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Economy

Refineries: Senate Threatens To Sack Kyari, Others

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Mele Kyari NNPC ceo

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Senate has threatened to sack some leaders of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited over intricacies involving the maintenance projects of local refineries.

The Senate noted that from 2010 to date, over N12 trillion has been spent on Turnaround Maintenance (TAM), adding that it had records of over $592 million, €4.8 million, and £3.4 million spent between 2010 to date on TAM, yet none of the refineries was working.

The ad hoc committee of the upper chamber of the parliament investigating the various turnaround maintenance projects of Nigerian refineries gave the directive on Wednesday during an interactive session with NNPCL management and other executives of the oil sector.

Some of the heads of the affected agencies invited could not attend and sent representatives to the investigative hearing.

The chairman of the ad hoc committee, Mr Isa Jibrin, noted that so much had been heard on the turnaround and so much had been spent on operational materials on the refineries that were not working.

He said that they want to know the solutions to all the leakages, as there are a lot of them.

“We will ask for refund and dismissal of all the chief executives involved in the turnaround maintenance,” the lawmaker said.

Mr Jibrin said that for weeks, they had been asking for documents, which had not been given by the oil companies, a development that created suspicion.

“We sent them an invitation more than two weeks ago requesting documents and the documents have not been released after two weeks. So, we want the chief executives to be present.

“More worrisome is between 2010 and 2020, the sum of N4.8tn was said to have been spent as operational expenses. How do you incur operational expenses that have to do with the purchase of raw materials and similar expenses on factories that are moribund? How do we come about operational expenses? We need to know.

“These are issues that Nigerians want to know; they want solutions to all these leakages. We know they are leakages. We know and we will not hesitate to escalate it to the highest possible level, including the possibility of refund and outright dismissal of some of the heads of some of these agencies and possibly go to jail,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Yahaya Abdullahi said that the NNPC Limited and management of other agencies, who came to represent their bosses, should be sent back to tell their chief executives that they should appear in person.

Another senator, Mr Sumaila Kawu said that the invitees knew the modus operandi of the civil service, adding, “We are not in the Senate for personal functions. We are representing the entire legislature. You are in the civil service, we know how you are operating.

“We are in a very serious business. In the end, you will be at the receiving end. Nigerians are not satisfied with what you are doing and you will be at the receiving end.”

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Economy

Nigerian Stocks Chalk up 0.33% on Positive Market Breadth Index

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Nigerian stocks

By Dipo Olowookere

Renewed buying interest raised the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited by 0.33 per cent on Monday, with gains recorded in almost all the major sectors of the bourse at the close of transactions.

According to data harvested by Business Post, the insurance counter expanded by 0.62 per cent, the banking index grew by 0.59 per cent, the energy sector appreciated by 0.40 per cent, and the consumer goods space improved by 0.10 per cent, while the industrial goods segment closed flat.

When the closing gong was struck by 4 pm to signify the close of business on Customs Street, the All-Share Index (ASI) was up by 1,113.76 points to 243,707.07 points from 242,593.31 points, and the market capitalisation chalked up N714 billion to close at N156.308 trillion compared with the previous session’s N155.594 trillion.

Interest in Nigerian stocks yesterday resulted in a rise in the activity level, with the trading volume soaring by 17.86 per cent to 717.2 million units from 608.5 million units. The trading value advanced by 77.19 per cent to N56.7 billion from N32.0 billion, and the number of deals surged by 36.22 per cent to 73,321 deals from 53,826 deals.

FCMB was the busiest stock during the trading day, with a turnover of 152.3 million units worth N1.8 billion, Premier Paints exchanged 61.0 million units valued at N135.3 million, Dangote Cement traded 34.7 million units for N29.7 billion, The Initiates sold 32.8 million units worth N1.0 billion, and Jaiz Bank transacted 32.6 million units valued at N293.3 million.

Yesterday, the market breadth index was positive after the exchange closed with 37 price gainers and 28 price losers, representing strong investor sentiment.

International Energy Insurance gained 9.92 per cent to settle at N7.98, the Initiates added 9.91 per cent to its share price to quote at N32.15, ABC Transport garnered 9.68 per cent to trade at N6.80, Abbey Mortgage Bank grew by 9.63 per cent to close at N10.25, and Linkage Assurance soared by 9.36 per cent to N1.87.

On the flip side, Fidson Healthcare gave up 10.00 per cent to finish at N122.85, Academy Press crashed by 9.70 per cent to N7.45, RT Briscoe depreciated by 9.43 per cent to N13.45, SUNU Assurances tumbled by 9.37 per cent to N4.06, and Learn Africa decreased by 8.70 per cent to N10.50.

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Economy

NASD OTC Exchange Opens Week Lower as Valuation Dips N1.27bn

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NASD OTC exchange

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a marginal 0.05 per cent drop on Monday, June 8, depleting the market capitalisation by N1.27 billion to N2.606 trillion from N2.607 trillion, and cutting the Unlisted Security Index (NSI) by 2.12 points to 4,356.20 points from the previous 4,358.32 points.

The contraction witnessed during the session was triggered by a price loser, which overpowered that gains recorded by two securities on the trading platform.

Data indicated that MRS Oil Plc lost N6 at the close of business to settle at N165.00 per share compared with last Friday’s price of N171.00 per share.

Conversely, Lighthouse Financial Services Plc added 9 Kobo to sell at N1.03 per unit versus 94 Kobo per unit, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc appreciated by 8 Kobo to N78.48 per share from N78.40 per share.

The volume of securities traded by investors yesterday soared by 51.9 per cent to 213,188 units from 140,345 units, and the value of securities increased by 12.6 per cent to N20.2 million from N17.9 million, while the number of deals executed fell by 7.4 per cent to 25 deals from 27 deals.

Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units valued at N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 64.8 million units exchanged for N4.4 billion.

GNI Plc also remained as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, trailed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units transacted for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units traded for N415.7 million.

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Economy

Naira Loses Against Dollar Official, Black Markets

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money supply naira

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Naira opened the new trading week on a negative note on Monday at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) and the black market.

At the parallel market, the Nigerian currency weakened against the US Dollar by N5 to sell for N1,380/$1 compared with the preceding session’s rate of N1,375/$1, and at the GTBank FX desk, it shed N1 to trade at N1,373/$1 versus N1,372/$1.

At the official market, it lost 63 Kobo or 0.05 per cent against the Dollar during the session to close at N1,362.84/$1, in contrast to last Friday’s value of N1,362.21/$1.

However, the Nigerian Naira gained N2.30 against the Pound Sterling at the spot market yesterday, quoting at N1,821.29/£1 compared with the previous rate of N1,823.59/£1, and improved against the Euro by 23 Kobo to settle at N1,574.35/€1 versus N1,574.58/€1.

Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that interbank forex turnover increased to $92.248 million across 90 deals, from $73.565 million last Friday.

On the policy front, participants believed that the application of the fourth edition of the Foreign Exchange Manual of the central bank, which introduces updated guidelines for foreign exchange transactions and tightening compliance requirements for authorised dealers and market participants, will enhance market flexibility and ease previous restrictions.

Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market snapped from recent declines, jolted by Strategy’s purchase of 1,550 Bitcoin for approximately $101 million, increasing its total holdings to 845,256 BTC. The company raised $181 million through common stock sales, using the proceeds to fund the bitcoin purchase and increase its cash reserves to $1 billion, pushing the price of the coin higher by 3.2 per cent to $63,731.69.

Cardano (ADA) appreciated by 8.4 per cent to $0.1738, Ethereum (ETH) rose by 5.2 per cent to $1,711.54, Solana (SOL) expanded by 5.1 per cent to $67.82, and Ripple (XRP) improved by 4.9 per cent to $1.18.

Further, Dogecoin (DOGE) jumped by 4.3 per cent to $0.0873, Binance Coin (BNB) soared by 2.7 per cent to $609.50, and TRON (TRX) increased by 0.7 per cent to $0.3274, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $0.9997 and $0.9998, respectively.

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