Economy
FMDQ to Accept Nigeria’s $1b Eurobonds Inaugural Listing
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The inaugural listing of Nigeria’s $1 billion Eurobonds under its $1.00bn Global Medium-Term Note Programme is set to be admitted by the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange.
This is in consolidation of the strategic and value-adding initiatives spearheaded by FMDQ in developing the Nigerian financial markets.
Following a series of engagements by FMDQ on the importance of promoting and supporting economic development in the country through the opening of Eurobonds to the domestic DCM via the OTC Exchange’s platform, this welcome and laudable development, which market participants believe will set the pace for global competitiveness and invariably deepen the Nigerian financial markets, in no small measure, lays credence to the underlying objectives for the birth and operational mandate of FMDQ.
The issuance of the $1 billion FGN Eurobond is aimed at fostering economic development and will serve to rejuvenate the vibrancy of the nation’s FX market.
Remarkably so, this is the first-time the sovereign’s Eurobond will be considered for listing on a domestic exchange, following the nation’s first and second outings to the international capital markets in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
This most commendable consideration follows the decision of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigeria, (the authority under which the FGN issues Bonds and Treasury Bills) and the Ministry of Finance to list the Eurobond on an efficient domestic securities exchange such as FMDQ to deepen and support the development of the local DCM.
In streamlining its processes and ensuring an efficient time to market for debt securities, FMDQ, being Nigeria’s foremost debt capital-focused OTC securities exchange has continued to provide a highly resourceful platform for the registration, listing of Bonds (Sovereign, Agency, Sub-national, Corporate, Supranational, as well as Eurobonds and Sukuk), Funds and the quotation of Commercial Papers, Treasury Bills and other short-term securities as may arise from time to time, to meet the needs of the market participants. Whilst currently providing improved transparency, effective price formation and enhanced secondary market liquidity through its Dealing Members, who are responsible for circa 99.00% of the secondary market trading activity in FGN Bonds and Nigerian Treasury Bills on FMDQ, the OTC Exchange, in admitting the $1.00bn Eurobond for listing and trading, will continue to lend itself as a worthy and operationally excellent platform, serving as the point of integration between the domestic and international markets.
The OTC Exchange, since its debut into the Nigerian financial market landscape, already granted permitted trading status for $1.50bn of the previously issued FGN Eurobonds and $3.15bn of Eurobonds issued by Nigerian companies.
With its audacious vision to be No. 1 in the fixed income and currencies markets in Africa by 2019, the listing and eventual trading of the FGN Eurobonds on FMDQ, the first of its kind in the nation, will see the securities gain access to the full complement of the FMDQ Listings and Quotations service, which includes efficient clearing and settlement structures, unprecedented transparency, and improved network effects, among others.
FMDQ, in its capacity as a market organiser and information repository provides credible market infrastructures to aggregate and transmit all trade reports from its Dealing Members acting as liquidity providers to the Eurobonds, ensuring continuous information symmetry.
In appreciation of the important role which a transparent and regulated market plays in boosting investor confidence, the OTC Exchange will also publish relevant market data and information as necessary.
FMDQ, through effective collaboration, continues to garner the support of its varied stakeholders and has remained committed to transforming and positioning the Nigerian financial markets towards becoming a regional financial centre.
From the introduction of short-term and private companies’ bonds, the standardisation of the repurchase agreements with collateral management trading, to financial markets education, and most recently, the strategic partnership with S&P Dow Jones Indices for the co-branding of Nigerian fixed income indices, FMDQ, in 2017, will, despite the economic headwinds, relentlessly champion initiatives, aimed at empowering the global competitiveness of the Nigerian debt capital, currencies and OTC derivatives markets, towards promoting sustainable development for corporate and commercial entities, and ultimately, the nation’s economy.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has been asked by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to suspend the implementation of the controversial tax laws.
In a reaction to the tax reform acts, the president of the group, Mr Afam Osigwe (SAN), the suspension of the laws would allow for a proper investigation into allegations of alterations in the gazetted and harmonised copies.
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged that some parts of the laws passed by the parliament were different from the gazetted copy.
To address the issues raised, the NBA said it is “imperative that a comprehensive, open, and transparent investigation be conducted to clarify the circumstances surrounding the enactment of the laws and to restore public confidence in the legislative process.”
“Until these issues are fully examined and resolved, all plans for the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be immediately suspended,” the association declared.
It noted that the controversies “raise grave concerns about the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.”
“These developments strike at the very heart of constitutional governance and call into question the procedural sanctity that must attend lawmaking in a democratic society,” it noted.
“Legal and policy uncertainty of this magnitude has far-reaching consequences. It unsettles the business environment, erodes investor confidence, and creates unpredictability for individuals, businesses, and institutions required to comply with the law. Such uncertainty is inimical to economic stability and should have no place in a system governed by the rule of law.
“Nigeria’s constitutional democracy demands that laws, especially those with profound economic and social implications, emerge from processes that are transparent, accountable, and beyond reproach. Anything short of this undermines public trust and weakens the foundation upon which lawful governance rests.
“We therefore call on all relevant authorities to act swiftly and responsibly in addressing this controversy, in the overriding interest of constitutional order, economic stability, and the preservation of the rule of law,” the organisation stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Demand for hot stocks, including MRS Oil Plc, buoyed the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 0.52 per cent on Tuesday, December 23.
The energy company was one of the three price gainers for the session as it chalked up N19.69 to sell at N216.59 per share versus the previous day’s value of N196.90 per share.
Further, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained N2.95 to close at N56.75 per unit versus N53.80 per unit and Golden Capital Plc appreciated by 84 Kobo to N9.29 per share from Monday’s N8.45 per share.
Consequently, the market capitalisation went up by N10.95 billion to N2.125 trillion from N2.125 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) rose by 18.31 points to 3,570.37 points from 3,552.06 points.
Yesterday, the NASD bourse recorded a price loser, the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), which gave up 17 Kobo to close at N33.70 per unit against the previous trading value of N33.87 per unit.
The volume of securities traded at the session went down by 97.6 per cent to 297,902 units from the previous day’s 12.6 million units, the value of securities decreased by 98.5 per cent to N10.5 million from N713.6 million, and the number of deals remained flat at 32 deals.
By value, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc ended as the most actively traded stock on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units exchanged for N16.4 billion. This was followed by Okitipupa Plc, which traded 178.9 million units valued at N9.5 billion, and MRS Oil Plc with 36.1 million units worth N4.9 billion.
In terms of volume, also on a year-to-date basis, InfraCredit Plc led the chart with a turnover of 5.8 billion units traded for N16.4 billion. Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc ranked second with 1.2 billion units sold for N420.7 million, while Impresit Bakolori Plc followed with the sale of 536.9 million units valued at N524.9 million.
By Dipo Olowookere
It was another bullish trading session for the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited as it closed higher by 0.59 per cent on Tuesday.
The market further rallied due to continued interest in large and mid-cap stocks on the exchange by investors rebalancing their portfolios for the year-end.
Yesterday, Aluminium Extrusion sustained its upward trajectory after it further appreciated by 9.96 per cent to N14.90, as Austin Laz gained 9.81 per cent to close at N2.91, Custodian Investment improved by 9.69 per cent to N38.50, and First Holdco soared by 9.35 per cent to N50.30.
Conversely, Royal Exchange declined by 7.22 per cent to N1.80, Champion Breweries shrank by 6.57 per cent to N15.65, NASCON lost 5.36 per cent to trade at N105.05, Sovereign Trust Insurance depreciated by 5.28 per cent to N3.77, and Japaul went down by 4.51 per cent to N2.33.
At the close of business, 29 shares ended on the gainers’ table and 27 shares finished on the losers’ log, representing a positive market breadth index and bullish investor sentiment.
This raised the All-Share Index (ASI) by 895.06 points to 153,354.13 points from 152,459.07 points and lifted the market capitalisation by N579 billion to N97.772 trillion from the previous day’s N97.193 trillion.
VFD Group finished the day as the busiest stock after it recorded a turnover of 192.0 million units worth N2.1 billion, GTCO exchanged 63.5 million units valued at N5.6 billion, Access Holdings traded 49.8 million units for N1.0 billion, First Holdco sold 45.8 million units valued at N2.3 billion, and Secure Electronic Technology transacted 38.3 million units worth N28.4 million.
In all, market participants bought and sold 677.4 million units valued at N20.8 billion in 27,589 deals compared with the 451.5 million units worth N13.0 billion traded in 33,327 deals on Monday, showing an improvement in the trading volume and value by 50.03 per cent and 60.00 per cent apiece, and a shortfall in the number of deals by 17.22 per cent.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn