Economy
Nigeria’s Inflation Rises to 18.72% in January
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have revealed that inflation in Nigeria reached 18.72 percent (year-on-year) in January 2017.
This is in contrast to 18.55 percent it recorded in December 2016.
The figures were released by the NBS on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 and obtained by Business Post.
Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yield the Headline Index.
Communication and Restaurants and Hotels again recorded the slowest pace of growth in January, growing at 5.1 percent and 8.4 percent (year-on-year) respectively.
However, the faster pace of growth in headline inflation, year on year, were bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, potatoes, yams and other tubers, wine and spirits, clothing materials and accessories, electricity, cooking gas, liquid and solid fuels, motor cars and maintenance, vehicle spare parts and fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, passenger transport by road.
On a month on month basis, headline inflation was driven by passenger transport by air, fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, liquid fuels, cooking gas, oils and fats, fruits, Miké cheese and eggs, fish, meat and bread and cereals.
The Food Index increased by 17.82 percent (year-on-year) in January, up by 0.43 percent points from rate recorded in December 2016 (17.39) percent. During the month, all major food sub-indexes increased, with Soft Drinks recording the slowest pace of increase at 7.8 percent(year on year).
Price movements recorded by All Items less farm produce or Core sub-index rose by 17.90 percent (year-on-year) in January, down by 0.20 percent points from rates recorded in December 2016 (18.10) percent.
During the month, the highest increases were seen in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, Education and Transport growing at 27.2, 21.0 and 17.2 percent respectively.
On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased albeit, at a slower pace in January 2017. The index increased by 1.01 percent point in January, 0.05 percent points from 1.06 percent rate recorded in December 2016.
It should be noted that the Headline Index is made up of the Core Index and Farm Produce items. As.
Processed Foods are included in both the Core and Food sub-indices; this Implies that these sub-indices are not mutually-exclusive.
The Urban index rose by 20.31 percent (year-on-year) in January from 20.12 percent recorded in
December, and the Rural index increased by 17.34 percent in January from 17.20 percent in December.
On month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.03 percent in January from 1.08 percent recorded in December, while the rural index rose by 1.00 percent in January from 1.04 percent in December.
The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index increased from 17.05 percent in December to 17.91 percent in January, while the corresponding rural index also increased from 14.54 percent in December to 15.18 percent in January.
The Composite Food Index rose by 17.82 percent in January 2017. The rise in the index was mainly driven by increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Meat, Oil and Fats, and Fish.
On a month-on-month basis, the Food sub-index increased by 1.29 percent in January, down by 0.04 percent points from 1.33 percent recorded in December.
The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending in January 2017 over the previous twelve-month average was 15.54 percent, 0.59 percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in December(14.95 percent).
The ”All Items Less Farm Produce” or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce eased by 17.9 percent during the month, 0.20 percent points from 18.1 percent recorded in December as all key divisions which contributes to the index increased.
On a month-on-month basis, the Core sub-index increased by 0.68 percent in January, 0.06 percent points higher from 0.62 percent recorded in December. The highest increases were recorded in electricity, gas, passenger transport by air, liquid fuel, fuel and lubricants for personal transport equipment and solid fuels.
The average 12-month annual rate of rise of the index was recorded at 16.04 percent for the twelve-month period ending in January 2017, 0.73 percent points higher from the twelve-month rate of change recorded in December.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government is offering two new savings bonds with interest rates between 17 and 18 per cent through the Debt Management Office (DMO).
In a statement by the agency, the country said retail investors can purchase the two-year bond maturing in January 2027 at 17.23 per cent interest, while the three-year paper maturing in January 2028 at a coupon rate of 18.23 per cent.
Bonds are very safe financial instrument that serve as investments because they are backed by the federal government, which promises to pay back the money.
According to the DMO, people can buy these bonds starting January 13, 2025, until January 17, 2025, with allotment expected on January 22, 2025, and the interest to be paid to investors every three months – in April, July, October, and January.
These bonds have some special features. They are tax-free under both company and personal tax laws.
Big investors like pension funds and trustees are allowed to buy them and each bond costs N1,000 each.
However, interested investor can only buy at least N5,000 worth, and can’t buy more than N50 million.
This comes after the Ms Patience Oniha-led debt office said the Nigerian government was offering three bonds worth N150 billion in September 2024.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The House of Representatives has said it would make efforts to pass the controversial tax reform bills forwarded to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu last year.
Mr Tinubu, in a bid to improve revenue of the government, asked the parliament to pass the bills, but this has been resisted mostly by northern lawmakers and others.
At the resumption of plenary session on Tuesday in Abuja, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Abbas Tajudeen, assured that the green chamber of the legislative arm of government would prioritise the tax reform bills.
“The legislative agenda of the House for 2025 prioritises the passage of the Appropriation Bill and the Tax Reform Bills, both of which are pivotal to economic recovery and fiscal stability.
“These reforms are essential for broadening the tax base, improving compliance and reducing dependency on external borrowing.
“The House will ensure that these reforms are equitable and considerate of the needs of all Nigerians, particularly the most vulnerable,” Mr Abbas said through the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ben Kalu, who presided over the session.
He also expressed grief over the loss of lives in stampedes in Ibadan, Abuja and Anambra State last month due to hardship in the country.
Several Nigerians died in the stampedes while trying to receive palliatives given to alleviate their sufferings.
“Tragic events, such as the stampedes in Ibadan, Abuja and Okija, during the distribution of palliative aid, underline the urgent need for improved planning and safety protocols in humanitarian efforts. On behalf of the House, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families and communities affected.
“These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the socio-economic hardships facing our citizens and the imperative for policies that tackle hunger and poverty at their roots.
“Turning to the economy, 2024 presented both difficulties and opportunities. While inflation remains a pressing concern, progress in GDP growth and the positive trajectory of economic reforms provide hope for a more stable and prosperous 2025,” the Speaker said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a 0.69 per cent appreciation on Monday, January 13, as investors showed renewed interests in unlisted securities.
During the trading session, the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) increased by 21.07 points to wrap the session at 3,095.00 points compared with the 3,073.93 points recorded in the previous session.
In the same vein, the value of the local alternative stock exchange went up by N7.22 billion to close at N1.061 trillion compared with last Friday’s N1.051 trillion.
Yesterday, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc recorded a growth of N3.78 to close at N42.00 per share versus N38.22 per share, Mixta Real Estate Plc improved by 20 Kobo to end at N2.35 per unit versus the preceding closing rate of N2.15 per unit, and Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc gained 1 Kobo to finish at 25 Kobo per share compared with the previous session’s 24 Kobo per share.
Conversely, Geo-Fluids Plc lost 29 Kobo to quote at N4.56 per unit compared with the preceding day’s N4.85 per unit, and Afriland Properties Plc slid by 75 kobo to end the session at N15.50 per share versus the preceding closing rate of N16.25 per share.
During the session, the volume of securities traded decreased by 27.2 per cent to 3.1 million units from 4.3 million units, the value of securities slumped by 81.5 per cent to N3.2 million from N17.2 million, and the number of deals expanded by 57.9 per cent to 30 deals from 19 deals.
At the close of trades, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 1.9 million units worth N74.2 million, followed by 11 Plc with 12,963 units valued at N3.2 million, and IGI Plc with 10.7 million units sold for N2.1 million.
Also, IGI Plc remained the most traded stock by volume (year-to-date) with 10.6 million units sold for N2.1 million, trailed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 1.9 million units valued at N74.2 million, and Acorn Petroleum Plc with 1.2 million units worth N1.9 million.
-
Feature/OPED5 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism8 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years agoHow To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN