By Adedapo Adesanya

Crude oil prices went up by about 2 per cent on Friday on the possibility that the United States could end Iran’s oil exports as part of an effort to bring the Islamic Republic to terms over its nuclear programme.

Brent crude futures settled at $64.76 a barrel after chalking up $1.43 or 2.26 per cent and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $61.50 a barrel after it gained $1.43 or 2.38 per cent.

US Energy Secretary, Mr Chris Wright, said on Friday that his country could stop Iran’s oil exports as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to pressure Iran, a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), over its nuclear programme.

Since he returned to the White House in January, President Donald Trump, who in his first term withdrew the US from a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran and clamped down on its oil exports, has again brought a tougher approach to the Middle Eastern power over its nuclear work.

It had affected the country’s oil exports but Iranian oil exports recovered under former President Joe Biden, who became president after Mr Trump’s first term, and so far in 2025 have yet to show a decline, according to industry data.

China, which opposes unilateral sanctions, buys the bulk of Iran’s shipments.

This comes as President Trump’s new tariff regime forced traders to reassess the geopolitical risks facing the crude market.

China announced on Friday it will impose a 125 per cent tariff on US goods starting on Saturday, up from the previously announced 84 per cent after the American President raised tariffs against China to 145 per cent on Thursday.

President Trump this week paused heavy tariffs against dozens of other trading partners.

However, market analysts noted that a prolonged dispute between the world’s two biggest economies is likely to reduce global trade volumes and disrupt trading routes, weighing on global economic growth and reducing demand for oil.

Some noted that despite the pause, which is only for 90 days, has already inflicted damages on the markets.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday lowered its global economic growth forecasts and warned that tariffs could weigh heavily on oil prices.

It also reduced its US and global oil demand forecasts for this year and next year.

Reuters also predicted that China’s 2025 economic growth is expected to fall relative to last year’s pace as US tariffs raise pressure on the world’s top oil importer.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has called on state-owned enterprises to increase standards of transparency, ethics, and performance as Nigeria pushes to build a $1 trillion economy.

Speaking at the MOFI Corporate Governance Forum in Abuja, the Minister described the newly introduced MOFI Scorecard as a vital benchmark for institutional health, designed to position state-owned enterprises for investment, growth, and long-term value creation.

According to Mr Edun, this scorecard is not just a document; it’s a test, adding that strong governance attracts capital, builds trust, and delivers real economic returns.

The two-day forum, themed Ensuring Value Creation in State-Owned Enterprises Through Better Corporate Governance, brought together CEOs, regulators, and development partners to examine how better oversight can unlock Nigeria’s public asset potential.

Referencing entities like NNPC Limited, Mr Edun noted that state-owned enterprises must be investor-ready as the government shifts from debt-heavy budgets to equity-based growth.

He also pointed to positive macro signals and falling food and fuel prices as early signs of a stabilising economy.

On his part, MOFI Chairman, Mr Shamsudeen Usman, confirmed that the scorecard will be enforced through independent assessments, including MOFI itself.

“We are not asking others to do what we haven’t already done,” he said.

Backed by the World Bank, the initiative marks a shift in how Nigeria manages public wealth, with governance now central to growth, resilience, and investor confidence.

The introduction of the governance scorecard is a testament to the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s economy. As the country moves forward, one thing is clear: transparency, accountability, and growth will be the guiding principles for state-owned enterprises.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The market capitalisation of the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange rose by 1.70 per cent or N32.36 billion on Thursday, April 10, closing at N1.925 trillion, in contrast to the N1.892 trillion quoted at the preceding session.

However, the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) went up by 10.46 points or 0.32 per cent to 3,287.85 points from the 3,277.39 points it ended a day earlier.

The market capitalisation was higher yesterday after admitting additional shares of Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Plc (InfraCredit) to the platform after regulatory approval. The firm joined the NASD Exchange on March 6.

The company, backed by the Nigerian sovereign wealth fund, added 11.166 million units to bring its volume to 26.421 million.

At the trading session, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained N1.91 to close at N38.50 per unit versus N36.59 per unit, Mixta Real Estate Plc rose by 41 Kobo to N4.55 per share from the previous closing value of N4.14 per share, Lagos Building Infrastructure Company (LBIC) Plc grew by 17 Kobo to N2.63 per unit from N2.80 per unit, and Paintcom Investment Plc improved by 2 Kobo to N10.74 per share from N10.72 per share, while Geo-Fluids Plc declined by 22 Kobo to N2.00 per unit from N2.22 per unit.

The volume of transactions surged by 9,665.9 per cent to 18.1 million units from 185,449 units, the value of transactions soared by 7,174.3 per cent to N192.9 million from N192.9 million, and the number of deals rose by 81.8 per cent to 20 deals from 11 deals.

Impresit Bakolori Plc ended the day as the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) for trading 533.9 million units worth N520.9 million, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 71.2 million units valued at N24.2 million, and Geo Fluids Plc with 44.6 million units sold for N90.2 million.

FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc also remained as the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 14.5 million units valued at N559.2 million, followed by Impresit Bakolori Plc with 533.9 million units worth N520.9 million, and Afriland Properties Plc with 17.8 million units sold for N365.0 million.