Economy
Oil Sector’s Contribution to Nigeria’s GDP in Q2 2021 Wanes
By Sodeinde Temidayo David
On Thursday, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.01 per cent in the second quarter of 2021.
This revelation came as a surprise to many observers because it was the first time the economy was making such a leap since 2014.
It means it was the first major growth under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who assumed office on May 29, 2015, and is expected to leave in 2023 after serving two terms of four years each.
Analysis of Nigeria’s GDP numbers for the period under review showed that the contribution of the oil sector reduced to7.42 per cent compared with 8.93 per cent in Q2 2020 and 9.25 per cent in Q1 2021.
The stats office said the real growth of the oil sector was -12.65 per cent on a year-on-year basis in the second quarter of 2021, a decrease of 6.02 per cent relative to the growth rate recorded in the second quarter of 2020.
Business Post observed that the decline in the sector was due to a downward trend in crude oil quota output which led to a decrease in the average daily oil produced in the country.
Due to this, in the period under review, the average daily oil production stood at 1.6 million barrels per day, which represented a decrease of 100,000 barrels in contrast to 1.72 million barrels per day recorded in the first quarter of 2021.
This happened as the country tried to meet the output cut instituted by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries its allies (OPEC+).
This trend was also reflected in the year-on-year record which noted a difference of 190,000 barrels, compared to the average daily production of 1.81 million barrels per day recorded in the second quarter of 2020.
Giving more on the report of the oil sector, growth decreased by 10.44 per cent points when compared to Q1 2021 which was 2.21 per cent.
For the first half of 2021, real GDP was recorded at -7.13 per cent compared to -0.80 per cent for the first half of 2020, the performance reflecting lower oil output while on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the oil sector recorded a growth rate of -20.35 per cent in Q2 2021.
The oil sector is one of the two broader Nigerian sectors and is noted to be the backbone of the Nigerian economy, as it accounts for more than 85 per cent of the country’s revenue.
Nigeria is the largest crude oil-producing country in Africa but holds the position as the sixth-largest producer in the world.
By Adedapo Adesanya
VFD Group Plc has announced its intention to list its shares on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) after leaving the NASD Over-the-Counter Securities Exchange, where it has been trading its stocks for the past three years.
This development, according to analysts, is a strategic move that would allow the company to gain access to public equity markets, increase its visibility, and strengthen its financial position.
VFD Group Plc is a leading proprietary investment company with a proven track record of generating attractive returns for its investors through a variety of investment strategies.
The company has a diverse portfolio of investments in various sectors, including banking, technology, media, energy, and real estate. The group has been listed on the NASD OTC Securities Exchange since 2020.
Speaking on this big step, Mr Nonso Okpala, Group Managing Director of VFD Group, stated, “We are excited to take this next step in the evolution of our company.”
“Listing on a major stock exchange will give us access to a larger pool of investors, enhance our profile, and provide superior returns to our investors,” he added.
With the intention of listing on the NGX, the company will delist from the NASD and is subject to regulatory approvals and market conditions.
VFD Group noted that it would provide additional updates as the listing process progresses.
At the close of business on Tuesday, the securities of the organisation closed on the NASD OTC exchange at N244.88 per unit, the same rate they finished in the preceding trading session.
Business Post reports that the NASD was created to provide an avenue for public companies to transition smoothly into the country’s main stock exchange.
However, it has witnessed the movement of firms from the NGX to the NASD, especially due to the very strict regulatory requirements by the former.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange registered a 0.28 per cent drop on Tuesday, June 6, as the duo of Niger Delta Exploration and Production (NDEP) Plc and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc made losses.
FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc lost N1.26 in value to trade at N69.74 per unit versus N71.00 per unit, as NDEP Plc depreciated by N1.06 to close at N245.15 per unit compared with the previous day’s N246.21 per unit.
The duo suppressed the 1 Kobo price appreciation reported by Acorn Petroleum Plc, closing at 16 Kobo per share compared with the preceding session’s 15 Kobo per share.
This development weakened the market capitalisation of the NASD OTC bourse by N2.78 billion to wrap the day at N1.005 trillion compared with Monday’s N1.008 trillion, as the NASD Unlisted Securities Index (NSI) moved down by 2.00 points to 726.86 points from 728.86 points.
At the market yesterday, the trading value slumped by 75.0 per cent as a total of N35.7 million stocks were transacted in comparison to Tuesday’s N142.9 million worth of securities.
At the close of business, the trading volume slid by 93.9 per cent to 1.4 million units from the previous day’s 22.7 million, as the number of deals carried out during the session decreased by 43.8 per cent to 27 deals from the 48 deals executed in the previous session.
Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with a turnover of 832.1 million units valued at N1.3 billion, Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc has transacted 628.3 units worth N49.5 million, while UBN Property Plc has traded 395.9 million units valued at N336.6 million.
On its part, VFD Group Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 11.0 million units worth N2.5 billion, Geo-Fluids Plc has exchanged 832.1 million units worth N1.3 billion, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc has sold 17.5 million units for N1.2 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira showed no signs of regaining strength in the parallel market and the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) segments of the foreign exchange (forex) market, as it further depreciated against the United States Dollar on Tuesday, June 6.
The Nigerian Naira weakened against the Dollar during the session by N2 in the black market to sell for N752/$1 compared with the preceding session’s rate of N750/$1.
In the P2P forex window, the value of the Nigerian currency lost N5 against the greenback to settle at N770/$1, in contrast to the previous day’s value of N775/$1.
However, in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) segment of the FX market, the exchange rate of the Naira to the Dollar remained unchanged at N464.67/$1 on Tuesday.
According to data obtained from FMDQ Securities Exchange, the turnover for the session was $186.02 million, 140.1 per cent or $108.54 higher than the $77.48 million published on Monday.
In the interbank segment, the Naira gained N6.08 against the Pound Sterling to close at N572.68/£1 versus Monday’s N578.76/£1 and against the Euro, while it appreciated by N3.13 to trade at N494.26/€1 versus N497.39/€1.
The cryptocurrency market recorded a recovery movement even as the US Securities Exchange moved to clampdown on major exchanges, Binance and Coinbase.
In an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order filed against Binance on Tuesday, the SEC said it has made this decision to “ensure the safety of customer assets.”
The filing also claims that Binance has engaged in “violative conduct” for years in “disregard of the laws of the United States, evasion of regulatory oversight, and open questions about various financial transfers and the custody and control of Customer Assets.”
Also, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Coinbase, alleging that the US crypto exchange has been selling unregistered securities.
The markets had initially reacted in a panicked fashion, with the crypto market tumbling but making a reversal as investors weighed the development.
Bitcoin (BTC) jumped by 4.5 per cent to $26,925.04, Ethereum (ETH) grew by 3.5 per cent to $1,880.47, Dogecoin (DOGE) rose by 4.7 per cent to $0.0697, Ripple (XRP) expanded by 3.9 per cent to $0.5303, and Litecoin (LTC) improved by 3.5 per cent to $90.63.
Further, Solana (SOL) appreciated by 1.2 per cent to $20.20, Binance Coin (BNB) recorded a 0.5 per cent growth to trade at $279.07, while Cardano (ADA) declined by 1.4 per cent to $0.3466, as Binance USD (BUSD) and the US Dollar Tether (USDT) retained parity at $1.00 apiece.
