Economy
NNPC Boosts Trading Surplus by 23.64% to N43.57bn in 30 Days
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In 30 days, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) boosted its trading surplus by 23.64 per cent to N43.57 billion.
A statement issued on Sunday by the spokesman of the agency, Mr Kennie Obateru, disclosed that the figure grew from the N35.24 billion recorded in March 2021.
It was disclosed that the rise was due to the activities of the corporation’s upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), such as crude oil lifting from OML 119 (Okono Okpoho) and OMLs 60, 61, 62, 63 (Nigerian Agip Oil Company), as well as an increase in gas sales.
The positive outlook was further consolidated by the robust gains of two other subsidiaries namely: Duke Oil and the National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO), the statement added.
In the period under review, according to the April 2021 edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR), the operating revenue increased by 17.73 per cent or N80.67 billion to N535.61 billion, while the expenditure for the month rose by 17.24 per cent or N72.34 billion to N492.05 billion, with the expenditure as a proportion of revenue at 0.92, same as the preceding month.
A trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.
In the downstream sector, to ensure uninterrupted supply and effective distribution of fuel across the country, a total of 1.67 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) translating to 55.79 million litres/day were supplied in the month under review.
The report also showed a 34.29 per cent reduction in the number of pipeline points vandalized from 70 in the previous month of March 2021 to 46 in April 2021. While Port Harcourt area accounted for 54 per cent, Mosimi area accounted for 46 per cent of the vandalised points.
In the gas sector, a total of 209.27 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month under review, translating to an average daily production of 6,975.72 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).
For the period of April 2020 to April 2021, a total of 2,902.52bcf of gas was produced, representing an average daily production of 7,369.76 mmscfd.
Period-to-date production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and NPDC contributed about 62.07 per cent, 19.95 per cent and 17.98 per cent respectively to the total national gas production.
In terms of natural gas off-take, commercialisation and utilization, out of the 206.40bcf supplied in April 2021, a total of 126.83bcf of gas was commercialized consisting of 42.92bcf and 83.91bcf for the domestic and export markets respectively.
This translates to a total supply of 1,430.90 mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 2,976.94 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month.
This implies that 61.45 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialised while the balance of 38.55 per cent was either re-injected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared.
The gas flare rate was 9.74 per cent for the month under review (ie 670.19 mmscfd) compared with the average gas flare rate of 7.42 per cent (i.e. 542.22 mmscfd) for the period of April 2020 to April 2021.
A total of 795 mmscfd was delivered to gas-fired power plants in the month of April 2021 to generate an average power of about 3,416 MW.
NNPC started publishing its Monthly Financial and Operation Report in October 2015, making the April 2021 edition the 69th in the series. It is published in line with the commitment of the corporation’s management to be more transparent, accountable to its stakeholders and the Nigerian public.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc has declared the first interim dividend in its history after posting its financial results for the first half of 2026, reflecting robust earnings growth, improved operating efficiency and stronger capital market activity.
The board approved an interim dividend of N1.00 per ordinary share for the six months ended June 30, 2026, citing the company’s strong cash generation, resilient balance sheet and confidence in the sustainability of its earnings.
The interim payout represents about 56 per cent of the total dividend of N1.78 per share paid for the 2025 financial year, underscoring its strong earnings momentum while preserving financial flexibility to invest in technology, innovation and future growth.
CSCS recorded one of the strongest financial performances in its history during the review period, with total operating income rising by 92 per cent to N18.51 billion from the corresponding period of 2025.
The growth was driven by higher transaction fee income as capital market activity strengthened, continued expansion in depository services, increased collateral management revenues and stronger contributions from data and technology-enabled services. Investment income also improved as the company optimised its investment portfolio.
Despite the sharp rise in revenue, operating expenses increased by only 38 per cent, reflecting disciplined cost management and the scalability of the company’s business model.
As a result, operating profit surged by 186 per cent to N10.11 billion, while profit before tax climbed by 115 per cent to N13.21 billion. Earnings per share also rose significantly to 190.1 kobo from 109.1 kobo in the corresponding period of 2025.
The organisation also recorded improvements in operating efficiency. Its cost-to-income ratio declined to 45.4 per cent from 63.2 per cent a year earlier, while operating profit margin improved to 54.6 per cent from 36.8 per cent.
According to the company, the results demonstrate not only the benefits of stronger market activity but also the resilience of its operating model and its ability to convert revenue growth into higher profitability, improved shareholder returns and sustainable long-term value creation.
Commenting on the interim dividend, the Chairman of CSCS Plc, Mr Temi Popoola, said the board’s decision reflected confidence in the firm’s financial strength, earnings quality and long-term strategic direction.
He said the strong performance was driven not only by increased market activity but also by sustained improvements in operational efficiency, disciplined cost management and the continued diversification of revenue streams.
Mr Popoola noted that the Board remained committed to balancing shareholder returns with investments in technology, innovation, resilience and new growth opportunities that would strengthen CSCS’ position as Nigeria’s leading financial market infrastructure and one of Africa’s foremost post-trade institutions.
The chief executive of CSCS Plc, Mr Shehu Yahaya Shantali, attributed the strong performance to the resilience of the entity’s business model, the dedication of its workforce and the confidence of market participants.
He said the first-ever interim dividend demonstrated the company’s ability to translate strong earnings growth and improved operating efficiency into enhanced shareholder value.
Mr Shantali added that CSCS would continue to strengthen its core market infrastructure, invest in technology and innovation, diversify its revenue base and enhance value creation for stakeholders while supporting the development of Nigeria’s capital market.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The national scale long-term issuer rating of Axxela Limited has been upgraded by GCR Rating to A+(NG), just as its short-term issuer rating was affirmed with a stable outlook.
The rating firm upgraded the long-term issue rating for Axxela Funding 1 Plc’s N16.4 billion series 1 senior unsecured bond to A+(NG), while the N11.5 billion series 1 senior secured bond was lifted to A+(NG)(EL).
GCR noted in a note that the actions reflect the leading gas and power portfolio company’s robust business model, strong earnings performance, and sustained financial profile, reinforcing its ability to deliver long-term value while maintaining financial discipline.
Axxela’s recent achievements have been driven by its continued focus on responsible growth, customer satisfaction, and creating lasting value for national development.
“The ratings upgrade by GCR is a strong endorsement of Axxela’s disciplined approach to business. Beyond recognising our financial strength, it reflects the resilience of our business model and the confidence in our strategic direction.
“Over the past few years, we have continued to make significant strides across the business by expanding our natural gas infrastructure, strengthening our operational footprint, advancing our sustainability agenda, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to operational excellence and safety,” the chief executive of Axxela, Mr Moshood Olajide, commented on the development.
As the company continues to advance its long-term growth strategy, the upgraded ratings reinforce confidence in Axxela’s credit profile, financial resilience, and ability to create enduring value for investors, customers and other stakeholders.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have strengthened their partnership to deploy digital identity technology, aiming to combat illegal mining and enhance security in Nigeria’s mining sector.
Speaking while receiving the Director-General and management of NIMC on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, described the commission as a critical institution in Nigeria’s development architecture, stressing that effective governance could not be achieved without a credible identity management system.
“NIMC occupies a critical position in translating policy into reality. It is pivotal to the development of any nation because governance today is driven by data, technology and credible identity systems,” he added.
He noted that inadequate identification systems had weakened enforcement efforts over the years, allowing illegal mining activities to flourish in mineral-rich communities.
“Without identification, we cannot trace or track, and insecurity will flourish. In the solid minerals sector, we need effective monitoring of both legal and illegal operations.
“A credible identity ecosystem will strengthen regulation, improve enforcement and support our efforts to sanitise the sector,” Mr Alake said.
The minister identified technology, statistics, data gathering and digital identity as critical enablers for evidence-based policymaking, improved regulatory oversight, efficient licensing, investment promotion and national development.
On her part, the DG of NIMC, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, highlighted several opportunities for collaboration between both institutions, noting that the newly enacted NIMC Act has positioned Nigeria to fully embrace a digital governance ecosystem.
She explained that deeper integration of identity management into the solid minerals sector would facilitate database integration across government institutions, enhance regulatory compliance, strengthen security and law enforcement, improve monitoring of operators, and provide stronger support for the implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in mining host communities.
Mrs Coker-Odusote added that NIMC’s upgraded digital infrastructure is capable of supporting government institutions in building reliable databases, improving transparency and delivering more efficient public services.
Both institutions said they would immediately begin implementing technology-driven initiatives under the partnership, expressing confidence that expanding access to trusted digital identities for miners and other eligible residents would enhance accountability and strengthen governance in the solid minerals sector.
