By Adedapo Adesanya

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, has wooed American investors, declaring that the country will focus on disciplined reforms and transparent markets  to restore investor confidence in the country.

Mr Cardoso disclosed this after leading Nigeria’s engagement with senior business leaders and global investors at the US-Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable in Washington, convened by the US Chamber of Commerce’s US–Africa Business Center.

According to him, Nigeria used the platform to send a clear message to international capital: the country is focused on macroeconomic stability, regulatory clarity, and private sector-led growth.

“With global capital cautious and highly selective, we presented Nigeria’s message clearly and practically: disciplined reform, transparent markets, and credible institutions,” the CBN Governor said.

He noted that discussions at the roundtable centred on stabilising the macroeconomic environment and strengthening the financial system to support sustainable business expansion.

“Our discussions focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, regulatory clarity, and fostering private sector-led growth, laying the groundwork for a deeper phase of US–Nigeria commercial engagement,” Mr Cardoso stated.

Looking ahead to 2026, the CBN chief outlined an ambitious reform agenda aimed at reinforcing Nigeria’s financial architecture and improving the operating environment for businesses and investors.

“We will continue to strengthen the banking system through rigorous supervision and sound governance,” he said, adding that the apex bank would also “refine our inflation-targeting framework to deliver durable price stability.”

Mr Cardoso disclosed plans to modernise Nigeria’s payments infrastructure to boost efficiency and financial inclusion, while also promoting responsible fintech innovation anchored on consumer protection and financial integrity.

He further revealed that the CBN would deploy data and artificial intelligence-enabled tools to enhance regulatory responsiveness and execution.

“We will continue to build institutional capacity within the Bank, leveraging data and AI-enabled tools to support faster, more responsive, and higher-quality execution,” he said.

The central banker stressed that sustained reform, rather than short-term measures, remains critical to unlocking long-term growth and investment.

“Reform is a process that rewards consistency and discipline. Our focus remains steady: to protect trust, sustain stability, and entrench the foundations for disciplined, lasting economic growth in Nigeria,” he added.

He noted that the engagements signalled growing international confidence in Nigeria’s reform trajectory, positioning the country for deeper commercial ties with the United States and renewed inflows of global capital in the year ahead.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Nigerians have been urged to invest more locally because the country has now become a compelling investment destination, where value is being created and discovered.

This is the view of President Bola Tinubu, who expressed confidence that 2026 would deliver even stronger returns as the impact of his administration’s economic reforms continues to materialise.

He was reacting to the historic N100 trillion market capitalisation mark of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited achieved on Monday, describing the feat as a powerful signal of renewed investor confidence and economic rejuvenation.

In a statement, the President said, “With Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100 trillion market capitalisation mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality and rejuvenation,” noting that the All-Share Index (ASI) closed 2025 with a 51.19 epr cent return, up from 37.65 per cent in 2024, ranking among the strongest performances globally and outperforming major indices including the S&P 500, FTSE 100, and several emerging-market peers.

“Nigeria is no longer a frontier market to be overlooked, it is now a compelling investment destination where value is being created and discovered,” he declared.

Mr Tinubu emphasised that robust stock market performance reflects broader economic health and rising investor confidence, highlighting several factors behind the market’s strong performance: impressive results across listed companies, a growing pipeline of new listings spanning energy, technology, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as broader macroeconomic improvements including easing inflation, a stabilising naira, rising foreign reserves, and expanding exports.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to building an inclusive, transparent, and high-growth economy, stressing that the N100 trillion milestone sends a powerful message to the global investment community.

“Nation-building is a process, not a destination. The N100 trillion market capitalisation is a signal to the world that the Nigerian economy is robust, productive, and open for business,” Mr Tinubn affirmed.

In his remarks, the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Emomotimi Agama, credited President Tinubu’s leadership for driving the market to historic heights.

“The N100 trillion milestone is a direct result of the administration’s decisive reforms and unwavering commitment to transparency and fiscal discipline.

“These policies have renewed investor trust and solidified the credibility of Nigeria’s capital market,” Mr Agama stated, reaffirming the agency’s alignment with the President’s economic vision, pledging to strengthen oversight, protect investors, and uphold governance standards to ensure sustained growth and resilience.

On his part, the chief executive of NGX Group Plc, Mr Temi Popoola, commended President Tinubu for providing the policy clarity and reform momentum that have bolstered investor confidence.

“This milestone underscores the success of ongoing reforms and the exchange’s commitment to market depth, transparency, and inclusive growth. The capital market has responded positively to improved macroeconomic coordination and clear reform direction, creating an enabling environment for sustainable investment. It validates our focus on market development, innovation, and creating an environment where both local and global investors can deploy capital with confidence,” Mr Popoola noted.

He added that NGX Group would continue collaborating with regulators and stakeholders to attract quality listings, deepen liquidity, and expand retail participation, reinforcing our position as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange appreciated for the fourth straight session on Thursday, January 8, chalking up 0.21 per cent.

This improved the market capitalisation of the bourse by N4.69 billion to N2.190 trillion from the N2.185 trillion it ended in the preceding session, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) added 7.83 points to close at 3,660.87 points compared with Wednesday’s 3,653.04 points.

Business Post observed that there were movements around five securities during the trading day, with three pointing north and two point south.

FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained N2.55 to close at N62.47 per share versus Wednesday’s price of N59.92 per share, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc appreciated by 48 Kobo to N42.62 per unit from N42.14 per unit, and IPWA Plc improved by 10 Kobo to N1.12 per share from the N1.02 per share it ended at midweek.

On the flip side, Afriland Properties Plc lost N1.81 to end at N16.30 per unit versus the previous day’s value of N18.11 per unit, and Geo-Fluids Plc crashed by 6 Kobo to quote at N6.82 per share versus N6.88 per share.

During the session, the volume of transactions was down by 74.0 per cent to 486,499 units from 1.9 million units, the value of trades slumped by 70.9 per cent to N10.5 million from N36.3 million, and the number of deals went down by 46.7 per cent to 24 deals from 45 deals.

At the close of business, CSCS Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 1.1 million units sold for N42.7 million, followed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 2.9 million units valued at N20.3 million, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 217,757 units worth N13.1 million.

The most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis was Geo-Fluids Plc with 2.9 million units valued at N20.3 million, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc followed with 2.9 million units traded for N1.9 million, and CSCS Plc with 1.1 million units worth N42.7 million.