Economy
Meristem, Vetiva, Others Shine at 2018 NSE CEO Awards

By Dipo Olowookere
Winners have emerged at the 2018 NSE CEO Awards, a platform put together by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) since 2012 to reward and motivate listed companies, dealing member firms, fund managers and issuing houses to attain higher levels of corporate governance, compliance and performance that reinforce investor confidence in the Nigerian capital market.
At a ceremony held on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, at the Stock Exchange House in Lagos, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, Vetiva Capital Management Limited and Cordros Capital Limited were announced as joint winners of the award for Issuing Houses with the Highest Number of Primary Market Transactions (Equity).
Also, FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, ARM Securities Limited and Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited were adjudged winners of the award for Issuing Houses with the Highest Number of Debt Issuance (Corporate Bonds) based on the value of new transactions approved and listed on the Exchange.
Earlier this year, precisely on Friday, October 19, 2018, Meristem Stockbrokers Limited was named the Most Digital Broker of the Year.
During Wednesday’s event, Pilot Securities Limited was named the Most Compliant Dealing Member Firm for 2018, having demonstrated the highest degree of compliance with the rules and regulations Governing Dealing Members of the Exchange in 2018.
Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited won two awards for Dealing Member Firm with the highest volume and Dealing Member Firm with the highest value of trades.
The award for Issuing Houses with the Largest Value in a Single Deal went to Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited and Union Capital Market Limited, for facilitating the highest value of deals on the Exchange. First City Asset Management Limited won the award for Fund Manager with the Largest Listed Fund Size. This award takes into cognizance the cumulative size of new funds listed on the Exchange in 2018.
Seplat Development Company Plc emerged winner of the award for Issuer with the Highest Number of Disclosures, for issuing the highest number of non-structured disclosures during the year under review.
Nigerian Breweries Plc was named the Most Compliant Listed Company, for being an early filer of financial statements; complying with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Code of Corporate Governance; with zero sanctions received during the year under review. The company is also a Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) certified.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, congratulated and commended this year’s winners for their hard work, dedication and contributions to the development of the Nigerian capital market.
“I congratulate and honour all the winners of The NSE CEO Awards. These companies have demonstrated capabilities and commitment towards quality development and exceptional performance; high ethical standards; compliance with the Rules and Regulations of The Exchange, and other applicable laws and regulations that leave no room for any penalties; while acting as key drivers in strengthening the Nigerian capital market,” he said.
“The awards offer winners a year-round marketing opportunity and a big morale-booster for companies who have made extraordinary contributions to the Nigerian capital market and exemplify the highest standards,” he added.
Also at the occasion, five employees of The Exchange from the five divisions namely Shared Services, Regulation, Listings Business, Trading Business and Office of the CEO were awarded the most distinguished employees for their exemplary performance during the year under review.
Economy
FIRS to Start Weekend Operations to Meet Tax Filing Deadline

By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced the extension of tax office operations to weekends for June.
The Chairman of the agency, Mr Zacch Adedeji, gave the directive in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Dare Adekanmbi, who explained that this is part of Mr Adedeji’s commitment to matching the agency’s customer-centric policy with tangible action.
“With the directive, tax offices are expected to open for business from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays and 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm on Sundays throughout the month of June,” he said.
“The weekend service, which started on June 14, will end on Sunday, June 29.
“It is aimed at helping companies that are mandated by law to file their tax returns by the end of the month meet up with the deadline,” he explained.
The statement said that the coordinating directors of Large Taxpayers Group, Government and Medium Taxpayers Group, as well as Emerging Taxpayers Group had conveyed the decision of the management to all staff in the tax offices.
“As you are aware, the month of June marks the peak of the annual Companies Income Tax (CIT) filling season.
“Many taxpayers which financial year ends December 31, are expected to file their tax returns by June 30,” the agency stated.
According to the statement, the FIRS chairman, on assumption of office, reorganised tax operations for ease of tax payment. This has led the transformation of the agency from merely being a tax-collecting entity to a service-providing body.
Economy
Nigerian Stocks Recover 1.63% After CBN Forbearance Scare

By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited regained 1.63 per cent on Wednesday as banks began to update the investing community on their plans to exit the forbearance regime of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
A few days ago, the banking sector regulator suspended the payment of dividend to shareholders, issuance of bonuses to directors and investment in foreign subsidiaries until affected financial institutions cleaned up their balance sheet.
The prospect of not receiving dividends triggered sell-offs in banking equities and other Nigerian stocks on Monday and Tuesday, but after banks began to assure shareholders of exiting the regime this year, tension started to calm.
Business Post observed that apart from the consumer goods index, which depreciated by 0.16 per cent, every other sector closed higher at midweek.
The energy space grew by 7.49 per cent, the commodity counter appreciated by 5.63 per cent, the banking sector rose by 3.25 per cent, the insurance industry went up by 2.02 per cent, and the industrial goods space improved by 0.09 per cent.
As a result, the All-Share Index (ASI) gained 1,876.71 points to settle at 116,786.87 points compared with Tuesday’s 114,910.16 points and the market capitalisation soared by N1.184 trillion to N73.681 trillion from N72.497 trillion.
A total of 640.1 million shares valued at N26.0 billion exchanged hands in 19,727 deals during the session versus the 721.8 million shares worth N22.0 billion transacted in 22,100 deals a day earlier, indicating a decline in the trading volume and number of deals by 11.32 per cent and 10.74 per cent, respectively, and a rise in the trading value by 18.18 per cent.
Zenith Bank topped the activity chart on Wednesday with 149.9 million stocks sold for N7.2 billion, Access Holdings traded 48.6 million equities worth N1.0 billion, UBA transacted 43.0 million shares valued at N1.5 billion, Nigerian Breweries exchanged 37.7 million stocks for N2.2 billion, and Fidelity Bank traded 30.8 million equities worth N568.5 million.
The biggest price gainer for the day was NEM Insurance with a 10.00 per cent growth to sell for N16.50, Beta Glass firmed up by 9.99 per cent to N250.95, Seplat Energy appreciated by 9.78 per cent to N5,450.00, Thomas Wyatt grew by 9.73 per cent to N2.03, and Linkage Assurance increased by 9.56 per cent to N1.49.
Eterna suffered the heaviest loss after it crumbled by 10.00 per cent to N38.70, Secure Electronic Technology dropped 9.68 per cent to trade at 56 Kobo, Legend Internet lost 9.66 per cent to quote at N6.55, FTN Cocoa declined by 6.07 per cent to N2.63, and Guinea Insurance slipped by 5.00 per cent to 76 Kobo.
At the close of transactions, Customs Street recorded 38 price gainers and 30 price losers, implying a positive market breadth index and strong investor sentiment.
Economy
Oil Prices up as Market Weighs Direct US Involvement in Iran-Israel Rift

By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices remained elevated on Wednesday as investors continued to weigh the chances of supply disruptions from the Iran-Israel conflict and potential direct involvement of the United States.
Brent crude gained 25 cents to close at $76.70 per barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose by 30 cents to trade at $75.14 a barrel.
Earlier in the session, prices were down around 2 per cent, but they picked up yet again following new developments in the Iran-Israel issue.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender, as Mr Trump said his patience had run out but did not indicate what his next step would be and later declined to say whether he had made any decision on joining Israel’s bombing campaign against arch-enemy Iran.
“I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said, adding that Iranian officials had reached out about negotiations, including a possible meeting at the White House but quickly noted that, “it’s very late to be talking.”
Analysts warned that direct US involvement would widen the conflict, putting energy infrastructure in the region at higher risk of attack especially one that could lead to the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.
ING analysts said in a note that such could lead to significant disruption enough to push prices to $120 (a barrel) since more than 30 per cent of global seaborne oil trade moves through the chokepoint.
Iran is third-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), extracting about 3.3 million barrels per day of crude oil.
The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday and policymakers signaled borrowing costs are still likely to fall this year. Lower interest rates generally boost economic growth and demand for oil.
However, there are worries about higher inflation flowing from the President Trump administration’s tariff plans.
In US supply, crude stocks fell by 11.5 million barrels to 420.9 million barrels last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday. By contrast, the American Petroleum Institute (API) on Tuesday had estimated a 10.133-million-barrel drop for the week ending June 13.
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