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Economy

Growth in Money Supply Falls Below Targets

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By FSDH Research

The monetary aggregates (narrow money and broad money) as at July 2017 show that the annualised growth rate in money supply is below the target that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set for the year 2017. In Nigeria, narrow money supply (M1) is the sum of demand deposits and currency in circulation less the cash currency held in deposit money banks’ vaults.

Quasi money supply (QM) is the savings deposits plus time deposits. Broad money supply (M2) is the sum of M1 and QM (M2 = M1 + QM). The M2 decreased by 5.08% to N22.20trillion in July 2017 from N23.39trillion in December 2016. This is lower than the CBN’s growth target of 10.29% for the year 2017. The major drop in M2 is from M1, which dropped by 6.71% to N10.33trillion in July 2017, from N11.07trillion in December 2016.

The QM also dropped by 3.62% to N11.87trillion from N12.32trillion in December 2016. The need to maintain foreign exchange stability and to curb the high inflation rate in the country, which stood at 16.05% as at July 2017, were the main reasons the CBN adopted restrictive monetary policy stance.

According to the CBN, the net domestic credit increased marginally by 1.92% to N27.16trillion in July 2017 from N26.65trillion in December 2016.

The annualised growth rate in the net domestic credit in July 2017 was 3.29%, below the target growth rate of 17.93% for 2017. The net domestic credit to the Federal Government increased by 6.88% to N4.99trillion in July 2017 from N4.67trillion in December 2016. The net domestic credit to private sector also increased marginally by 0.87% to N22.17trillion in July 2017 from N21.98trillion in December 2016.

In another development, the Nigerian economy recorded a favourable trade balance for the third consecutive quarter in Q2 2017. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) the trade surplus stood at N506.5billion in Q2 2017. The total trade stood at N5.70trillion in Q2, 2017, an increase of 7.7% from N5.29trillion recorded in Q1 2017. Exports recorded an increase of 3.2% to N3.10trillion in Q2 2017, from N3trillion in Q1 2017. Imports on the other hand, increased by 13.5% to N2.60trillion in Q2, 2017, from N2.29trillion in Q1 2017. A further analysis of total trade by sector in Q2, 2017 shows that Crude Oil trade accounted for 42.57% (N2.42trillion) of total trade during the period. This was followed by the Other Oil sector, accounting for 21.90% (N1.24trillion).

The value of agriculture imports stood at N232.1billion in Q2, 2017, 16.01% higher than N200billion in Q1, 2017 and 61.02% higher than Q2, 2016 figure. Raw Materials imports increased by 17.4% to N298.84billion in Q2, 2017, from N246.35billion in Q1, 2017. Manufactured Goods imports also recorded a growth of 9.5% to N1.1trillion in Q2, 2017, compared with N995billion in Q1, 2017 but 18.33% lower than Q2, 2016 figure. Solid Minerals imports increased by 1,527.4% to N191.5billion in Q2, 2017, from N11.7billion in Q1, 2017, and 1,947.5% higher than Q2, 2016 figure.

On the exports side; Agriculture exports stood at N29.71billion in Q2, 2017, a marginal decrease of 1.03% from N30.02billion in Q1, 2017 but 94.05% higher than Q2, 2016 figure. Raw Materials exports increased by 31.76% to N21.76billion in Q2, 2017, from N14.85billion in Q1, 2017.

Manufactured Goods exports decreased by 16.98% to N81.5billion in Q2, 2017, from N95billion in Q1, 2017. Solid Minerals exports decreased by 27.58% to N3.06billion in Q2, 2017, from N4.24billion in Q1, 2017 but 122.01% higher than Q2, 2016 figure. We expect foreign trade to remain favourable for Nigeria for the rest of 2017.

The CBN may maintain the current tight monetary policy stance until there is sustainable stability in the foreign exchange market. There are opportunities for revenue and exports diversification from the developments of solid minerals and agriculture sectors to meet the consumers’ and industrial sectors’ in Nigeria. Agriculture can supply the raw material requirements of the manufacturing sector if there are appropriate policies to increase production and quality of yields. More job opportunities and additional revenue will also be generated through the linkage between agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

Economy

Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres

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sufficient supply petrol

By Adedapo Adesanya

The supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased by 55.4 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October.

This was contained in the November 2025 fact sheet of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Monday.

The data showed that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent or 37.4 million litres to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October.

The significant increase in petrol supply last month was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited into the Nigerian market from both the domestic and the international market.

Domestic refineries supplied in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.

The NMDPRA noted that no production activities were recorded in all the state-owned refineries, which included Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, in the period, as the refineries remained shut down.

According to the report, the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.

Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities, and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October, which spilled into November.”

On gas, the average daily gas supply climbed to 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November 2025, from the 3.94 bscf/d average processing level recorded in October.

The Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 also maintained a stable processing output of 3.5 bscf/d in November 2025, but utilisation improved slightly to 73.7 per cent compared with 71.68 per cent in October.

The increase, according to the report, was driven by higher plant utilisation across processing hubs and steady export volumes from the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny.

“As of November 2025, Nigeria’s major gas processing facilities recorded improved output and utilisation levels, with the Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 processing 3.50 billion standard cubic feet per day at a utilisation rate of 73.70 per cent.

“Gbaran Ubie Gas Plant processed 1.250 bscf per day, operating at 71.21 per cent utilisation, while the MPNU Bonny River Terminal recorded a throughput of 0.690 bscf per day during the period. Processing activities at the Escravos Gas Plant stood at 0.680 bscf per day, representing a 62 per cent utilisation rate, whereas the Soku Gas Plant emerged as the top performer, processing 0.600 bscf per day at 96.84 per cent utilisation,” it stated.

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Economy

Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out

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Secure Electronic Technology

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The proposed share reconstruction of a local gaming firm, Secure Electronic Technology (SET), has been suspended.

The Lagos-based company decided to shelve the exercise after negotiations with potential investors crumbled like a house of cards.

Secure Electronic Technology was earlier in talks with some foreign investors interested in the organisation.

Plans were underway to restructure the shares of the company, which are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

However, things did not go as planned as the potential investors pulled out, leaving the board to consider others ways to move the firm forward.

Confirming this development, the company secretary, Ms Irene Attoe, in a statement, said the board would explore other means to keep the company running to deliver value to shareholders.

“This is to notify the NGX and the investing public that a meeting of the board of SET held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as scheduled, to consider the status of the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation as approved by the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 16, 2025.

“After due deliberations, the board wishes to announce that the proposed share reconstruction will not take place as anticipated due to the inability of the parties to reach a convergence on the best and mutually viable terms.

“Thus, following an impasse in the negotiations, and the investors’ withdrawal from the transaction, the board has, in the interest of all members, decided to accept these outcomes and move ahead in the overall interest of the business.

“The board is committed to driving the strategic objectives of SEC and to seeking viable opportunities for sustainable growth of the company,” the disclosure stated.

Business Post reports that the share price of SET crashed by 3.85 per cent on Tuesday on Customs Street on Tuesday to 75 Kobo. Its 52-week high remains N1.33 and its one-year low is 45 Kobo. Today, investors transacted 39,331,958 units.

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Economy

Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers

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Clea Payment platform

By Adedapo Adesanya

Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched.

During its pilot phase, Clea processed more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.

Clea addresses persistent challenges that African importers have long struggled with, including limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments by offering fast, transparent, and direct USD settlements, completed without intermediaries or banking bottlenecks.

Founded by Mr Sheriff Adedokun, Mr Iyiola Osuagwu, and Mr Sidney Egwuatu, Clea was created from the team’s own experiences dealing with unreliable international payments. The platform currently serves Nigerian importers trading with suppliers in the United States, China, and the UAE, with plans to expand into additional trade corridors.

The platform will allow local payments in Naira with instant access to Dollars as well as instant, same-day, or next-day settlement options and transparent, traceable transactions that reduce fraud risk.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Adedokun said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”

Mr Osuagwu, co-founder & CTO, added, “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”

According to a statement shared with Business Post, Clea is already working with shipping operators who refer merchants to the platform and is also engaging trade associations and logistics networks in key import hubs. The company remains fully bootstrapped but is open to strategic investors aligned with its mission to build a trusted global payment network for African businesses.

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