Economy
Nigeria’s Trade Hits N35.2trn in Q3 2024 as Surplus Expands to N5.8trn
By Adedapo Adesanya
According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s total merchandise trade stood at N35.2 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, representing an increase of 81.4 percent from the value recorded in the corresponding period of 2023 and a rise of 13.26 percent over the value recorded in the preceding quarter.
In the quarter under review, exports accounted for 58.3 per cent of total trade with a value of N20.5 trillion, showing an increase of 98 per cent rise over the value recorded in the third quarter of 2023 (N10.34 trillion) and 16.8 per cent compared to the value recorded in Q2 2024 (N17.5 trillion).
On the other hand, the share of imports accounted for 41.7 per cent of total trade in the third quarter of 2024, with the value of imports amounting to N14.7 trillion in Q3 2024.
This value indicates an increase of 62.3 per cent compared to the value recorded in Q3 2023 (N9.04 trillion) and 8.7 per cent over the value recorded in Q2 2024 (N13.5 illion).
With Nigeria’s exports outweighing its import, the merchandise trade balance for Q3 2024 remained positive at N5.8 trillion indicating an increase of 43.6 per cent compared to the value recorded in the preceding quarter.
A further breakdown showed that Nigeria’s exports trade continued to be dominated by crude oil exports, in the third quarter of 2024. Crude oil export was valued at N13.4 trillion representing 65.4 per cent of total exports while the value of non-crude oil exports stood at N7.08 trillion accounting for 34.6 per cent of total exports; of which non-oil products contributed N2.5 trillion or 12.2 per cent of total exports.
During the third quarter of 2024, total imports were valued at N14.7 trillion accounting for 41.7 per cent of total trade.
Nigeria’s top-ranked group import was mineral fuels with N5.14 trillion representing 35.0 per cent of total imports, this was followed by machinery and transport equipment with N3.8 trillion (25.8 per cent of total imports) and chemicals & related products with N1.9 trillion (13.5 per cent of total imports).
Nigeria imported goods mainly from Asia, valued at N7.3 trillion representing 49.7 per cent of total imports. This was followed by imports from Europe with N5.4 trillion or 36.5 per cent, America with N1.4 trillion or 9.8 per cent, while imports from Oceania stood at with N73.91 billion or 0.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2024.
Trade with African countries stood at N512.56 billion or 3.49 per cent of total imports; of which imports from ECOWAS countries amounted to N72.71 billion or 0.5 per cent of total imports.
Analysis by trading partners reveals that imports from China were valued at N3.6 trillion, representing 24.4 per cent of total imports. This was followed by imports from India with N1.7 trillion (11.3 per cent of total imports), Belgium with imports valued at N1.6 trillion or 11.1 per cent of total imports, United States of America with goods valued at N1.02 trillion (6.9 per cent of total imports) and goods from Malta valued at N766.81 billion or 5.2 per cent of total imports.
Exports by section revealed that Nigeria exported mainly mineral products valued at N18.1 trillion, or 88.5 per cent of the total export value, this was followed by exports of prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco worth N722.66 billion or 3.5 per cent of the value of total exports and vehicles, aircraft and parts thereof; vessels, with N667.11 billion or 3.3 per cent of the value of total exports.
Exports trade by region shows that Nigeria exported goods mainly to Europe with goods valued at N9.2 trillion or 45.1 per cent of total exports, followed by exports to Asia valued at N5.2 trillion or 25.3 per cent of total exports, while exports to America was valued at N3.4 trillion representing 16.5 per cent of total exports.
Exports to Africa stood at N2.5 trillion or 12.1 per cent of the total exports; out of which, good exported to ECOWAS countries was valued at N1.5 trillion.
Analysis of exports according to trading partners revealed that during the quarter under review, the main export destination was Spain with a value of N2.3 trillion or 11.1 per cent of total exports, followed by exports to the US with N1.7 trillion or 8.3 per cent of total exports, France with N1.6 trillion or 7.8 per cent of total export, the Netherlands with N1.4 trillion or 7 per cent of total exports, and exports to Italy with goods valued at N1.4 billion representing 6.7 per cent of total exports.
The NBS noted that these five countries collectively accounted for 40.8 per cent of the value of total exports in Q3, 2024.
By Dipo Olowookere
The local stock market firmed up by 1.13 per cent on Friday as appetite for Nigerian stocks remained strong.
Investors reacted well to the 2026 budget presentation of President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly yesterday, especially because of the more realistic crude oil benchmark of $64 per barrel compared with the ambitious $75 per barrel for 2025. This year, prices have been between $60 and $65 per barrel.
Business Post observed profit-taking in the commodity and energy sectors as they respectively shed 0.14 per cent and 0.03 per cent.
But, bargain-hunting in the others sustained the positive run, with the consumer goods index up by 3.82 per cent.
Further, the industrial goods space appreciated by 1.46 per cent, the banking counter improved by 0.08 per cent, and the insurance industry gained 0.04 per cent.
As a result, the All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 1,694.33 points to 152,057.38 points from 150,363.05 points and the market capitalisation chalked up N1.080 trillion to finish at N96.937 trillion compared with Thursday’s closing value of N95.857 trillion.
A total of 34 shares ended on the advancers’ chart, while 24 were on the laggards’ log, representing a positive market breadth index and bullish investor sentiment.
Austin Laz gained 10.00 per cent to close at N2.42, Union Dicon also jumped 10.00 per cent to N6.60, Tantalizers increased by 9.80 per cent to N2.69, Aluminium Extrusion improved by 9.78 per cent to N12.35, and Champion Breweries grew by 9.71 per cent to N16.95.
Conversely, Sovereign Trust Insurance dipped by 7.42 per cent to N3.87, Royal Exchange lost 6.84 per cent to trade at N1.77, Omatek slipped by 6.84 per cent to N1.09, Eunisell depreciated by 5.88 per cent to N80.00, and Eterna dropped 5.63 per cent to close at N28.50.
Yesterday, traders transacted 1.5 billion units worth N21.8 billion in 25,667 deals compared with the 839.8 million units sold for N32.8 billion in 23,211 deals in the preceding session, showing a surge in the trading volume by 76.61 per cent, an uptick in the number of deals by 10.58 per cent, and a shrink in the trading value by 33.54 per cent.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Three stocks stretched the bearish run of the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 1.21 per cent on Friday, December 19, with the market capitalisation giving up N26.01 billion to close at N2.121 billion compared with the N2.147 trillion it ended a day earlier, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) dropping 43.47 points to 3,546.41 points from 3,589.88 points.
The trio of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, and NASD Plc overpowered the gains printed by four other securities.
FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc lost N6.00 to sell at N54.00 per unit versus N60.00 per unit, NASD Plc shrank by N3.50 to N58.50 per share from N55.00 per share, and CSCS Plc depleted by N2.91 to N33.87 per unit from N36.78 per unit.
On the flip side, Air Liquide Plc gained N1.01 to close at N13.00 per share versus N11.99 per share, Golden Capital Plc appreciated by 70 Kobo to N7.68 per unit from N6.98 per unit, Geo-Fluids Plc added 39 Kobo to sell at N5.50 per share versus N5.11 per share, and IPWA Plc rose by 8 Kobo to 85 Kobo per unit from 77 Kobo per unit.
During the trading day, market participants traded 1.9 million securities versus the previous day’s 30.5 million securities showing a decline of 49.3 per cent. The value of trades went down by 64.3 per cent to N80.3 million from N225.1 million, but the number of deals jumped by 32.1 per cent to 37 deals from 28 deals.
Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc finished the session as the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units valued at N16.4 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 178.9 million units transacted for N9.5 billion, and MRS Oil Plc with 36.1 million units traded for N4.9 billion.
The most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis was still InfraCredit Plc with 5.8 billion units worth N16.4 billion, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 1.2 billion units sold for N420.7 million, and Impresit Bakolori Plc with 536.9 million units traded for N524.9 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
It was not a good day for the Nigerian Naira at the two major foreign exchange (FX) market on Friday as it suffered a heavy loss against the United States Dollar at the close of transactions.
In the black market segment, the Naira weakened against its American counterpart yesterday by N10 to quote at N1,485/$1, in contrast to the N1,475/$1 it was traded a day earlier, and at the GTBank forex counter, it depreciated by N2 to settle at N1,467/$1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,465/$1.
In the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) window, which is also the official market, the nation’s legal tender crashed against the greenback by N6.65 or 0.46 per cent to close at N1,464.49/$1 compared with the preceding session’s rate of N1,457.84/$1.
In the same vein, the local currency tumbled against the Euro in the spot market by N2.25 to sell for N1,714.63/€1 compared with the previous day’s N1,712.38/€1, but appreciated against the Pound Sterling by 73 Kobo to finish at N1,957.30/£1 compared with the N1,958.03/£1 it was traded in the preceding session.
The market continues to face seasonal pressure even as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is still conducting FX intervention sales, which have significantly reduced but not remove pressure from the Naira. Also, there seems to be reduced supply from exporters, foreign portfolio investors and non-bank corporate inflows.
President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented the government’s N58.47 trillion budget plan aimed at consolidating economic reforms and boosting growth.
The budget is based on a projected crude oil price of $64.85 a barrel and includes a target oil output of 1.84 million barrels a day. It also projects an exchange rate of N1,400 to the Dollar.
President Tinubu said inflation had plunged to an annual rate of 14.45 per cent in November from 24.23 per cent in March, while foreign reserves had surged to a seven-year high of $47 billion.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was dominated by the bulls but it continues to face increased pressure after million in liquidations in previous session over accelerating declines, with Dogecoin (DOGE) recovering 4.2 per cent to trade at $0.1309.
Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 3.9 per cent to $1.90, Cardano (ADA) rose by 3.5 per cent to $0.3728, Solana (SOL) jumped by 3.4 per cent to $126.23, Ethereum (ETH) climbed by 2.9 per cent to $2,982.42, Binance Coin (BNB) gained 2.0 per cent to sell for $853.06, Bitcoin (BTC) improved by 1.7 per cent to $88,281.21, and Litecoin (LTC) soared by 1.2 per cent to $76.50, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each.
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