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Economy

Focus on Nigeria’s Reforms, Not Security Challenges—Tuggar to Investors

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Yusuf Tuggar

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, has urged international investors to look beyond the security challenges facing Nigeria, and instead focus on the reforms.

Speaking during an interview at the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Tuggar noted that incidents of insecurity being recorded across the country are “isolated cases” and not the reality across the country.

According to him, instability in the Sahel had spilled into Nigeria.

“We are urging investors to treat us the same way they treat other countries. The fact that there were isolated incidents in some places in the country does not mean that it’s the entire country.

“Conversations that are taking place here also have to do with risk buyers, where the issue of geopolitical risk, in particular, is over-hyped when it comes to Africa, which doesn’t apply in other parts of the world.

“It’s very important to see the conflict for what it is. It’s a regional conflict that has spilled over into Nigeria. It is not removed from the conflict in the Sahel. It’s not removed from what happened in Libya many years ago,” he told CNN on Tuesday.

“It’s not removed from the proliferation of weaponry, of fighters, and climate change issues, and so many other complex issues.”

Mr Tuggar said the government is working with international partners, including the United States, to target bandits and terrorist groups in their hideouts.

The minister also said Nigeria is actively engaging investors and pushing back against an exaggerated risk narrative around Nigeria’s economy.

“We’re urging potential investors to treat us the same way, to look at us the way that they look at other countries. The fact that there is an incident in a country of 923,000 square kilometres does not mean you write off the entire country,” he said.

Mr Tuggar highlighted a number of macroeconomic and fiscal reforms under the Bola Tinubu administration aimed at improving investor confidence, including changes to the foreign exchange regime, tax reforms, and a reduction in corporate income tax.

The minister said Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen to about $43 billion, while reforms had eased access to foreign exchange.

“It’s very important we look at the progress that the Tinubu administration has been making with macroeconomic reforms, with the tax reforms that make it easier for investors to come into Nigeria,” he said.

On security, he said Nigeria had recorded significant gains against Boko Haram through regional cooperation, particularly the multinational joint task force, which allowed cross-border pursuit of insurgents.

Mr Tuggar warned that persistent negative framing of Nigeria’s security situation could itself worsen insecurity by encouraging extremist groups to stage attacks for attention.

“So, let us look at Nigeria holistically. Let us not continue to dwell on some of these isolated incidents and define the entire country by it,” he said.

According to him, apart from working with security agencies to safeguard lives and properties, the country has also secured the services of forest guards to militate against terrorism.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

Economy

Wems BO Plans Personal Finance Retreat to Empower Nigerians

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Wems BO personal finance

By Adedapo Adesanya

Financial educator and coach, Mrs Wemimo “Wems BO” Bolu-Opaniran, is set to host the maiden edition of the Wems BO Personal Finance Retreat 1.0, a weekend event aimed at helping participants improve their financial literacy and develop practical money management skills.

According to a statement, the retreat is designed to make personal finance engaging and accessible through interactive sessions, games, networking opportunities, and one-on-one coaching sessions.

The organisers said the event will focus on providing attendees with practical and actionable financial knowledge rather than conventional lecture-style teaching.

“Come and unravel financial wisdom and leave with a practical and concrete action plan,” the organisers stated in a statement.

Activities lined up for the retreat include interactive finance sessions, networking opportunities, personal finance workbooks, games and activities, food and souvenirs, as well as three months of exclusive access to the event replay.

Speaking on the rationale for organising the event, Wems BO noted that lack is primarily not always the reason people have bad finances, but often, money culture is.

“The way one sees and treats money has been a development from years and decades past. So, what to do about money is not the solution. It is mindset, defaults and motivations shaping decisions.

The solution is an inner inquiring on why you do what you do, beyond money. Understanding who you are, then beginning to drive decisions that make you grow, manage and scale your finances in a way that aids the life you want,” she told Business Post.

Participants will also have the opportunity to receive one-on-one coaching with the finance guru.

The event is scheduled to be held from Friday, July 17 to Saturday, July 18, 2026, at an in-house venue on Lagos Mainland.

Ticket prices were pegged at N40,000 for individual attendees and N76,000 for duo tickets, with organisers noting that limited slots remain available.

Interested participants can register through the official registration link.

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Economy

Unlisted Securities Index Rises 0.91%

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Unlisted Securities Market

By Adedapo Adesanya

A 0.91 per cent growth was recorded by the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange on Friday, May 22, after the share prices of four securities ended in green.

According to data, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc went up by N15.61 to N179.67 per share from N164.06 per share, Newrest Asl Plc grew by N6.11 to N67.26 per unit from N61.15 per unit, Food Concepts Plc appreciated by 17 Kobo to N2.75 per share from N2.58 per share, and Nitrox Industrial Gases Plc added 6 Kobo to sell at N25.50 per unit compared with the previous day’s N25.44 per unit.

At the close of business, the market capitalisation chalked up N23.22 billion to settle at N2.561 trillion versus Thursday’s N2.538 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) increased by 38.81 points to 4,281.28 points from 4,242.47 points.

During the session, the price of Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc was down by N3.13 to N71.07 per share from N74.20 per share.

The activity chart showed that the volume of securities transacted by the market participants decreased yesterday by 81.6 per cent to 590,339 units from the 3.2 million units recorded on Thursday, as the number of deals shrank by 28.6 per cent to 30 deals from the 42 deals recorded a day earlier, while the value of securities increased by 0.5 per cent to N95.3 million from the preceding session’s N94.8 million.

Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc closed the day as the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with a turnover of 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 CSCS Plc with 61.2 million units traded for N4.1 billion.

The most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis was GNI Plc, with the sale of 3.4 billion units for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units valued at N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units exchanged for N415.7 million.

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Economy

Stock Investors Gain N344bn amid Decline in Transactions

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stock investors' portfolios

By Dipo Olowookere

The Nigerian Exchange witnessed a decline in transactions on Friday despite closing higher by 0.22 per cent on the back of sustained bargain-hunting.

During the last trading session of the week, investors transacted 711.9 million equities valued at N29.1 billion in 62,386 deals compared with the 1.1 billion equities worth N31.0 billion traded in 62,448 deals in the previous day, indicating a decline in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 35.28 per cent, 6.13 per cent, and 0.10 per cent, respectively.

Fidelity Bank closed the day as the most active stock with the sale of 198.1 million units for N4.6 billion, Access Holdings traded 69.7 million units worth N1.8 billion, Mutual Benefits exchanged 42.7 million units valued at N197.4 million, Japaul transacted 33.9 million units worth N134.4 million, and Zenith Bank sold 24.4 million units valued at N3.2 billion.

Yesterday, the industrial goods index rose by 0.53 per cent, the consumer goods sector jumped 0.28 per cent, the banking industry improved by 0.25 per cent, and the energy counter soared by 0.18 per cent, while the insurance space shed 0.18 per cent.

At the close of business, the All-Share Index (ASI) gained 536.98 points to finish at 249,712.37 points compared with the previous day’s 249,175.39 points, and the market capitalisation grew by N344 billion to N160.077 trillion from N159.733 trillion.

Aluminium Extrusion and DAAR Communications expanded by 10.00 per cent each to sell for N9.90 and N2.09, respectively, RT Briscoe surged by 9.93 per cent to N14.06, Learn Africa increased by 9.79 per cent to N12.90, and Red Star Express advanced by 9.56 per cent to N34.95.

On the flip side, Trans-Nationwide Express depreciated by 9.92 per cent to N5.72, Livestock Feeds dipped by 9.64 per cent to N8.90, The Initiates crashed by 8.65 per cent to N33.80, Ellah Lakes drowned by 8.64 per cent to N10.05, and Neimeth lost 6.36 per cent to trade at N10.30.

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