Economy
Deregulation: IMPAN Cries Foul Play, Accuses FG of Monopoly
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has accused the federal government of engaging in monopolistic deregulation of the downstream sector.
The National Operations Controller of the association, Mr Mike Osatuyi, made the disclosure against the backdrop of government inability to allow market forces to determine the petroleum pump price in the country.
He stressed the need for the government to enforce total deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector, something the body claims has been reserved for only one or a few selected players.
Explaining the reason behind the accusation, he said that government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been the sole importers of petrol and few markets operating crude for the refined white product under the name Direct Supply Direct Purchase (DSDP) which negates the principle of market deregulation of the sector.
According to him, government monopolising importation of petrol goes against the principle of equal participation and the creation of a level playing field in the business.
“There is need for government to allow other players into the market to import petrol by making forex available at CBN official rate as promised severally by the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva.
“The federal government should make forex available to oil marketers for import so as to drive down petrol price now that crude price is at $52 for Brent and $49.5 for WTI per barrel,” he said.
“Although the federal government has announced plans to make foreign exchange available to petroleum product marketers but we are waiting to be called upon to deliberate on the modalities involved.
“Government should make foreign exchange available to petroleum product marketers, like IPMAN, MOMAN and DAPPMAN, in order to make the importation of petrol into the country competitive, reduce the rising cost of the product and stop the overdependence on the NNPC for its importation and pricing,” he said.
Mr Osatuyi, who also doubles as the National Deputy President, (South) Indigenous Gas Traders Association of Nigeria (INGASAN) said availability of forex to oil marketers would stop the current monopoly in the importation of petrol by NNPC who has been the major importer of petrol over the years with other players in the downstream oil business buying the product from them.
The controller explained that this had not been the case since the government announced full deregulation of PMS (petrol) in march 2020, adding that there are still cases of price band control up to August 2020.
“From September, the price band control was withdrawn with the hope that full deregulation will surface but what we have been experiencing now is monopolistic deregulation.
“NNPC is the only player allowed to access forex for importation of petrol in addition to the crude for petrol handed down to few players in the industry.
“Government and NNPC are the only parties that can explain the type of deregulation we are practising in Nigeria.
“Government should allow all players to participate in the deregulation processes so that we can bring private-sector efficiency to the system which will bring down the price,” Mr Osatuyi added.
Further, Mr Osatuyi commended the President Buhari administration on the gas policy launched in January 2020 and particularly the launching of autogas programme for the country.
“Apart from reducing or total stoppage of gas importation into the country, the seriousness of the Federal Government on gas expansion programme will create jobs through the production and supply chain mechanism.
“Gas will be cheaper for Nigerians. It will serve as alternative means of powering of our vehicles through the usage of compressed natural gas (CNG).
“Liquefied Petrol Gas (LPG) will also serve as power for our generator which will make power cost be cheaper if crude oil goes up to $80 per barrel,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange closed flat on Wednesday, August 5, as the market witnessed weaker trading activity with only two deals executed.
In the midweek session, the volume of securities exchanged by investors dropped 99.9 per cent to 802 units from the 1.6 million units recorded on Tuesday. The value of securities further decreased by 99.6 per cent to N208,240 from the preceding session’s N47.6 million, and the number of deals significantly went down by 93.9 per cent to two deals from the 33 deals recorded a day earlier.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units sold for N6.5 billion, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc with 76.9 million units transacted for N5.5 billion.
GNI Plc was also the most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units exchanged 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 valued at N415.7 million.
There were no price gainers or losers yesterday.
As a result, the market capitalisation stood unmoving at N2.739 trillion, while the NASD Security Index (NSI) remained unchanged at 4,563.96 points.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira slid against the US Dollar by N2.28 or 0.17 per cent in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Wednesday, August 5, to N1,363.85/$1 from N1,362.55/$1.
The local currency also declined against the Pound Sterling in the official market during the session by N5.97 to close at N1,837.38/£1 compared with Tuesday’s closing rate of N1,831.41/£1, and against the Euro, it crashed by N6.54 to quote at N1,575.25/€1 versus the preceding session’s N1,568.71/€1.
But at the black market, the Nigerian Naira traded flat against the greenback yesterday at N1,400/$1, and also remained unchanged at the GTBank FX desk at N1,373/$1.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says rates have narrowed to below two per cent, while the country’s external reserves have risen above $52.5 billion, reflecting the impact of its ongoing monetary and foreign exchange reforms.
CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso, represented by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Mrs Hakama Sidi-Ali, disclosed this on Tuesday during the CBN Fair in Gombe. He noted that reforms introduced since 2023 had significantly reduced the disparity between the official FX market and the parallel market.
“The Naira continues to strengthen, with the spread between official and Bureau de Change rates now below two per cent,” he said, adding that reserves at $52.5 billion were supported by sustained inflows and renewed investor confidence in the economy.
Interbank FX transactions slid as weaker market activities dropped total Dollar volume exchanged to $75.35 million, a 51.8 per cent decline from $156.23 million in turnover quoted at the previous close.
The deals at the NFEM window also fell as data from the central bank put Wednesday’s quote at 82 from 139.
In the cryptocurrency market, major were down as global risk sentiment softened as a key world equity index slipped and chipmakers fell.
The MSCI All Country World Index snapped a five-day run to fall 0.2 per cent as chipmakers retreated on both sides of the Pacific. South Korea’s Kospi, a bellwether for the AI trade, dropped 4.4 per cent.
Ripple (XRP) depleted by 1.7 per cent to $1.05, Binance Coin (BNB) decreased by 1.0 per cent to $594.87, Cardano (ADA) depreciated by 0.9 per cent to $0.1884, TRON (TRX) shrank by 0.2 per cent to $0.3261, Solana (SOL) crumbled by 0.1 per cent to $74.00, and Dogecoin (DOGE) went down by 0.1 per cent to $0.0697.
On the flip side, Ethereum (ETH) gained 2.3 per cent to trade at $1,911.41, and Bitcoin (BTC) rose by 0.8 per cent to $64,759.28, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 apiece.
By Dipo Olowookere
The domestic stock exchange rebounded by 0.05 per cent on Wednesday on the back of renewed bargain-hunting by investors, though the level of activity waned.
After bleeding for a few days, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited heaved a sigh of relief yesterday, as the All-Share Index (ASI) gained 109.41 points to close at 244,912.24 points compared with the previous day’s 244,802.83 points, and the market capitalisation garnered N71 billion to settle at N158.087 trillion versus Tuesday’s N158.016 trillion.
Business Post reports that despite the rebound recorded by Customs Street at midweek, the market breadth index remained negative, as there were 20 price advancers and 29 price decliners, implying bearish investor sentiment.
Linkage Assurance appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N1.77, AVA Capital rose by 9.55 per cent to N10.90, Fortis Global Insurance advanced by 7.69 per cent to N2.80, McNichols gained 7.34 per cent to finish at N5.85, and Coronation Insurance surged by 5.51 per cent to N2.49.
Conversely, Honeywell Flour depreciated by 9.94 per cent to N16.30, PZ Cussons gave up 9.94 per cent to trade at N74.75, Zichis crashed by 9.74 per cent to N20.76, Learn Africa slipped by 9.62 per cent to N9.40, and Neimeth tumbled by 8.33 per cent to N8.25.
The busiest equity was FCMB, with a turnover of 369.2 million units valued at N4.1 billion. Chams transacted 46.7 million units worth N201.8 million, First Holdco transacted 43.5 million units for N5.7 billion, Access Holdings sold 29.8 million units worth N778.0 million, and Linkage Assurance exchanged 19.6 million units valued at N33.5 million.
At the close of transactions, market participants bought and sold 824.1 million units worth N25.5 billion in 48,114 deals, in contrast to the 1.6 billion units sold for N28.7 billion in 54,160 deals a day earlier, showing a shortfall in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 48.49 per cent, 11.15 per cent, and 11.16 per cent, respectively.
