Economy

Kenya Tops Nigeria in Mobile Money Transfers

Published

8 years ago

01/03/2017

Modupe Gbadeyanka

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Latest data from Central Bank of Kenya has shown that Kenyans moved a record $33 billion via mobile money platforms such as Safaricom, Airtel or Mobikash in 2016, up from $27.8 billion from the previous year.

However, Nigerians moved N756 billion or $2.4 billion in the same period under review, though Nigeria surpassed Kenya using other electronic platforms.

It was gathered that despite the economic downturn in Nigeria last year, over N56 trillion, about $177 billion was moved through the electronic channels in the Nigerian financial system.

The surge in mobile money transactions in Kenya by about $6 billion consolidates the country’s global position in the use of the technology that has revolutionised its financial sector.

The volume of cash transacted on the platform surpasses Kenya’s 2017/2018 budget, which is estimated at 25 billion dollars, underlying the role of the service to citizens and the economy.

In 2016, mobile money use peaked at $3.1 billion per month in December, according to the regulator’s data, up from $2.6 billion last year.

Christmas and New Year festivities normally give mobile money use a boost as Kenyans send and receive various amounts of cash from their loved ones.

On the opposite, the least transactions during the period were carried out in January, with Kenyans moving $2.4 billion.

Kenyans on average transacted during the period $2.7 billion a month up from $2.3 billion in the previous year.

Kenyans use mobile platforms to perform a range of financial services that include making money deposits, remittance delivery, payment of bills, withdrawal of cash and access of micro-finance credit.

Therefore, mobile money has become a necessity in the lives of Kenyans. Many citizens are unable to operate without it.

In the period of review, according to the Central Bank, the number of mobile money subscribers hit 35 million from 31.6 million in 2015, which means only less than 10 percent of the country’s people has not subscribed to mobile money.

The number of agents during the period clocked 165,908 from 143,946 at the end of 2015 as the sector continued to be a key employer.

Monthly transactions similarly swelled considerably, with East African nation citizens making over 146 million transactions a month from 107 million in 2015.

Kenya has six mobile money service providers namely Safaricom, Airtel, Orange, Equitel, Tangaza and Mobikash.

Safaricom’s Mpesa is the most popular, carrying out over 90 percent of the transactions. The company last week partnered with its peers in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to enhance use of Mpesa in East Africa, an indication of expected growth.

The apex bank’s figures paint a healthy picture of growth of mobile money but Treasury has warned that collapse of service poses fiscal risks to the economy since various financial products have been leveraged on the payment channel increasing linkage between the technology and the banking sector.

“If this system was to be compromised, the impact would be substantial considering the linkages and the corporate tax revenue for government. The financial and other institutions linked to this system would be susceptible,” notes Treasury in its budget policy statement for this financial year.

Analysts expect mobile money use to sustain growth in the coming years as companies continue to innovate, people go for paperless transactions and unsubscribed embrace the service.

In contrast to Kenya, mobile money is yet to catch on in Nigeria.

In 2016, N756 billion or $2.4 billion was transacted through the channel. The number of mobile money customers in the country as at the end of last year stood at 5.54 million that are being cared for by 23,877 agents working for 21 Mobile Money Operators (MMO).

Likewise, goods and services worth N759 billion had been paid for using the 112,847 active POS terminals across the country. Payments through e-bills channel had the lowest volume of transactions of one million. Total value of transactions done through e-bills channel for the whole of 2016 stood at N339 billion.

Payments through webpay for 2016 stood at N132.36 billion which was done in 14.09 million transactions. NIBSS said in 2016, it has processed 11.7 million cheques with a value of N5.8 trillion. Corporate cheques accounted for the largest chunk of this figure as 5.9 million Corporate cheques valued at N3.7 trillion had been processed during the year while 2.7 million individual cheques valued at N0.94 trillion was processed.

Nigeria however scored higher in other electronic platforms.

This is asides the cash transactions done over the counter in the banking halls.

Total transactions through electronic payment platforms such as Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Point of Sale Terminals (PoS), web payments, online transfers and mobile money from January to December last year hit N56.886 trillion.

According to the Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) which records and settles all electronic transactions in the country, online payments through the NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) recorded the highest value, accounting for 67 per cent of total value of transactions while ATMs had the largest volume of transactions.

The value of funds that changed hands through NIP stood at N38 trillion which was done in 154.5 million transactions. On a daily basis, an average of 422,142 transactions had been done through the NIP channel as more Nigerians adopt the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Total bank accounts held in the country by banks at the end of 2016 rose to 96.22 million from 85.02 million in 2015, while active accounts rose from 58.97 million to 65.48 million by the end of last year.

NAN

Economy

Stock Market Grows 0.79% as Investors Buy Guinness Nigeria, Others

Published

16 hours ago

25/01/2025

Dipo Olowookere

By Dipo Olowookere

It was a good day for the stock market in Nigeria as it appreciated by 0.79 per cent on Friday to bring the year-to-date return to 0.66 per cent.

This was influenced by renewed interest across most of the sectors of the market, though the insurance index declined by 2.15 per cent when trading activities ended for the session.

Business Post reports that the banking counter appreciated by 1.97 per cent, the consumer goods space grew by 0.70 per cent, the industrial goods sector gained 0.09 per cent, and the energy counter closed flat.

Yesterday, the All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 810.26 points to 103,598.46 points from the preceding day’s 102,788.20 points and the market capitalisation by N497 billion to N63.645 trillion from Thursday’s N63.148 trillion.

Chellaram was the biggest price gainer on Friday after it chalked up 10.00 per cent to trade at N4.07, Guinness Nigeria also appreciated by 10.00 per cent to N77.00, SCOA Nigeria improved by 10.00 per cent to N3.96, Transcorp Power jumped by 7.96 per cent to N349.80, and Lasaco Assurance went up by 7.19 per cent to N3.28.

Conversely, Neimeth was the biggest price loser as it shed 9.88 per cent to N3.10, John Holt declined by 9.78 per cent to N8.30, International Energy Insurance depleted by 9.74 per cent to N1.76, Sovereign Trust Insurance fell by 9.40 per cent to N1.06, and Austin Laz lost 9.00 per cent to close at N1.82.

As for the activity chart, a total of 576.4 million stocks valued at N9.0 billion in 11,546 deals compared with the 394.4 million stocks worth N22.8 billion traded in 12,160 deals in the preceding session, indicating a rise in the trading volume by 46.15 per cent, and a decline in the trading value and number of deals by 60.53 per cent and 5.05 per cent.

Secure Electronic Technology was the busiest equity with 202.2 million units worth N151.8 million, Nigerian Breweries traded 42.1 million units valued at N1.3 billion, Japaul exchanged 34.6 million units for N79.7 million, Access Holdings sold 32.2 million units valued at N807.0 million, and Sovereign Trust Insurance traded 17.0 million units worth N18.3 million.

Economy

Nigeria’s OTC Exchange Jumps 0.42%

Published

17 hours ago

25/01/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a 0.42 per cent gain on Friday, January 24 after three equities ended on the advancers’ chart at the close of business.

Nipco Plc gained N15.01 during the trading day to close at N165.11 per share versus N150.10 per share of the preceding session, Okitipupa Plc added N4.79 to end the session at N52.69 per unit compared with Thursday’s trading value of N47.90 per unit, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc expanded by 80 Kobo to trade at N24.00 per share, in contrast to the N23.30 per share it was sold a day earlier.

The gains recorded by these stocks pushed the value of the bourse higher by NN7.41 billion to N1.775 trillion from the N1.767 trillion recorded in the preceding session and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) grew by 6.93 points to wrap the session at 3,133.20 points compared with 3,120.13 points recorded in the previous session.

Yesterday, the price of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc went down by 92 Kobo to end the session at N38.58 per share, in contrast to the previous day’s N39.50 per share.

The volume of securities traded in the session decreased on Friday by 95.9 per cent to 16.3 million units from 407.4 million units, the value of shares traded yesterday slumped by 97.4 per cent to N10.2 million from N391.2 million units, and the number of deals declined by 23.3 per cent to 23 deals from 30 deals.

Impresit Bakolori Plc was the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 406.5 million units worth N386.1 million, followed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 4.3 million units valued at N170.4 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 9.1 million units sold for N44.3 million.

Impresit Bakolori Plc was also the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 406.5 million units worth N386.1 million, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 26.3 million units sold for N6.3 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 9.2 million units valued at N44.3 million.

Economy

Naira Appreciates to N1,531/$1 at NAFEM, N1,660/$1 at Parallel Market

Published

17 hours ago

25/01/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Naira extended its recent gaining spree by 1.12 per cent or N17.39 on the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Friday, January 24.

Yesterday, the local currency was traded in the official market at N1,531.20/$1 compared with the preceding trading day’s value of N1,548.59/$1.

The recent appreciation aligns with expectations that the Naira will appreciate in the first quarter of the year, backed by continued policy support by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the latest being the launch of the FX Code due next week to enhance transparency in the market.

Also, the domestic currency improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the spot market on the last trading day of the week by N8.97 to quote at N1,903.24/£1, in contrast to Thursday’s exchange rate of N1,912.21/£1 and against the Euro, it gained N8.72 to finish at N1,605.17/€1 versus the preceding day’s N1,613.89/€1.

In the same vein, the domestic currency appreciated against the American Dollar in the parallel market yesterday to sell for N1,660/$1 compared with the N1,665/$1 it was traded a day earlier.

In the cryptocurrency market, there was profit-taking following earlier euphoria around US President Donald Trump’s ambitious “Stargate Project” announcement, which is a $500 billion commitment to enhancing the US AI infrastructure.

Crypto commentators believe this signals a shift toward reduced oversight with the pledge unveiled on Tuesday, bringing together tech giants OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank with an initial commitment of $100 billion, scaling to $500 billion over four years.

Solana (SOL) dipped by 4.9 per cent to trade at $247.14, Ethereum (ETH) dropped 2.8 per cent to $3,290.29, Dogecoin (DOGE) fell by 2.4 per cent to $0.3488, and Cardano (ADA) slid by 2.1 per cent to $0.9763.

Further, Ripple (XRP) went down by 1.9 per cent to $3.11, Binance Coin (BNB) shrank by 0.7 per cent to $687.71, and Bitcoin (BTC) declined by 0.6 per cent to $104,369.28, while Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 3.9 per cent to $121.63, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.