Economy
NNPC Targets $30b Revenue Rise for Nigeria
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Not less than $30 billion is expected to be added to the coffers of the Federal Government by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) within the next 10 years.
This assurance was given at the inauguration of the reconstituted NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee in Abuja on Monday by the Group Managing Director of the state-owned oil firm, Dr Maikanti Baru.
The NNPC boss said this amount would be raked has with the help of the four major investments recently embarked upon with key upstream joint venture partners.
The investments, which attracted a haul of close to $3.8 billion in foreign direct investments, would serve as vehicle to fast-track the prevailing post Cash-Call exit era.
The GMD listed the critical Joint Venture alternative financing upstream investments to include: the $1.2 billion multi-year drilling for 36 offshore/onshore oil wells under the NNPC/Chevron Nigeria Limited, codenamed project Cheetah and the NNPC/First E&P JV and Schlumberger tripartite $800 million alternative funding agreement for the development of the Anyalu and Madu fields in the Niger Delta.
Also listed are the agreements executed in London last week for the $1billon NNPC/SPDC JV Project Santolina and the NNPC/Chevron $780 million Project Falcon on Sonam, hitherto financed through JV Cash Call.
Mr Baru commended the NNPC finance and technical teams for being able to attract the much needed foreign investment at a period when it has become increasingly difficult to attract foreign credit facilities.
“These four projects alone are going to raise incremental revenues to Nigeria of over $30 billion over the life of the projects in less than 10 years. They will also serve as part of the vehicle for exiting JV Cash Calls.
“We have to pay our arrears of about $6billion that were incurred pre-2016 and we are also paying up a tranche of about $1billion 2016 arrears. We started in April 2017 with the payment of $400million and we will pay the balance before the anniversary of the first payment,” he said.
The GMD explained that the arrangement would allow the Corporation to subsequently operate from the production revenue less the first line charge to government which is the royalties and petroleum profit tax.
He said that whatever profit that accrues afterwards would be remitted to the government after deduction of production cost.
Drawing a correlation between the quest for revenue and the anti-corruption campaign, the GMD said members of staff must never allow corrupt practices to distract from the great task ahead.
The GMD traced NNPC’s involvement in the anti-corruption campaign to the year 2000 when the Federal Government directed all its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to establish in-house Anti-Corruption Committees.
“NNPC was the first to put one in place within a month, precisely in October 2000,” Mr Baru said.
He noted that since then, the NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee had consistently carried out its mission of eradicating corruption in NNPC through organizing sensitization campaigns, workshops, seminars and Federal Government publications on issues concerning corruption and economic crimes.
While thanking the former committee members that served at various times for a job well done, Dr Baru urged the new members to surpass the achievements of the past committees in line with the present administration’s anti-graft agenda.
He emphasized that with the prevailing global economic reality; the only survival strategy at a time like this was to change from old ways of doing business and embrace the best practice of transparency, accountability and honesty with integrity.
The new NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee is headed by Mr Mike Stanley Balami, a Group General Manager in the Finance and Account Directorate and a veteran anti-corruption crusader.
Mr Balami pledged the readiness of members of the committee to work in harmony towards achieving a corruption-free NNPC.
He urged all heads of Strategic Business Units and Corporate Services Units to reconstitute and inaugurate their Anti-Corruption units to work closely with the Corporate Anti-Corruption Committee to ensure a corruption-free NNPC.
Economy
CSCS Raises NASD Exchange by 0.04%
By Adedapo Adesanya
Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc kept the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange in the green territory by 0.04 per cent on Friday, July 16.
The securities depository company added N2.50 to its share price to settle at N95.14 per unit from the preceding session’s N92.64 per unit.
However, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc slid during the session by N5.85 to N141.81 per share from N147.66 per share.
But when the bourse closed for the day, the market capitalisation increased by N1.08 billion to N2.593 trillion from N2.592 trillion, while the NASD Security Index (NSI) appreciated by 1.80 points to 4,320.67 points from 4,318.87 points.
During the session, the value of securities slid by 38.9 per cent to N63.5 million from N104.1 million, the volume of securities went down by 34.5 per cent to 1.2 million units from 4.8 million units, and the number of deals declined by 15.4 per cent to 33 deals from 39 deals.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc was the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units worth N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 75.4 million units traded for N5.3 billion.
GNI Plc also ended the day as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units exchanged for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units sold for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
Economy
First Holdco Drives Nigerian Bourse’s 0.54% Growth
By Dipo Olowookere
The bulls regained control of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Friday after surrendering power to the bears a day earlier as a result of mild selling pressure.
Yesterday, the Nigerian bourse rebounded by 0.54 per cent, mainly due to the gains recorded by First Holdco and others.
Data harvested by Business Post indicated that the industrial goods and energy sectors were flat, while the banking index chalked up 3.13 per cent. The insurance space expanded by 1.08 per cent, and the consumer goods counter rose by 0.21 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 1,316.52 points to 243,462.13 points from 242,145.61 points, and the market capitalisation grew by N850 billion to N157.057 trillion from N156.207 trillion.
The market breadth index was bullish during the last trading session of this week, printing 31 appreciating stocks and 23 depreciating stocks, representing strong investor sentiment.
First Holdco led the advancers’ log after it climbed 9.97 per cent to N95.95, Haldane McCall appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N3.65, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank soared by 9.73 per cent to N3.72, LASACO Assurance jumped by 5.26 per cent to N2.00, and Thomas Wyatt gained 5.10 per cent to quote at N3.09.
On the flip side, Red Star Express declined by 9.50 per cent to N20.00, Omatek slipped by 6.08 per cent to N1.70, C&I Leasing shrank by 5.93 per cent to N5.55, Jaiz Bank crashed by 5.03 per cent to N8.50, and Livestock Feed fell by 3.89 per cent to N8.65.
As for the activity chart, market participants bought and sold 685.9 million equities for N42.7 billion in 44,134 deals on Friday versus the 498.5 million equities worth N34.9 billion traded in 39,484 deals on Thursday, implying a rise in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 37.59 per cent, 22.35 per cent, and 11.78 per cent, respectively.
Investors’ darling for the day was First Holdco, with a turnover of 225.9 billion units valued at N21.0 billion, Guinea Insurance sold 53.4 million units for N45.2 million, Zenith Bank traded 41.5 million units worth N4.7 billion, Access Holdings exchanged 29.1 million units valued at N720.6 million, and UBA exchanged 27.5 million units for N1.2 billion.
Economy
Freight Forwarders Seek Wider Sensitisation on Green Tax, Others
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has appealed to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to deepen its sensitisation on the newly introduced Green Tax Surcharge Policy.
The chairman of APFFLON, Mr Akeem Ayobiojo, made this plea on behalf of his colleagues on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at the Customs House in Abuja, during a stakeholders’ engagement with the agency.
He also called for improvements in the administration of Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports and Post Clearance Audit and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Mr Ayobiojo stated that freight forwarders were happy to work with the customs, commending the organisation for implementing Chapter 99, describing it as a major relief for manufacturers.
He, however, emphasised that a deeper understanding of the new tax was necessary for his members, saying more predictable procedures would reduce delays and unexpected costs for importers and freight forwarders.
In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, assured manufacturers, freight forwarders and other players in the nation’s trade sector that the NCS would continue to engage them on fiscal policies affecting their businesses, saying sustained dialogue remains key to resolving implementation challenges and improving the country’s trading environment.
He also promised them the service’s resolve to enhance and facilitate trade, acknowledging that, “Your feedback is important because it helps us understand what is happening in the field, and where necessary, we will take your concerns to the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant government institutions.”
Speaking about Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), Mr Adeniyi further explained that Nigeria would not lower the standards required under the Authorised Economic Operator Programme as the initiative is guided by global benchmarks established by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
On her part, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for Tariff and Trade, Ms Caroline Niagwan, clarified that electric vehicles can be imported without payment of duty only by holders of Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
She also urged importers facing classification disputes to take advantage of the Advance Ruling system, noting, “Once an Advance Ruling is issued based on genuine documentation, importers have certainty on classification, valuation or origin before the goods arrive, thereby reducing unnecessary disputes during clearance.”


