Economy
SEC Proposes Rule to Protect Investors, Stockbrokers from Risks, Losses
By Dipo Olowookere
A rule to look into issues associated with stockbroking operations and protect investors in the event of the occurrence of the risk or loss insured is being proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In a disclosure, SEC said guideline, which will come under Rule 27A is mainly “to exempt capital market experts/professionals from maintaining fidelity bonds and enable the establishment of an insurance product for dealing members of securities exchanges to cover the risks associated with stockbroking operations and protect investors in the event of the occurrence of the risk or loss insured.”
The apex capital market regulator tagged the proposed rule as Insurance Policy for Corporate Bodies Licensed as a Dealing Member of a Securities Exchange.
In the existing Rule 27, which talks about Fidelity Bond, states that, “Every registered corporate body shall provide and maintain a bond which shall be issued by an insurance company acceptable to the Commission against theft/stealing, fraud or dishonesty, covering each officer, employee and sponsored individual of the company.”
But SEC wants this amended to “Every registered corporate body other than a corporate body licensed as a dealing member of a securities exchange and capital market experts/professionals shall provide and maintain a bond which shall be issued by an insurance company acceptable to the Commission against theft/stealing, fraud or dishonesty, covering each officer, employee and sponsored individual of the company.”
In the new rule, the agency is proposing that, “Every registered corporate body licensed as a dealing member of a securities exchange shall procure and maintain an insurance policy issued by an insurance company acceptable to the commission. The policy shall cover all aspects of the insured business activities and risks including but not limited to the following:
“(a) fidelity guarantee against theft/stealing, fraud or dishonesty, covering each officer, employee and sponsored individual of the company;
“(b) professional indemnity in respect of loss arising from any claim or claims for any act or omission or breach of duty by officer, employee and sponsored individual of the company;
“(c) directors liability in respect of claims against wrongful acts committed in the capacity of a director;
“(d) legal liability, or other third-party claim;
“(e) other risks associated with its products and services.
“Provided however that the insurance policy shall take into consideration the situation whereby the dealing member is a member of multiple securities exchanges.”
It is also considering a rule that will make “every corporate body licensed as a dealing member of a securities exchange shall procure and maintain an insurance policy which shall where applicable, as may be determined by a securities exchange, name the securities exchange’s investors’ protection fund as the co-insured.
“Payments from the policy shall be utilized by the securities exchange’s investors’ protection fund towards compensating investors who have suffered losses on their securities traded on a securities exchange from the occurrence of the risks covered by the insurance policy.
“Provided however that where the dealing member is a member of multiple exchanges, payment shall be made to the relevant securities exchange where the defalcation occurred.”
In addition, it is proposing that, “The insurance policy maintained by a dealing member of a securities exchange shall provide that payment under the insurance policy can be made directly to the:
“(a) securities exchange’s investors’ protection fund which shall compensate investors who have suffered losses or;
“(b) affected dealing member with the prior written consent of the securities exchange’s investors’ protection fund.”
“The insurance policy shall provide that it shall not be cancelled, terminated or modified by the dealing member of a securities exchange without the prior written consent of the securities exchange’s investors’ protection fund and the commission. Where the cancellation, termination or modification is at the instance of the insurance company such cancellation, termination or modification shall not be carried out except after written notice shall have been given by the insurance company to the commission and the securities exchange’s investors’ protection fund, not less than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the effective date of cancellation, termination or modification.
“The insurance policy shall be provided in such reasonable form, terms and under such premium as the fiduciary duties of the officer, employee or sponsored individual require, but with due consideration to all
relevant factors, including but not limited to the risks insured, products and services, clientele, the value of the aggregate assets of the dealing member of a securities exchange in relation to all its registered functions, to which any officer, employee or sponsored individual may have access, the type and terms of the arrangements made for the custody and safekeeping of assets and securities in the company’s portfolio,” it added.
“The insurance policy shall cover not less than 20% of the minimum paid up capital of the dealing member of a securities exchange.
“Every dealing member of a securities exchange shall file with the commission and the securities exchange:
“(a) a statement of the nature and value of a claim within five (5) business days after the making of any claim under the insurance policy; and
“(b) a copy of the terms of the settlement of any claim made under the insurance policy within five (5) business days of the receipt thereof.
“Every securities exchange on the advice of the securities exchange’s Investor Protection Fund (IPF) shall provide quarterly reports to the commission on all claims settled under the insurance policy, and the report shall include the name of the investor and the sum received under the insurance policy.”
Economy
Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres
By Adedapo Adesanya
The supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased by 55.4 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October.
This was contained in the November 2025 fact sheet of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Monday.
The data showed that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent or 37.4 million litres to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October.
The significant increase in petrol supply last month was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited into the Nigerian market from both the domestic and the international market.
Domestic refineries supplied in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.
The NMDPRA noted that no production activities were recorded in all the state-owned refineries, which included Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, in the period, as the refineries remained shut down.
According to the report, the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.
Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities, and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October, which spilled into November.”
On gas, the average daily gas supply climbed to 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November 2025, from the 3.94 bscf/d average processing level recorded in October.
The Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 also maintained a stable processing output of 3.5 bscf/d in November 2025, but utilisation improved slightly to 73.7 per cent compared with 71.68 per cent in October.
The increase, according to the report, was driven by higher plant utilisation across processing hubs and steady export volumes from the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny.
“As of November 2025, Nigeria’s major gas processing facilities recorded improved output and utilisation levels, with the Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 processing 3.50 billion standard cubic feet per day at a utilisation rate of 73.70 per cent.
“Gbaran Ubie Gas Plant processed 1.250 bscf per day, operating at 71.21 per cent utilisation, while the MPNU Bonny River Terminal recorded a throughput of 0.690 bscf per day during the period. Processing activities at the Escravos Gas Plant stood at 0.680 bscf per day, representing a 62 per cent utilisation rate, whereas the Soku Gas Plant emerged as the top performer, processing 0.600 bscf per day at 96.84 per cent utilisation,” it stated.
Economy
Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The proposed share reconstruction of a local gaming firm, Secure Electronic Technology (SET), has been suspended.
The Lagos-based company decided to shelve the exercise after negotiations with potential investors crumbled like a house of cards.
Secure Electronic Technology was earlier in talks with some foreign investors interested in the organisation.
Plans were underway to restructure the shares of the company, which are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
However, things did not go as planned as the potential investors pulled out, leaving the board to consider others ways to move the firm forward.
Confirming this development, the company secretary, Ms Irene Attoe, in a statement, said the board would explore other means to keep the company running to deliver value to shareholders.
“This is to notify the NGX and the investing public that a meeting of the board of SET held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as scheduled, to consider the status of the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation as approved by the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 16, 2025.
“After due deliberations, the board wishes to announce that the proposed share reconstruction will not take place as anticipated due to the inability of the parties to reach a convergence on the best and mutually viable terms.
“Thus, following an impasse in the negotiations, and the investors’ withdrawal from the transaction, the board has, in the interest of all members, decided to accept these outcomes and move ahead in the overall interest of the business.
“The board is committed to driving the strategic objectives of SEC and to seeking viable opportunities for sustainable growth of the company,” the disclosure stated.
Business Post reports that the share price of SET crashed by 3.85 per cent on Tuesday on Customs Street on Tuesday to 75 Kobo. Its 52-week high remains N1.33 and its one-year low is 45 Kobo. Today, investors transacted 39,331,958 units.
Economy
Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers
By Adedapo Adesanya
Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched.
During its pilot phase, Clea processed more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.
Clea addresses persistent challenges that African importers have long struggled with, including limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments by offering fast, transparent, and direct USD settlements, completed without intermediaries or banking bottlenecks.
Founded by Mr Sheriff Adedokun, Mr Iyiola Osuagwu, and Mr Sidney Egwuatu, Clea was created from the team’s own experiences dealing with unreliable international payments. The platform currently serves Nigerian importers trading with suppliers in the United States, China, and the UAE, with plans to expand into additional trade corridors.
The platform will allow local payments in Naira with instant access to Dollars as well as instant, same-day, or next-day settlement options and transparent, traceable transactions that reduce fraud risk.
Speaking on the launch, Mr Adedokun said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”
Mr Osuagwu, co-founder & CTO, added, “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”
According to a statement shared with Business Post, Clea is already working with shipping operators who refer merchants to the platform and is also engaging trade associations and logistics networks in key import hubs. The company remains fully bootstrapped but is open to strategic investors aligned with its mission to build a trusted global payment network for African businesses.
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