Economy
Shareholders Beg SEC, NSE to Soften Penalties on Quoted Firms
By Dipo Olowookere
In order to attract new listings on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), efforts must be made by the capital market regulators in the country to review the penalties impose on quoted companies on the nation’s stock exchange.
This was the submission of capital market shareholders on Saturday at an Investors Clinic Programme organised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Lagos to mark IOSCO World Investor Week 2017.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the shareholders complained at the event that incessant penalties on companies were discouraging companies from seeking quotation on the nation’s bourse, thereby affecting the growth and development of the market.
In his comments, Mr Sunny Nwosu, the National Coordinator Emeritus, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), said that there was need for friendly policies and regulation by the capital market regulators.
Mr Nwosu said lack of proper compensation to investors that lost their funds during the market meltdown contributed to poor investor confidence in the market, whereas brokers were given forbearance package.
He also frowned at the commission’s move to invest the unclaimed dividend funds into special funds, saying that shareholders were not in support of the initiative.
Mr Nwosu said that the proposed issuance of electronic annual report should not be made mandatory, but optional.
He said the law stipulated that annual reports must be posted to shareholders 21 days before the annual general meeting.
Also, Mr Boniface Okezie, the President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, who commended SEC for organising the clinic, said that market regulators must pursue friendly policies and initiatives to put the market forward.
Mr Okezie said that investment of unclaimed dividend funds into special funds must be dropped in the interest of the market.
He, however, lauded the commission for bringing the shareholders together to chart the way forward for market growth and development.
“If we have this type of relationship in the past, the Central Bank of Nigeria would not have nationalised the banks listed on the exchange,” Mr Okezie said.
He said that the banks nationalisation affected investors’ confidence in the market.
“It is not only SEC that is affecting for protection, shareholders are also fighting for protection”, Mr Okezie said.
He said that the new leadership of the commission had done well with the introduction of various initiatives and zero tolerance on fraudulent capital market operators.
In his comments, Mr Moses Igbrude, the ISAN Secretary said that the issue of penalties must be readdressed by market operators for confidence building.
Mr Igbrude said that some companies had delisted from the exchange due to penalties while new companies were afraid to list.
He said that SEC and NSE should encourage the companies to embrace share buyback initiative instead of approval share reconstruction for companies used in rubbing investors.
In his reaction, Chief Timothy Adeshiyan, the President, Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), said that market regulators should be fair in their regulations and penalties.
Mr Adeshiyan said that penalties were paid from the shareholders funds’ and was also discouraging investor confidence.
Earlier, Mr Mounir Gwarzo, the SEC Director-General, said that the World Investor Week (WIW) was a week set aside for educating investors on their rights.
Mr Gwarzo, represented by Mr Eddy Rowlands, the Executive Director, Market Development, said that the commission would continue to embrace initiatives that would move the market forward.
He said that the clinic would make investors to be better equipped at the end of the programme.
Mr Gwarzo said that the initiative would enlighten investors and shareholders on what regulators and market operators were doing to uplift the market.
He said that the commission had established financial inclusion programmes to increase market participation and as well boost Collective Investment Scheme among market women and men.
Mr Deji Balogun, the Chief Executive Officer, AFEX Commodities Exchange, commended the commission for taking the capital market to the younger generation.
Mr Balogun also tasked market operators on the need for introduction of new products that would appeal to the younger generation.
He said that opening of stockbroking accounts for new investors should be done through smart phones in line with present realities.
Also, Dr David Ogogo of the Institute of Capital Market Registrars, said that the issue of the unclaimed dividends would soon be an issue of the past.
Mr Ogogo said that registrars would continue to work with market regulators and operators to ensure effective implementation of the 10-year capital market Masterplan.
By Dipo Olowookere
About 0.04 per cent was recovered on Friday from the loss recorded by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) the previous due to profit-taking.
Yesterday, investors were in the market with renewed vigour, mopping up stocks trading at relatively cheaper prices.
According to data, the insurance counter gained 0.41 per cent, the banking sector appreciated by 0.38 per cent, and the consumer goods index grew by 0.14 per cent.
The gains achieved by these three sectors were enough to lift Customs Street at the close of business despite the 0.26 per cent decline printed by the industrial goods segment and the 0.14 per cent loss suffered by the energy industry. The commodity counter was flat during the session.
A total of 43 equities gained weight on the last trading day of this week, while 26 equities shed weight, indicating a positive market breadth index and strong investor sentiment.
Red Star Express increased its share price by 10.00 per cent to N13.20, NCR Nigeria grew by 9.97 per cent to N128.55, SCOA Nigeria inflated by 9.96 per cent to N14.90, Omatek appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N1.77, and Deap Capital expanded by 9.85 per cent to N4.46.
On the flip side, McNichols decreased by 8.81 per cent to N6.00, Legend Internet crumbled by 7.56 per cent to N5.50, Cornerstone Insurance crashed by 6.48 per cent to N6.35, C&I Leasing contracted by 6.29 per cent to N8.20, and Austin Laz slipped by 5.78 per cent to N3.75.
Yesterday, 539.9 million shares valued at N16.7 billion were transacted in 48,023 deals versus the 1.0 billion shares worth N31.6 billion executed in 51,227 deals in the preceding day, implying a shrink in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 46.01 per cent, 47.15 per cent, and 6.26 per cent apiece.
Zenith Bank was the most active for the day with 54.6 million stocks sold for N3.8 billion, Jaiz Bank traded 41.5 million units worth N359.4 million, Secure Electronic Technology transacted 37.7 million units valued at N39.2 million, Access Holdings exchanged 30.5 million units for N699.2 million, and Lasaco Assurance transacted 27.2 million units worth N68.3 million.
When the market closed for the day, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 72.21 points to 166,129.50 points from 166,057.29 points and the market capitalisation gained N31 billion to N106.354 trillion from N106.323 trillion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
It was a positive ending for the Naira this week after it further appreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, January 16 by N1.33 or 0.09 per cent to sell for N1,417.95/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,419.28/$1.
The domestic currency also gained N2.41 against the Euro in the official market to close at N1,647.51/€1 versus the preceding session’s closing price of N1,649.92/€1, however, it suffered a N7.97 loss against the Pound Sterling in the same market window to trade at N1,901.32/£1, in contrast to Thursday’s closing price of N1,893.35/£1.
In the same vein, the Nigerian Naira depleted against the Dollar at the GTBank FX counter by N2 to quote at N1,427/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,425/$1, but strengthened against the greenback at the black market yesterday by N5 to settle at N1,485/$1 versus the N1,490/$1 it was exchanged a day earlier.
Improved supply conditions helped keep the market within range as exporters’ and importers’ inflows in addition to non-bank corporate supply enhanced liquidity as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made no visible intervention.
Stronger external inflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and improving current account dynamics, continue to align with structural support in the wider economy.
Nigeria has seen projections of a stronger economic or gross domestic product (GDP) growth and lower inflation in 2026, with these forecasts citing improved macroeconomic fundamentals and reform impacts.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it was mixed following selloff in precious metals and lower US stocks appeared to be denting crypto sentiment.
Gold and silver, both of which also enjoyed big rallies earlier this week, tumbled 1.2 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively while key US stock indexes — the Nasdaq, S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average — all reversed from early gains to modest losses in Friday trade.
Dogecoin (DOGE) shrank by 2.2 per cent to $0.1370, Ripple (XRP) slipped by 0.8 per cent to $2.05, Ethereum (ETH) went down by 0.7 per cent to $3,228.56, and Bitcoin (BTC) slumped by 0.6 per cent to $95,086.80.
Conversely, Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 3.2 per cent to $74.48, Solana (SOL) rose by 0.4 per cent to $143.70, Cardano (ADA) jumped by 0.2 per cent to $0.3942, and Binance Coin (BNB) increased by 0.1 per cent to $935.88, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices settled higher amid lingering worries about a possible US military strike against Iran, a decision that may still occur over the weekend.
Brent crude settled at $64.13 a barrel after going up by 37 cents or 0.58 per cent and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $59.44 a barrel after it gained 25 cents or 0.42 per cent.
The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was expected to arrive in the Persian Gulf next week after operating in the South China Sea.
Market analysts noted that it doesn’t seem likely anything will happen soon. However, the weekends have become the perfect time for actions so as not offset the markets.
The market had risen after protests flared up in Iran and US President Donald Trump signalled the potential for military strikes, but lost over 4 per cent on Thursday as the American president said Iran’s crackdown on the protesters was easing, allaying concerns of possible military action that could disrupt oil supplies.
Iran produces approximately 3.2 million barrels per day, accounting for roughly 4 per cent of global crude production, so it was not a coincidence that markets rallied sharply through Tuesday and Wednesday as President Trump canceled meetings with Iranian officials and posted that “help is on its way” to Iranian protesters, raising fears of potential US military strikes that sent prices surging toward multi-month highs.
Weighing against those fears are potential supply increases from Venezuela.
The Trump administration is exploring plans to swap heavy Venezuelan crude for US medium sour barrels that can actually go straight into Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) caverns, since not all all oil belongs in the reserve.
According to Reuters, the Department of Energy is considering moving Venezuelan heavy crude into commercial storage at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, while US producers deliver medium sour crude into the SPR in exchange.
Analysts expect higher supply this year, potentially creating a ceiling for the geopolitical risk premium on prices.
Some investors covered short positions ahead of the three-day Martin Luther King holiday weekend in the US.
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