Economy
NSE Deploys New Strategy to Deliver Superior Performance
By Dipo Olowookere
The management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has disclosed that in order to consolidate on its strong performance last year, a new growth plan has been adopted.
This, Business Post learned, is to make the local bourse more investor friendly and customer centric exchange hub in Africa.
President of National Council of NSE, Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo, speaking at the NSE 57th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Thursday, June 7, 2018 at the NSE Event Centre in Lagos, stated that this new corporate strategy has a four-year tenor.
“We have deployed a new four year corporate strategy that will reposition us as a more investor friendly and customer centric exchange hub in Africa.
“With this new strategy, we are poised to deliver superior performance for our multi-faceted stakeholders especially issuers and investors who continue to access our market to raise and save capital respectively,” Mr Ogunbanjo said at the AGM, where the 2017 Full Year Financial Results were announced.
The results announced at the meeting showed a total income of N8.30 billion for the Group and N3.82 billion surplus before tax for the year ended December 31, 2017.
This represents an 86 percent increase in gross earnings when compared to the N4.46 billion achieved in 2016 and surplus before tax growth of 5,629 percent in the same period.
Key achievements for the Exchange in 2017 include a market capitalization of N22.918 trillion, showing a growth of 41.59 percent when compared with N16.186 trillion in FY 2016; an All-Share Index of 38,243.19 points against 26,874.62 points in 2016 showing 42.30 percent rise; a 3rd best performing stock exchange rating in 2017 by CNN.
Others include achieving new listings across diversified product classes – 41 Bonds, 19 equities, 5 ETFs and 15 Memorandum Listings; awarded CSR Company of the Year by Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, named Employer of The Year by HR People’s Magazine; commissioning of Tier 3 designed data centre with cloud computing capabilities; and the launching of the FGN Savings Bond, Green Bond and Sukuk to promote financial inclusion in Nigeria in partnership with the Debt Management Office (DMO).
Commenting on these, chief executive of the NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, remarked that, “This positive performance, after the significant headwinds witnessed over the past two years, affirms the resilience of our market and its potential as a catalyst of economic growth in Nigeria and the hub for Africa.
“Focus on executing our robust strategy of cost efficiency, products and revenue diversification, as well as innovative and improved operational delivery, underpins this strong performance.”
At the AGM, members of the Exchange approved the Audited Financial Statement of the exchange for the year ended December 2017, and the reports of the National Council and the Auditors thereon.
Also, the following were re-elected to the National Council, Mr Abubakar B. Mahmoud (SAN); Erelu Angela Adebayo; Chartwell Securities Limited (represented by Mr Oluwole Adeosun) and Equity Capital Solutions Limited (represented by Mr Kamarudeen Oladosu).
The Exchange Group comprises four (4) subsidiary companies namely; Naira Properties Limited, Coral Properties Plc., NSE Consult Limited and NSE Nominees Limited. The Exchange also has interests in NG Clearing Limited and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc as joint venture and associate company respectively.
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.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira appreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, July 17, by N1.35 or 0.07 per cent to N1,380.18/$1 from N1,381.53/$1.
It also improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment during the session by N11.75 to trade at N1,854.42/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,866.17/£1, and gained N5.69 against the Euro to sell at N1,576.99/€1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,582.68/€1.
In the same vein, the Naira chalked up N1 against the United States currency yesterday at the GTBank forex desk to quote at N1,388/$1, in contrast to the preceding day’s N1,389/$1, but closed flat at the black market at N1,405/$1.
The appreciation of the Nigerian currency on Friday came amid fresh signals that Nigeria is building its external reserves for protection against shocks and excessive currency volatility.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, said the country’s gross reserves had risen above approximately $52 billion by 15 July, while net reserves had increased from about $3 billion when the current CBN leadership took office to more than $40 billion.
Mr Cardoso linked the increase in reserves to reforms that had restored greater confidence in the foreign exchange system. He also pointed to efforts to diversify foreign currency inflows, including policies designed to increase remittances through official channels.
He noted that monthly diaspora remittances had risen above $600 million and the CBN expected them to reach approximately $1 billion by the end of 2026. The target is part of a broader effort to grow reserves through recurring inflows rather than temporary measures.
The improvement, he argued, had strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to respond when unexpected events threatened market stability.
The apex bank has also launched a new digital platform that will track every foreign exchange transaction involving Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, marking a major step in its efforts to improve transparency and strengthen oversight of Nigeria’s retail forex market.
As for the crypto market, prices were up as markets overlooked geopolitical developments and macro forces weighing on the whole market ecosystem rather than anything crypto-specific, with Cardano (ADA) up by 4.6 per cent to $0.1661.
Bitcoin (BTC) jumped by 1.8 per cent to $63,968.32, Ethereum (ETH) improved by 0.9 per cent to $1,843.88, Dogecoin (DOGE) also rose by 0.9 per cent to $0.0723, Solana (SOL) soared by 0.6 per cent to $74.90, Ripple (XRP) also appreciated by 0.6 per cent to $1.08, and Binance Coin (BNB) advanced by 0.1 per cent to $567.32.
However, TRON (TRX) depreciated by 0.2 per cent to close at $0.3218, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The prices of the crude oil grades rose Friday, as fighting between the US and Iran continued in the Middle East, leading to further attacks in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Syria.
Brent crude futures advanced by about 4.6 per cent to $88.10 per barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures gained about 4.5 per cent to settle at $82.49 per barrel.
US forces stepped up attacks on Iranian sites, reportedly striking key bridges, railways, and an airport, prompting retaliatory action by Iran.
US Central Command said that it had completed its sixth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, hitting dozens of military targets such as military logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities.
Centcom said more than 50,000 service members were operating across the Middle East, adding that they “remain vigilant, lethal, and ready.”
Iran said it attacked the US targets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Syria in retaliation for the latest round of strikes by the Americans.
Kuwait said Iran attacked a power and water desalination plant as fighting escalated in the Persian Gulf, saying that the attack damaged the facility that sparked a fire that affected a large number of its electricity-generating units, according to The Kuwait Times.
Kuwait is heavily dependent on desalination plants for potable water. Analysts have long feared that Iran would strike infrastructure that is critical to supporting civilian life in the Middle East.
A tanker was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman, causing minor damage, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said in an incident report Friday. Iran has repeatedly attacked tankers over the past week as it tries to force civilian ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz through its waters.
The escalating fighting comes as the fragile truce reached last month has collapsed, once again disrupting energy flows through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which typically handles around 20% of the world’s oil traffic.
Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump said American forces would target Iran’s infrastructure next week unless the two sides reached a diplomatic breakthrough.
Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthis to close the Red Sea oil route if the US targets Iranian power infrastructure.
Market analysts noted that Iran and the US still have strong economic incentives to avoid a complete breakdown in talks, with the US seeking lower oil prices ahead of the November midterm elections and Iran reluctant to forgo economic incentives.
