Economy
FG Introduces N250bn Intervention Fund for Gas Value Chain
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has introduced a N250 billion intervention facility to stimulate finance and motivate investors in the gas value chain for sustainable business development in the country.
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Bitrus Nabasu, on Sunday in Abuja.
“Therefore, in an effort to stimulate finance to this critical sector, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), introduced a N250 billion intervention facility to help motivate investment in the gas value chain.
“A description of the intervention facility can be found on the CBN website www.cbn.gov.ng and the ministry’s website at www.petroleumresources.gov.ng,” the senior government official said.
Mr Nabasu disclosed further that the large scale projects under the intervention would be financed under the Power and Airlines Intervention Fund (PAIF) in line with existing guidelines and regulations of the Fund.
According to him, the small scale projects and retail distributions will be financed by NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank and other participating institutions under the Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Schemes (AGSMEIS).
The facility, he said, was designed to improve access to financing for private sector investment in the gas value chain, stimulate investment in the development of infrastructure to optimise the domestic gas resources for economic development
He listed other objectives of the facility to include the provision of a platform to fast track the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the fuel of choice for transportation and power generation as well as Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) for domestic cooking, transportation and captive power.
“It will also fast track the development of gas-based industries particularly petrol chemicals (Fertiliser, Methanol, etc), to support large industries such as agriculture, textile and related industries.
“Provide leverage for additional private sector investment in the domestic gas market and boost employment across the country,” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary said the facility would also finance gas processing, small scale petrochemical and gas cylinder manufacturing plants as well as LCNG regasification modular systems.
Mr Nabasu said it would equally finance AutoGas conversion kits or component manufacturing plants; CNG primary and secondary compression station, micro-distribution outlets and service centres for LPG.
“In addition, the facility will service the development and enhancement of autogas transportation system conversion and distribution infrastructure, enhancement of domestic cylinder production and distribution by manufacturing plants.
“Also, LPG wholesale outlet and many other mid to downstream gas value chain related activity recommended by the ministry,’’ he said, adding that parties with the capacity to develop and operate any of the fore listed projects are expected to demonstrate project development experience,” he disclosed.
According to him, interested parties will need to demonstrate technical and commercial capacity as well as show evidence of experience and capacities to engage in their proposed businesses to enable them to access the fund.
“At a minimum, interested parties shall provide general information of interested parties, past experience and evidence of technical capabilities and organisational structure,” he said.
Mr Nabasu added that interested parties shall be responsible for planning, preparations, engineering and execution of the project, including CNG compression and storage facilities for on line stations, virtual pipeline networks among others
He said the ministry had invited proposals from interested parties such as manufacturers, processors, wholesale distribution, SMEs and retail distributors in the gas value chain business.
“Details of submission criteria could be found at the ministry’s website.
“All proposals shall be submitted to the ministry for endorsement and evaluation into the confidential box provided on the 10th floor, Room 3, Block D, NNPC Towers, Abuja,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Four securities weakened the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 1.95 per cent on Friday, erasing N41.17 billion from the bourse, which had its market capitalisation at N2.567 trillion compared with the previous session’s N2.618 trillion.
In the same vein, the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) decreased at the close of business by 85.28 points to 4,277.07 points from 4,362.32 points.
The price decliners were led by 11 Plc, which gave up N20.50 to sell at N200.50 per share compared with the preceding day’s N221.00 per share, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc dropped N16.94 to close at N155.20 per unit versus Thursday’s closing price of N172.14 per unit, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc went down by N2.11 to N84.68 per share from N86.79 per share, and Afriland Properties Plc lost 11 Kobo to end at N16.74 per unit, in contrast to the N16.85 per unit it closed a day earlier.
During the trading day, the value of transactions jumped by 172.1 per cent to N29.9 million from the preceding session’s N10.9 million, and the volume of trades soared by 136.5 per cent to 955,096 units from the previous 403,901 units, while the number of deals went down by 11.4 per cent to 31 deals from 35 deals.
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 68.6 million units sold for N4.7 billion.
GNI Plc also ended the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units exchanged for N8.4 billion, trailed 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.
By Dipo Olowookere
The last trading session of this week on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited ended on a negative note, with a 0.66 per cent loss on Friday.
This was influenced by sustained selling pressure and cautious trading, which forced investors into profit-taking.
Data obtained by Business Post showed that the energy sector fell by 4.66 per cent, the insurance counter dipped by 2.23 per cent, the consumer goods index depreciated by 0.96 per cent, and the banking segment shed 0.28 per cent, while the industrial goods space remained unchanged.
At the close of business, the All-Share Index (ASI) of Nigeria’s stock exchange went down by 1,531.81 points to 232,049.02 points from 233,580.83 points, and the market capitalisation dropped N983 billion to settle at N148.905 trillion compared with Thursday’s N149.888 trillion.
Aradel was the worst-performing equity after it lost 10.00 per cent to close at N1,417.50. International Energy Insurance slipped by 9.95 per cent to N5.79, Trans-Nationwide Express depreciated by 9.89 per cent to N3.28, eTranzact crashed by 9.79 per cent to N14.75, and UPDC slumped by 9.72 per cent to N28.12.
The best-performing equity for the day was Universal Insurance, which gained 6.32 per cent to close at N1.01, McNichols grew by 5.52 per cent to N8.60, Linkage Assurance expanded by 4.67 per cent to N1.57, NGX Group appreciated by 4.35 per cent to N120.00, and Transcorp increased by 3.62 per cent to N41.50.
As look at the activity level indicated that investors traded 388.7 million stocks worth N18.4 billion in 44,631 deals compared with the 393.7 million stocks valued at N19.2 billion executed in 45,813 deals a day earlier, representing a decline in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 1.27 per cent, 4.17 per cent, and 2.58 per cent, respectively.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira recorded a loss of 82 Kobo or 0.06 per cent against the United States Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, June 26, exchanging at N1,380.93/$1, in contrast to the previous day’s rate of N1,380.11/$1.
Equally, the domestic currency further weakened against the Pound Sterling in the official FX market yesterday by N6.06 to settle at N1,824.90/£1 versus the preceding session’s N1,818.84/£1, and lost N10.74 on the Euro to sell at N1,577 .58/€1 versus N1,566.84/€1.
At the GTBank forex counter, the Naira depreciated against the greenback during the session by N4 to close at N1,387/$1, in contrast to Thursday’s value of N1,383/$1, and at the parallel market, it was unchanged at N1,395/$1.
Interbank FX activity among financial institutions has fluctuated amid a sharp slowdown in forex market interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as it allows demand and supply to move the market.
Also, a stronger greenback has generally put significant pressure on emerging-market currencies.
Nigeria has accessed the first tranche of a proposed $5 billion derivatives financing arrangement with First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, the largest lender in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The $5 billion facility, approved by the National Assembly earlier this year, is part of the federal government’s plan to diversify external financing sources and reduce borrowing costs. Structured as a Total Return Swap with First Abu Dhabi Bank, proceeds are earmarked for refinancing debt and supporting infrastructure financing.
If the proceeds are brought into the country through the official FX market, the transaction will increase the currency reserves or Dollar liquidity.
At the cryptocurrency market, Solana (SOL) grew by 2.2 per cent to $71.92, Cardano (ADA) gained 1.1 per cent to trade at $0.1474, Ripple (XRP) also appreciated by 1.1 per cent to $1.05, Dogecoin (DOGE) expanded by 0.9 per cent to $0.0755, and Ethereum (ETH) improved by 0.4 per cent to $1,578.84.
On the flip side, TRON (TRX) slid 0.6 per cent to $0.3203, Binance Coin (BNB) slumped by 0.3 per cent to $564.33, and Bitcoin fell by 0.2 per cent to $60,219.37, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each.
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