Economy
How 5G Will Impact Nigeria’s Business Sector in 2021?
5G technology has divided public opinion across the globe. Stories of international data farming, societal controls and even claims of involvement in creating the current COVID-19 pandemic have tarnished its reputation in recent months.
As the conspiracy theories subside, the world pushes forward with plans to implement this game-changing tech and the list of “5G ready” countries looks set to boom in 2021 with Nigeria poised proudly at the front of the queue.
What is 5G?
The fifth-generation network is a wireless connection that makes use of a combination of large radio towers and smaller transmitters to bring an ultra-high frequency signal within reach of populated areas.
Using this signal, entire nations can effectively be transformed into a giant wireless network to connect everyone and everything in its path.
5G technology has been in the pipeline since 2011 when studies of millimetre waves led to research into what is now known as 5G. It’s taken several years of research and testing to get us to this point, but it’s now billed to become the telecom industry standard during the next 20 years.
The production of 5G-ready devices is still very much in its infancy and is certainly playing catch up. Current mobile phones with 4G capabilities aren’t physically able to use the network and neither are the vast majority of tech products in people’s homes.
The race is now on to connect everyone and everything to one super network that will transform businesses not only in terms of day-to-day efficiency but also in the way that user activity data can be relayed and used to enhance marketing methods.
How will 5G benefit business in Nigeria?
As with all countries, Nigerian businesses will use the new tech to transform their everyday activity into a more streamlined version of itself.
In the wake of the current pandemic, remote working is set to remain on the up and 5G’s ability to provide incredibly low latency rates means that online meetings will become as fast and crisp as their face-to-face counterparts.
Not only will low latency improve everyday activities around the office, but it will also mean big advances in the reliability of robotics. Self-drive cars, for example, rely on real-time reactions to adjust to sudden changes in the immediate environment and 5G will help to eliminate safety concerns in this area.
Lighting quick internet connection will also help enhance the online gaming community and pave the way for Nigeria to build on its recent success in La Cup D’Africana tournament where they took the top spot in the biggest PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) competition on the continent.
Online casinos are another key area of growth that stands to make big gains from an optimised user experience thanks to 5G technology.
Online gambling in Nigeria is regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, but be aware that current laws make no provision for online casinos based in other countries so, always use a trusted source to find legitimate organisations such as the casinos that can be found at casinosnotongamstop.xyz.
The housing sector is on course to become an unlikely beneficiary from 5G networks in the coming years as advances in VR, AR and 3D technology will be used to present realistic walkthroughs and detailed presentations of property that will bring real estate marketing into a new era of high-tech marketing.
Demand for property in Nigeria has doubled over the last couple of years and this could be eased dramatically as the production of housing materials becomes more efficient and streamlined in the wake of new network capabilities.
When will 5G be available in Nigeria?
The long-awaited final announcement from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) looks set to be upon us shortly as discussions with key stakeholders are entering their final stages.
After trials were rolled out during 2019, the NCC has made use of a consultation period to assess the health implications and environmental impact of the new 5G infrastructure. No huge concerns have been raised and the final piece of the puzzle is largely a question of finances as the commission clarifies who the major players will be in this market.
Although no fixed date has been set, it does look to be increasingly likely that early 2021 will see the country join the super-fast internet elite.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange extended its stay in the south for the fourth consecutive session after it shed 1.18 per cent on Friday, March 13.
The unlisted securities market recorded a loss despite closing without a price decliner, and ending with two price gainers led by Geo Fluids Plc, which gained 1o Kobo to sell at N3.10 per share compared with the previous day’s N3.00 per share. Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc appreciated during the session by 2 Kobo to trade at 54 Kobo per unit versus Thursday’s closing price of 52 Kobo per unit.
When the market closed for the day, the market capitalisation lost N29.83 billion to close at N2.489 trillion compared with the N2.519 trillion it finished a day earlier, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) crashed by 49.84 points to 4,160.46 points from 4,210.31 points.
Market activity improved yesterday, as the volume of transactions rose 179.5 per cent to 10.4 million units from 3.7 million units, but the value of trades declined by 68.4 per cent to N29.9 million from N95.0 million, while the number of deals weakened by 11.5 per cent to 46 deals from 52 deals.
Central Securities Clearing Systems (CSCS) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 38.4 million units worth N2.4 billion, Okitipupa Plc followed with 6.4 million units traded at N1.1 billion, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc transacted 6.3 million units for N584.3 million.
Resourcery Plc ended the trading session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 1.1 billion units valued at N415.6 million, trailed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 130.8 million units valued at N504.5 million, and CSCS Plc with 38.4 million units worth N2.4 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira continued to claw back some gains against the Dollar in the different segments of the foreign exchange (FX) market, as its value was strengthened on Friday.
In the black market, it gained N10 against the United States Dollar yesterday to close at N1,400/$1 compared with the preceding day’s rate of N1,410/$1, and at the GTBank forex counter, it chalked up N6 to close at N1,385/$1, in contrast to the N1,391/$1 it was traded a day earlier.
Similarly, in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX), it appreciated against the greenback during the session by N5.28 or 0.38 per cent to quote at N1,366.23/$1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,371.51/$1.
It also improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the official market on Friday by N21.81 to settle at N1,812.99/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,834.80/£1, and gained N13.86 against the Euro to sell at N1,568.03/€1 versus N1,581.89/€1.
Pressure eased further on the FX market as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continued interventionist operations this week, selling Dollars to banks to boost liquidity after a $500 million boost last week.
This was complemented by inflows from foreign investors, exporters and non-bank corporates, among others, while Nigeria’s gross external reserves remained above $50 billion, the highest since 2009.
The Governor of the apex bank, Mr Yemi Cardoso, also eased fears of a Naira devaluation, saying the country’s financial system has been strengthened by reforms.
Regardless, external pressure looms as the US Dollar strengthened globally due to its war with Iran, now ongoing for three weeks.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was largely down as traders and investors continue to align with current realities.
The market is adapting to the conflict in real time. Early in the war, every headline produced an outsized reaction because nobody could price the tail risk. Now, traders have a framework where strikes happen, oil spikes and bitcoin dips only to recover again.
Cardano (ADA) depreciated by 3.8 per cent to $0.2623, Dogecoin (DOGE) lost 1.7 per cent to finish at $0.0948, Ripple (XRP) slumped 1.5 per cent to $1.39, Solana (SOL) dropped 1.4 per cent to sell for $87.33, Binance Coin (BNB) went down by 1.3 per cent to $653.58, Bitcoin (BTC) declined by 1.1 per cent to $70,670.63, and Ethereum (ETH) decreased by 0.9 per cent to $2,078.78.
However, TRON (TRX) appreciated by 1.7 per cent to $0.2941, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 apiece.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The price of the major crude oil grade, Brent crude oil, closed above $100 on Friday for the second consecutive session, as the Iran war heads toward its third week, with oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz still effectively at a standstill.
It gained 2.67 per cent or $2.68 during the trading day to close at $103.14 per barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil grade appreciated by 3.11 per cent or $2.98 to settle at $98.71 per barrel.
Brent futures were up about 10 per cent for the week following the 27 per cent rise seen last week, which marked the biggest weekly gain in oil prices since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. WTI futures, which saw their best week since 1983 last week, ended the week more than 8 per cent higher.
US President Donald Trump said American forces launched a major bombing raid on Iran’s strategic Kharg Island, targeting military facilities on the key Persian Gulf outpost while warning Iran that its vital oil infrastructure could be destroyed if shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.
The terminal accounts for roughly 90 per cent of Iranian crude shipments, loading millions of barrels per day onto tankers bound largely for Asian markets.
The US and Israel’s strikes in the conflict have largely targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. Oil facilities elsewhere in Iran have been hit, but Kharg’s massive storage tanks, jetties, and pipelines had remained untouched until the latest strike.
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to keep fighting in a message delivered via state television.
There have been a number of attacks on foreign ships in or near the Strait, feeding into concerns that a prolonged war could translate to a global economic shock.
Prices are rising despite the US and its allies rolling out some measures to keep a lid on energy costs.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has agreed to release 400 million stockpiled barrels, the largest such action in history.
The US has issued a 30-day waiver for India to purchase sanctioned oil from Russia. President Donald Trump is considering loosening rules under the Jones Act that require American ships to transport goods between domestic ports, including oil and gas, in an effort to lower costs.
Traders are continuing to monitor developments in the Middle East.
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