Economy
NGX Hints at Change in Securities Trading Patterns
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In the next few months, securities trading patterns on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited by investors would witness changes, the Chief Executive Officer of the bourse, Mr Temi Popoola, has hinted.
Speaking on Business Morning Show on Channels Television last Tuesday, Mr Popoola said the exchange will carry out these changes through technology.
According to him, the major aim for this is to digitize securities investment and other market-related transactions to attract more investors, especially Generation Z, known as zoomers, the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha.
“The exchange on its part is doing its bit to coordinate the activities of players across the entire investment value chain to create an experience where within the space of minutes, a transaction can be initiated and completed.
“This is particularly important given that the next generation of investors are typically on their mobile phones, and until we can meet them there the value we can deliver to them will be limited.
“Over the next few months, we expect to deliver some positive structural changes building on our existing activities in this regard,” Mr Popoola said on the programme.
The NGX chief stated that to achieve this goal, his team was working in sync with the apex regulator in the nation’s capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
He expressed his excitement about the future of the bourse especially with the possibilities advancements in technology provide.
“We may not be able to wrap our minds around the potential that technology will open up to us, but I am confident that the exchange of the future is one that will offer a diversified range of capital raising opportunities, as well as sophisticated investment products that meet stakeholders’ needs,” he said.
According to him, the increase in domestic participation on the NGX in few months is a testament to the financial power of Nigeria as a whole, assuring that the exchange will look to drive local participation and at the same time, position itself to attract investments.
Mr Popoola disclosed that efforts are being made to attract more foreign capital, noting that, “While attracting foreign capital is largely based on the macroeconomic environment of the nation, NGX continues to address factors within its immediate control to provide a conducive environment for these investments.
“We recognise that investors look into the quality of the companies and asset classes available before making investment decisions.
“As such, we place significant emphasis on governance, as well as the rules guiding the behaviour of Issuers in our market.
“On the trading side, we also consider factors around the ease in settling transactions, resolving complaints, finding the right infrastructure and engaging the right intermediaries.”
Business Post reports that Mr Popoola was on the programme last week to speak on the journey of the exchange in 60 years.
By Dipo Olowookere
Shareholders of Nigeria’s leading fully integrated edible oils and fats company, Presco Plc, recently increase their investment in the business by oversubscribing its N236.67 billion rights issue.
The exercise, which commenced on November 12, 2025, and ended on December 2, 2025, witnessed a subscription rate of 103 per cent.
The strong participation of investors in the rights issue demonstrated an overwhelming confidence in the organisation’s strategic direction and long-term growth outlook.
Business Post reports that the firm offered to shareholders a total of 166,666,667 new ordinary shares at a unit price of N1,420 on the basis of one new share for existing six shares.
Analysts view the strong response as a clear endorsement of Presco’s business fundamentals, disciplined execution, and strengthened governance.
The outcome reinforces confidence in its operational resilience, integrated business model, and ability to continuously deliver on its commitment to sustainable long-term value.
This is because Presco was able to pull this through amid a cautious capital-market environment characterised by tightening liquidity and selective investor participation.
The rights issue strengthened the organisation’s financial position, providing greater balance-sheet capacity to support business expansion and disciplined strategic execution to help achieve its long-term vision and growth trajectory.
The strong appetite for Presco’s shares also consolidates its standing as a credible and well-regarded issuer within the Nigerian capital market.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited inched closer to N100 trillion on Wednesday after it gained 0.37 per cent on the last trading day of 2025.
The growth recorded by the local stock market was driven by bargain-hunting in the financial services sector, according to data obtained by Business Post.
Yesterday, the insurance space grew by 2.17 per cent, the banking index improved by 1.40 per cent, and the consumer goods sector expanded by 0.20 per cent.
However, three other major sectors witnessed profit-taking, with the energy counter shedding 0.55 per cent, the commodity industry losing 0.31 per cent, and the industrial goods segment declining by 0.14 per cent.
The losses posted by the trio could not bring down Customs Street, as the All-Share Index (ASI) closed higher by 578.31 points to 155,613.03 points from 155,034.72 points and the market capitalisation increased by N533 billion to N99.376 trillion from N98.843 trillion.
Aluminium Extrusion was the biggest price gainer with an appreciation of 9.90 per cent to trade at N21.65, Austin Laz gained 9.82 per cent to close at N4.25, Meyer jumped by 9.75 per cent to N12.95, C&I Leasing soared by 9.60 per cent to N6.85, and Union Dicon advanced by 9.52 per cent to N6.90.
Conversely, Neimeth lost 9.37 per cent to sell for N5.80, Tantalizers declined by 6.72 per cent to N2.50, International Breweries crumbled by 4.44 per cent to N14.00, NPF Microfinance Bank depreciated by 3.13 per cent to N3.71, and Vitafoam slumped by 3.06 per cent to N92.00.
Investor sentiment remained bullish after the bourse finished with 47 price gainers and 16 price losers, representing a positive market breadth index.
Market participants transacted 1.2 billion equities worth N35.1 billion in 27,884 deals yesterday compared with the 4.7 billion equities valued at N38.9 billion traded in 34,852 deals on Tuesday, showing a shortfall in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 74.47 per cent, 9.77 per cent, and 19.99 per cent apiece.
Chams led the activity chart with 710.3 million units sold for N2.6 billion, Zenith Bank traded 58.8 million units worth N3.7 billion, Access Holdings exchanged 57.6 million units valued at N1.2 billion, FCMB transacted 44.1 million units for N516.3 million, and Tantalizers traded 39.9 million units worth N100.1 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The last trading day of 2025 at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) segment of the forex market favoured the Naira as its value improved against the United States Dollar on Wednesday by 0.69 per cent or N9.92 to trade at N1,435.76/$1 compared with the N1,445.68/$1 it was traded on Tuesday.
Equally, the domestic currency improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the same market window yesterday by N17.42 to settle at N1,934.25/£1, in contrast to the N1,951.67/£1 it ended a day earlier, and gained N12.39 on the Euro to close at N1,687.88/€1 versus the previous session’s closing price of N1,700.27/€1.
The Nigerian currency, however, maintained stability against the US Dollar in the parallel market and the GTBank FX counter during the session at N1,480/$1 and N1,452/$1, respectively.
The appreciation at the market came as demand eased in a year that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) strengthened aggregate supply as well as ensure that Nigeria’s economy remained stable.
The apex last week stepped up FX intervention with $150 million and this week, sold $50 million to banks again in an unending intervention to stabilise the exchange rate.
In its latest outlook, the central bank expects external reserves to hit $51.04 billion in 2026, up from $45 billion in 2025. The reserves are expected to be boosted by reduced pressure in the FX market based on the anticipated rise in oil earnings, sovereign bond issuance, and diaspora remittance inflows.
Come 2026, the CBN said monetary conditions are expected to be relatively loose in view of the macroeconomic stability observed in 2025, as inflation and exchange rate risks continue to subside.
As for the cryptocurrency market, low liquidity and decline in risk appetites weakened price levels among benchmarked tokens, with Cardano (ADA) shedding 4.5 per cent to trade at $0.3358, and Dogecoin (DOGE) declining by 3.8 per cent to $0.1182.
Further, Ripple (XRP) went south by 1.5 per cent to $1.84, Litecoin (LTC) depreciated by 1.4 per cent to $77.11, Bitcoin (BTC) shrank by 1.0 per cent to $87,504.02, Solana (SOL) dropped 0.8 per cent to end at $124.70, and Binance Coin (BNB) lost 0.5 per cent to sell for $860.67.
However, Ethereum (ETH) appreciated by 0.1 per cent to $2,972.66, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 each.
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