless account management and trading on the go.
Diverse Market Access: Traders have a wide range of opportunities with access to over 300 trading instruments, ensuring plenty of choice for different strategies and asset classes.
Trading Account Types Offered by Headway
Headway broker understands that every trader enters the market with a different level of experience:
Three Account Tiers: To ensure inclusivity, the broker offers three distinct types of accounts (Cent, Standard and Pro), tailored to suit different levels of expertise and capital requirements.
Demo Account: For those looking to refine their skills without financial risk, Headway provides a comprehensive demo trading account. This is the perfect environment to practice strategies, understand how the platform works, and gain confidence before transitioning to live trading.
Customer Support and Incentives
Headway supports its user base with comprehensive resources and financial incentives:
24/7 Technical Support: Market fluctuations happen at any time. Headway provides round-the-clock technical support for the traders, ensuring that help is always available whenever a question or issue arises.
150$ No Deposit Bonus: To help new traders get started, Headway offers a $150 no deposit bonus. This is an excellent way to test the broker’s execution speed and trading environment with zero initial risk.
IB Partnership Program: Beyond individual trading, Headway fosters growth through its Introducing Broker (IB) partnership program. This allows partners to build their business and earn commissions by referring new traders to the platform.
Conclusion
With its combination of FSCA regulation, a vast range of instruments, and modern platforms like MT4, MT5, and its own proprietary app, Headway FX broker provides a comprehensive environment for modern traders. Whether you are using the demo account to hone your skills or taking advantage of the 150 no deposit welcome bonus, this broker offers the stability and tools needed for your trading journey.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange rose by 0.40 per cent on Monday, July 13, buoyed by buying interest in 11 Plc, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc and UBN Property Plc, which offset the profit-taking in Food Concepts Plc, the parent company of Chicken Republic.
11 Plc gained N20.69 to end at N227.64 per share compared with last Friday’s price of N206.95 per share, CSCS Plc grew by N1.83 to N91.48 per unit from N89.65 per unit, and UBN Property Plc added 1 Kobo to sell at N1.81 per share versus N1.80 per share.
On the flip side, Food Concepts Plc depreciated by 24 Kobo to close at N2.45 per unit, in contrast to the preceding session’s N2.69 per unit.
As a result, the market capitalisation increased by N9.2 billion to N2.587 trillion from N2.578 trillion, and the NASD Security Index (NSI) improved by 15.33 points to 4,311.67 points from 4,296.34 points.
Yesterday, the volume of securities traded by investors surged by 615.9 per cent to 9.1 million units from the previous 1.3 million units, and the value of securities rose by 997.1 per cent to N320.4 million from the preceding session’s N29.2 million, while the number of deals decreased by 12.5 per cent to 28 deals from last Friday’s 32 deals.
At the close of trades, Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units worth N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 73.9 million units exchanged for N5.2 billion.
GNI Plc also closed the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units traded for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
