Economy
CSCS CEO Haruna Jalo-Waziri’s New Year Message
Esteemed Stakeholders,
What a year! A year like no other – 2020 was definitively historic and unprecedented. It defied science, challenged rationality, and confronted social norms. COVID-19 shook the world powers, tipped many economies – including our dear Nigeria – into the worst recession in decades, shattered social engagements and affected every facet of life as we knew it.
Like a mystery, only to be told in a fiction, oil traded at negative prices, factories shut globally for weeks, and airlines grounded for months.
Excitingly, the Nigerian capital market, like a few global peers, remained active through the crisis; many thanks to the concerted efforts and resilience of critical stakeholders, whose swift ingenuity and collaboration kept the market afloat, sailing through the tide with incredible captains – like you.
For us at CSCS, just as I believe with many peers, we cannot afford the lessons of this crisis to go to waste. If none other, one pertinent lesson COVID-19 has taught us is the significance of our togetherness – the unimaginable strength of our collective resources and sincere collaboration for the stability and growth of the Nigerian capital market.
If COVID-19 is a living enemy, I am sure it has suffered defeat in the most shameful battle with Nigerian capital market, as the seamless operation of the market amidst the odds of the pandemic won great admiration, even from critics.
As your market infrastructure, we are proud to be a part of this success and we do not take it for granted. In fact, we owe and dedicate it to you.
Dear esteemed participants, I would like to thank you immensely for your continued patronage of CSCS’ services through the challenging year that past – 2020. Together, we have done what would have seemed impossible.
Beyond sustaining (and indeed increasing) market activity, we executed the regulatory directive on investor account update, partly integrated our technologies with the account opening portal, leveraged RegConnect for enhanced data exchange for registrars’ services, and a host of other initiatives we jointly executed for the ultimate goal of developing and deepening the market.
As we have pooled resources to effectively navigate the odds of one of the most challenging times in history, I would like to seek your continued collaboration in consolidating on our gains and advancing our mutual course of deepening the Nigerian capital market, through innovation, and more importantly, togetherness.
We are super-excited at the prospect of this New Year, banking on your continued patronage, and a renewed commitment to the collaboration that has brought us this far – a partnership of over two decades that has birthed mutual greatness and respect for our market and respective businesses; a life partnership that is so dear to our existence and which we will continue to jealously nurture and invest in. Together, we can do more… and together, we must achieve greater greatness.
In closing, I would like to inform you that my colleagues and I are dedicating our renewed strategic focus to you – listening and executing diligently and exigently on your needs.
In this New Year and beyond, our pledge is to meet your anticipated needs exceed your expectations. Our dedication is a reinforcement of the value we place on you, as your infrastructure for the Nigerian capital market. You are at the core of our essence, and more than ever, I am confident in the insuperable prowess of our collective resources and capabilities in surmounting any impediments to achieving our respective and mutual goals.
Notwithstanding concerns of the second wave of the COVID-19 infection, I remain optimistic that this pandemic shall pass in no distant time, and we will once again reopen our physical operations and hobnob with you, in expectation of sharing great memories.
As we wind down the celebration of the festive season and kick-off business with renewed optimism, I implore us to take utmost care and responsibility in protecting ourselves and our communities. Happy New Year and cheers to a great beginning of an exciting decade!
Please stay safe and keep well.
By Adedapo Adesanya
MTN Group, Africa’s largest mobile network operator, has entered advanced discussions to buy approximately 75 per cent of shares in IHS Holding Limited (IHS Towers) that it does not already own.
The move would give the South African telco full control of IHS, which is the leading independent tower operator in several of its key markets, providing colocation services and supporting the expansion of mobile networks in regions with growing demand for digital connectivity.
In a cautionary announcement to investors on Thursday, MTN confirmed it is considering a transaction to acquire the remaining stake in the New York Stock Exchange-listed IHS, following recent market speculation.
The potential offer price would be “at a level near the last trading price” of IHS shares on the NYSE as of February 4, 2025, a period when the stock has seen a sharp rise in recent months, reflecting renewed investor confidence in the sector.
No binding agreement has been reached, and MTN emphasised there is no certainty that the deal will proceed.
However, if completed, the transaction could materially impact MTN’s share price, prompting the company to advise shareholders to exercise caution in trading until further updates.
MTN already holds a significant stake in IHS and maintains a deep operational partnership across multiple African markets.
Over the past decade, MTN has sold thousands of passive network sites to IHS through sale-and-leaseback deals, including a major transaction in South Africa in 2022 involving over 5,700 towers.
These arrangements allowed MTN to free up capital from infrastructure while securing long-term tower access via master lease agreements.
A full buyout would represent a dramatic strategic pivot for MTN, effectively bringing tower infrastructure back in-house after years of outsourcing to specialised operators like IHS.
MTN has previously voiced concerns about corporate governance at IHS, adding context to its cautious approach in the announcement.
If the deal falls through, MTN said it would continue exploring options to unlock value from its IHS investment, consistent with its disciplined capital allocation strategy.
The potential acquisition underscores the evolving dynamics in Africa’s telecom infrastructure sector, where operators weigh the benefits of owning versus leasing critical assets amid rising data demands and economic pressures.
By Adedapo Adesanya
For the third consecutive trading session, the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange ended in the green territory, rising further by 0.77 per cent on Thursday, February 5.
Two price gainers helped the bourse to rally during the session, with the market capitalisation up by N16.87 billion to N2.197 trillion from N2.180 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) up by 3.18 points to 3,672 points from the 3,644.48 points in the midweek session.
The advancers’ group was led by Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), which added N3.70 to sell at N48.67 per share versus the previous day’s N44.97 per share, and Afriland Properties Plc expanded by N1.01 to N15.01 per unit from N14.01 per unit.
It was observed that the alternative stock exchange recorded two price losers led by Geo-Fluids Plc, which further lost 51 Kobo to sell at N4.75 per share versus Wednesday’s closing price of N5.26 per share, and Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) declined by 6 Kobo to 59 Kobo per unit from 65 Kobo per unit.
During the session, the volume of securities transacted by investors slid by 51.9 per cent to 1.2 million units from 2.5 million units, the value of securities went down by 32.0 per cent to N12.0 million from N17.7 million, and the number of deals increased by 27.8 per cent to 23 deals from 18 deals.
At the close of trades, CSCS Plc was the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 16.2 million units exchanged for N659.9 million, followed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 1.7 million units traded for N117.8 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 12.3 million units valued at N79.1 million.
CSCS Plc remained the most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 16.2 million units sold for N659.9 million, trailed by Mass Telecom Innovation Plc with 13.6 million units valued at N5.5 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 12.3 million units worth N79.1 million.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited recorded another milestone after it further closed higher by 1.18 per cent on Thursday amid renewed confidence in the market.
The All-Share Index (ASI) crossed the 170,000-point threshold during the session as it added 1,975.18 points to the preceding day’s 168,030.18 points to settle at 170,005.36 points.
Also yesterday, the market capitalisation of Customs Street was up by 1,268 trillion to N109.129 trillion from the N107.861 it ended a day earlier.
The growth recorded during the session was powered 55 equities, which outweighed the losses recorded by 19 other equities.
Guinea Insurance expanded by 10.00 per cent to N1.43, Seplat Energy grew by 10.00 per cent to N7,370.00, RT Briscoe increased by 9.95 per cent to N11.49, Neimeth chalked up 9.90 per cent to close at N11.10, and Zichis rose by 9.89 per cent to N6.11.
At the other side, Deap Capital lost 9.62 per cent to trade at N6.20, Universal Insurance slipped by 9.43 per cent to N1.44, Haldane McCall declined by 9.09 per cent to N4.00, Red Star Express went down by 9.04 per cent to N15.60, and UPDC depreciated by 7.02 per cent to N5.30.
Business Post reports that the energy index was up by 4.68 per cent, the industrial goods improved by 0.79 per cent, the banking space grew by 0.64 per cent, and the consumer goods sector soared by 0.11 per cent, while the insurance counter lost 0.31 per cent.
Yesterday, market participants traded 713.0 million stocks valued at N22.3 billion in 46,104 deals versus the 694.8 million stocks worth N20.6 billion transacted in 42,095 deals on Wednesday, showing a spike in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 2.62 per cent, 8.25 per cent, and 9.52 per cent, respectively.
Access Holdings sold 106.6 million shares valued at N2.5 billion, Chams transacted 44.5 million equities worth N201.3 million, Champion Breweries traded 44.5 million stocks for N774.3 million, Universal Insurance exchanged 34.8 million shares worth N53.6 million, and Deap Capital sold 22.7 million equities valued at N141.9 million.
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