Economy
NAICOM to Raise Capital Base of Micro Insurance Firms
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has disclosed that it was considering the idea of raising operating capital of micro-insurance businesses in Nigeria.
This was made known by the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Sunday Thomas, in an exclusive interview with NAIPCO Trumpet, a journal published by the National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents (NAIPCO).
He noted that the amount of capital required for micro-insurance underwriting with respect to some of the sectors is looking unrealistic and that NAICOM may have to step in.
In his words, “Micro-insurance is one of the areas we want to fast track the process. We have a couple of applications that we should be able to conclude soon.
“One thing is for you to initiate something, another is for others to see the viability of the vision. We have this but people seem to be catching up with us in terms of our vision and their understanding of these vision.
“For us, micro-insurance in financial inclusion generally is the way to go. Financial inclusion is going to help us and it is going to drive penetration. I believe that with the way we are going about it, things will get better.
“We are trying to rejig the entire guideline to be more realistic. What we had before in the guideline issued about six years ago was the National, State and the Unit licensing of micro-insurance companies. The amount of capital required for this with respect to some of the sectors is looking unrealistic and we may have to tinker with it,” he said.
Clarifying the regulator’s position if it will lower the capital base of micro-insurance operation, Mr Thomas answered in the negative.
“No, it can’t get lower because if you look at the unit which requires N40 million thereabout, what can it do when you want to establish a sustainable company,” he asked.
He noted that the capital looked adequate as at the time it was conceptualised but obviously it is no longer adequate at the moment, stressing that the exchange rate was about N160 to a dollar when the business was conceptualised and now it is triple that amount.
He said this does not seem good to drive the business from a sustainable basis, adding that the commission is presently looking at business.
“So far, we have two that are States and one that has a National outlook which is Consolidated Hallmark. Already, the company has an insurance culture. The National company is required to operate with N600 million and of course, it will not be adequate. So we still believe that we need to do much more in micro-insurance and financial inclusion in general, for us to get the desired penetration,” he said.
According to the guideline on micro-insurance issued by NAICOM, a National Insurer, who seek composite micro-insurance licence, is expected to be capitalised to the tune of N600 million, while N400 million minimum capital base is needed from a general micro-insurance and N200 million for Life operations.
It noted that national operators are allowed to have a presence in at least six states within the three geopolitical zones of the federation.
For a state microinsurer, the minimum capital base is pegged at NI00 million, broken into N60 million for general and N40 million for life operators. The regulator also expects such underwriter to operate only in one state of federation with at least three branches or office locations, each in a different Local Government Area.
A unit microinsurer investor must be capitalised to the tune of N40 million, N25 for general business and N15 million for life, with operation in one location within a local community.
The regulator has, therefore, made it mandatory for these microinsurance outfits to make themselves visible and must be seen to be serving the low-income earners grassroots.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The N3.2 billion rights issue of Universal Insurance Plc has been extended by almost two weeks after securing regulatory approval.
The exercise was earlier scheduled to close on June 10, 2026, but will now close on Monday, June 22, 2026.
The extension was granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after a request from the underwriting organisation.
In the rights issue, Universal Insurance is offering to shareholders 2,666,666,667 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N1.20 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing six ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Subscription for the acquisition of the company’s extra shares opened on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
The extension gives investors more time to increase their stake in the insurance firm, which intends to use proceeds from the exercise to boost its capital base, as mandated by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).
Insurance companies operating in Nigeria have been given till July 31, 2026, to shore up their capital base or pack up. Operators can also explore a merger if they wish.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited opened its doors to market participants in four days last week as a result of a public holiday observed on Friday, June 12, for 2026 Democracy Day in the country.
In the week, investors bought and sold 4.964 billion shares worth N207.521 billion in 235,966 deals, as against the 3.966 billion shares valued at N175.659 billion that exchanged hands in 343,587 deals a week earlier.
Analysis showed that the financial services industry led the activity chart with 4.116 billion shares valued at N84.607 billion in 96,165 deals, contributing 82.92 per cent and 40.77 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.
The services sector transacted 232.479 million shares worth N4.955 billion in 17,614 deals, while the industrial goods segment exchanged 144.988 million shares worth N39.077 billion in 24,775 deals.
Sterling Holdings, FCMB, and Access Holdings were the most traded stocks with 2.883 billion units sold for N36.188 billion in 15,533 deals, accounting for 58.09 per cent and 17.44 per cent of the total trading volume and value, respectively.
A total of 40 equities appreciated in the week versus 23 equities in the previous week, 53 equities depreciated versus 65 equities a week earlier, and 53 equities remained unchanged versus 58 equities in the preceding week.
ABC Transport was the best-performing equity for the week after it gained 25.60 per cent to trade at N7.80, Consolidated Hallmark appreciated by 23.13 per cent to N8.25, Abbey Mortgage Bank rose by 21.93 per cent to N11.40, Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank grew by 20.32 per cent to N11.25, and Austin Laz soared by 15.16 per cent to N4.33.
The worst-performing equity last week was Fidson Healthcare because of its 25.86 per cent loss, closing at N101.20. Neimeth declined by 19.14 per cent to N8.55, Union Homes REIT shed 17.36 per cent to close at N70.00, SUNU Assurances slipped by 11.38 per cent to N3.97, and Unilever Nigeria dropped 10.26 per cent to trade at N140.00.
As for the index movement, the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation chalked up 0.88 per cent each to settle at 244,738.74 points and N156.970 trillion, respectively.
Similarly, all other indices finished higher apart from the pension, AFR Bank Value, MERI Growth, MERI Value, consumer goods, Lotus II, industrial goods, sovereign bond and commodity indices, which fell by 0.03 per cent, 1.20 per cent, 0.21 per cent, 1.61 per cent, 0.54 per cent, 0.51 per cent, 1.00 per cent, 2.04 per cent and 0.34 per cent, respectively.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Brent crude prices fell by $3.05 or 3.37 per cent to $87.33 per barrel on Friday, the lowest level since early March, triggered by expectations of an imminent peace agreement between the United States and Iran.
Also, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $84.88 a barrel after it gave up $2.83 or 3.23 per cent. It was its lowest level since April 17.
Reuters reported that a memorandum between the US and Iran to halt the war in the Gulf could be signed as soon as Sunday, citing sources.
The sources indicate that the US would immediately begin releasing billions of Dollars in frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on its oil exports, in return for Iran opening the strait.
The proposals also include discussion of possible war reparations for Iran and dropping longstanding US demands for limits on Iran’s missile program, the sources were quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that a memorandum of understanding had not yet been signed and could still change.
He also said that management of the Strait of Hormuz would not return to the pre-war era, that sovereignty over the strait belonged to Iran and Oman, and that Iran would secure safe passage for ships through it.
US President Donald Trump called off threatened air strikes against Iran on Thursday, while it was reported that final negotiations on the memorandum would focus on nuclear and economic issues but would exclude discussions about Iran’s missile programme.
On Thursday, Iran announced a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, saying it would fire on any ship trying to pass through.
Traffic through the strait, which normally carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has been extremely limited as a result of the war.
The US military, however, said on social media that commercial ships continued to transit the waterway.
Goldman Sachs lowered its 2027 average Brent forecast to $80 a barrel on higher supply and lower demand, but expects prices to exceed the 2025 average on stockpiling of OECD commercial oil stocks and a security premium for disruptions.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Thursday lowered its forecast for 2026 world oil demand growth to 970,000 barrels per day from a previous 1.17 million barrels per day, its second straight downward revision.
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