Economy
Global Financial Sector Adopting Sustainable Business Practices—Popoola
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In recent times, many people are getting to know that if nothing was done to protect the atmosphere, businesses and the human race may pay dearly for this.
This has amplified the need to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and business practices and for the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, Mr Temi Popoola, there is a shift in the global financial industry in favour of sustainable business practices.
He commended this development, noting that this trend is most likely to continue at an accelerating pace.
Mr Popoola said he was impressed that Nigerian companies were aligning with this trend, especially Lafarge Africa Plc, which he said has demonstrated its commitment to adopting sustainable business practices.
Speaking at the Facts Behind the Sustainability Report presentation by Lafarge Africa Plc on the NGX platform last Thursday, he stated that, “With the recent advancements in climate change and the global charge to achieve sustainable development, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are increasingly becoming a critical part of the investment decision-making process.
“This clearly highlights the big shift in the global financial industry in favour of sustainable business practices and this trend is most likely to continue at an accelerating pace.
“I must, therefore, applaud Lafarge Africa’s commitment to this cause with the timely and consistent release of their sustainability report, and commend the Board and Executive Management of Lafarge Africa Plc for demonstrating its leadership in advancing sustainability in the industrial goods sector.”
The Acting Divisional Head, Business Support Services, NGX Limited, Mrs Irene Robinson-Ayanwale, while also speaking at the event, stated that, “Our overarching objective is to see more companies approach and embrace sustainability from a knowledge perspective, realising how much impact and value they are able to create for their respective businesses and stakeholders.”
In his speech, the Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr Adebode Adefioye, said, “As a premium board member company of NGX, we understand our responsibility to corporate governance and sustainability in its entirety.
“Through partnership and advocacy, we are driving the agenda doggedly deploying innovation, as well as championing how Nigeria can build better. Our approach is holistic and strategically driven to ensure we are scaling reach and impacting the economic, environmental and social sphere.”
This was further amplified by the Country CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr Khaled El-Dokani, who stated, “Lafarge Africa being a part of Holcim Group – the world innovative and sustainable building solution provider – has fully enlisted sustainability at its core.
“This has been demonstrated by being one of its corporate values and the underpinning of our business operations. It remains a strategic focus for us as an organisation and it’s fully expressed in our global corporate positioning building progress for people and planet.”
In delivering the presentation, the Communication, Public Affairs & Sustainable Development Director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Folashade Ambrose Medebem stated, “The year 2020 was indeed unprecedented. Nonetheless, we are geared to deliver a greater impact in the coming years.
“As a member of an organisation operating in 70 markets of the world, we are implementing initiatives that suit our local context, yet deliver value for all.
“The efforts of Lafarge Africa Sustainability initiatives are driven around the four pillars of its Strategy: Climate and Energy, Circular Economy, Environment and Community. Ours will always be a progressive endeavour towards building progress for people and the planet.”
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.
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