Economy
Oil Market Plunges 6% on Israel’s Limited Attacks on Iran
By Adedapo Adesanya
The oil market crashed heavily on Monday by over 6 per cent over Israel’s limited attacks on Iran, with Brent futures going down by $4.63 or 6.09 per cent to $71.42 a barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures declining by $4.40 or 6.13 per cent to $67.38 per barrel.
Over the weekend, jets from Israel completed three waves of strikes before dawn against missile factories and other sites near Tehran and in western Iran, heightening tensions in the region further.
The attacks were more tailored toward military targets – including Iran’s air defences, as well as missile and drone production, and launch facilities – easing fears that Israel might attack Iran’s nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure.
Also, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei helped cool tensions on Sunday when he signalled there would not be any direct response to Israel’s latest attacks.
The markets have been waiting for the majority of the month for a retaliation by Israel following the direct Iranian offensive against the Jewish state earlier this month. Broader Middle East tensions have continued to rise after the attack on Israel by Iran-backed Hamas on October 7 of last year.
Iran accounts for up to 4 per cent of global oil supplies, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
This development has led analysts like Citi to lower Brent’s price target for the next three months to $70 a barrel from $74, factoring in a lower risk premium in the near term.
“The recent Israel military action is unlikely to be seen by the market as leading to an escalation that impacts oil supply,” Citi analysts wrote in a note Monday.
A de-escalation that will cause markets to refocus on surplus supply and lacklustre demand.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in OPEC+ kept oil output policy unchanged last month, including a plan to start raising output in December.
The group will meet on December 1 ahead of a full meeting of OPEC+
Even before the latest developments, Goldman Sachs had warned that there was limited upside for oil prices in 2025, citing spare capacity and weak demand.
Market attention will also turn to Hamas‑Israel and Israel‑Hezbollah cease-fire talks that resumed over the weekend.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The embargo earlier placed in the trading of Thomas Wyatt Nigeria shares has been lifted by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Regulation Limited.
The regulatory subsidiary of NGX Group lifted the suspension on Monday, July 6, 2026, via a notice signed by Bonaventure Onwuji on behalf of the Head of the Issuer Regulation Department of NGX RegCo.
Investors were earlier prevented from buying and selling equities of the organisation after it failed to submit its relevant financial statements as required by the listing rules.
The embargo was placed on October 31, 2025, in line with the provisions of Rule 3.1: Rules for Filing of Accounts and Treatment of Default Filing, which provides that if an issuer fails to file the relevant accounts by the expiration of the cure period, the exchange will: a) send to the issuer a second filing deficiency notification within two business days after the end of the cure period, b) suspend trading in the issuer’s securities, and c) notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the market within 24 hours of the suspension.
After filing the results with NGX Limited, and pursuant to Rule 3.3 of the Default Filing Rules, which states that the suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities shall be lifted upon submission of the relevant accounts provided the exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the exchange. The exchange shall thereafter also announce through the medium by which the public and the SEC was initially notified of the suspension, that the suspension has been lifted, the suspension was lifted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian domestic oil producer Renaissance Energy has recorded its first major oil discovery since taking over Oil Mining Lease (OML) 74 last year, following the successful drilling of an exploration well offshore Nigeria in a development that could support the country’s efforts to boost crude oil production and replenish reserves.
Preliminary results showed about 1,000 feet (305 metres) of crude oil-bearing reservoirs across seven zones, with data and fluid tests confirming light oil in high-quality reservoirs, Renaissance said in a statement, without providing further details.
OML 74 is a large shallow-water block in the eastern Niger Delta off Nigeria’s coast and holds at least eight previously undeveloped discoveries.
Renaissance, which now owns Shell’s former onshore and shallow-water assets, operates Nigeria’s largest upstream joint venture with 18 oil leases, two export terminals and a FPSO vessel in the oil-rich delta.
Commenting on Tuesday, Mr Tony Attah, the managing director/chief executive of Renaissance, said the discovery reflects the company’s renewed focus on exploration and its commitment to boosting Nigeria’s long-term oil production.
“The success of JK-004, just over one year after assuming operatorship of these assets, demonstrates the strength of our exploration programme,” he said.
He lauded the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), adding that the exploration performance reflected the collaboration with the company’s joint venture partners comprising the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), TotalEnergies Limited and Agip Energy and Natural Resources.
He added that the NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bayo Ojulari, and the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr Udobong Ntia, provided the needed strategic guidance with commitment for value delivery across the joint venture assets.
On his part, the Vice President of Exploration and Chief Explorer at Renaissance, Mr Johnbosco Uche, said the exploration success was due to the company’s subsurface excellence, technical rigour, and disciplined approach to reserve replacement.
“The JK-004 well provides a strong foundation for accelerated maturation with clear pathways to early development and value realisation,” the Chief Explorer said, adding that the strategic location of JK-004 near an existing field would enable rapid commercialisation.
The chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, described the feat as a perfect alignment with the commission’s vision of growing the nation’s reserves “to future-proof sustainable national growth,” and pledged to continue building the enabling regulatory environment required to support the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The mandatory takeover bid of about 1.63 per cent shares held by minority shareholders of Premier Paints Plc by Xenergi has been launched.
Business Post learned that the exercise will open at 8 am on Monday, July 13, 2026, and close on Friday, August 7, 2026, and it concerns shareholders of Premier Paint, excluding Xenergi Plc, whose names appear in the register of members of Premier Paint on the qualification date, which was Monday, July 6, 2026.
Xenergi is looking to acquire a total of 2 million shares of Premier Paints at N38 per unit, amounting to N76 million.
The reason for this offer is to enable Xenergi comply with Section 142(4) of the ISA Act 2025 and Rules 445 – 448 of the SEC New Rules and Amendment dated August 30, 2021, following its acquisition of a 49.60 per cent majority equity stake in Premier Paint.
On June 8, 2026, Xenergi Plc acquired 61,003,350 ordinary shares in Premier Paint, representing a 49.60 per cent equity stake.
Xenergi Plc and Premier Paint Plc executed a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement detailing the terms and conditions of the acquisition. The acquisition was concluded following receipt of the required regulatory approvals from the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
In accordance with Section 142(4) of the ISA Act 2025, Xenergi is required to make a takeover bid to all the other shareholders of Premier Paint.
Consequently, on May 25, 2026, the board of Xenergi granted approval for a Takeover to be made to all qualifying shareholders, for the acquisition of the offer shares.
