Nigeria’s external reserve falls by $535m in May

The nation’s external reserve recorded its second monthly decline of $535 million last month. This came as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had intervened in the foreign exchange market by selling $6.84 billion from January to last month.
According to the CBN, the external reserve fell from $30.864 billion at the end of April to $30.329 billion on May 31, translating to decline of $535 million during the month.
Analysis showed that the reserve rose steadily by $7.06 billion from $23.93 billion on October 24 last year to $30.99 billion on May 4 when it commenced its steady decline. The reserve grew by $819 million in November, $1.07 billion in December, $2.33 billion in January and by $1.47 billion in February. The reserve, however, dropped by $645 million in March, while it also grew by $573 million in April.
The decline in the reserve in May was driven by increased dollar sales by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the slight drop in price of crude oil price from $53.69 dollars on April 12 to $48.85 per barrel on June 1st.

Senate plans to invite central bank, other banks over high interest rates

Abubakar Bukola Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki has said the Senate is concerned about the high interest rates on loans, stating that lawmakers will this week discuss the issue with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Deposit Money Banks.
He stated that in an economy where workers were being retrenched and people were losing investments, it was immoral for certain sectors to be making astronomical profits.
In an interview with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Sunday, the Senate President said, “They (banks) will tell you that they are doing business but in doing business, there must be social responsibility. We must be able to sit down and look at ourselves eyeball to eyeball, and we intend to do that; and I can promise Nigerians that we can find a solution. Hopefully with the stability in the forex market, we will now begin to address the high interest rate.
“There is no business that can make money if it is trying to borrow at 28 or 29 per cent. It cannot work and

Oil resumes rise after OPEC cut

Oil prices resumed their rise Thursday and held above the $50 barrier following OPEC’s decision to carry out its first output cut in eight years.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at a meeting in Vienna on Wednesday agreed on specific targets to enact a preliminary deal struck in September designed to ease a global crude supply glut and boost prices.
Many analysts had expected the producers’ cartel to fail to reach a deal as major players like Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia remained divided ahead of the meeting.
Crude futures prices surged more than 10 percent immediately after the OPEC deal.
At 0630 GMT Thursday, after a brief dip in early Asian trade, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for January delivery was up 70 cents or 1.42 percent at $50.14, while Brent crude for February was 81 cents or 1.6 percent higher at $52.65.

Workers ground Bristow operations in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Eket

Workers in the aviation sector yesterday staged a protest march that grounded operations of Bristow Helicopters in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Eket.
The employees, under the aegis of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), barricaded offices of the airline in the three cities in protest of welfare and alleged plan to sack more workers.
In a swift reaction, the management blamed the development on the poor run of business in the oil and gas sector.
Recall that the company, which services the oil and gas industry, has had a dip in business since the global oil market crash. Following the downturn, Bristow, in the last 12 months, released 118 expatriate pilots and engineers as well as 21 Nigerian pilots and engineers from its payroll.
NAAPE said the shutdown of the helicopter company was due to management’s alleged redundancy

Closed banks: NDIC appoints 10 agent banks to collect depositors’ claims

The Nigeria Deposit insurance Corporation has called on depositors who lost their money in any closed banks to file their claims through the appointed 10 agent banks nationwide.
The Managing Director of the Corporation, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, made the call on Wednesday in Kano at NDIC’s Special Day at the ongoing 37th Kano International Trade Fair.
According to Ibrahim, the appointed agent banks include First Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank of Africa, Zenith Bank and Wema Bank.
Others are Heritage Bank, Union Bank, Fidelity Bank, Skye Bank, Unity Bank and Diamond Bank.
Ibrahim said in addition, depositors could also file such claims in any of its Zonal Offices located across the country for the payment of such claims.
He said the corporation had also extended deposit insurance coverage to the subscribers of non-interest banking institutions under the Shari’ah compliant banking services to the maximum limit of N500, 000 per depositor.
In addition, Ibrahim said the corporation had developed framework on Pass-Through Deposit Insurance Scheme to protect subscribers of Mobile Money Operators with a maximum insured limit of N500,000 per

Lagos, GE pledge to boost economy through SMEs

Lagos State Government and General Electric (GE) on Tuesday, pledged to boost Nigeria’s economy through the development of necessary skills that will empower Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to drive growth in the country.
The SME sector is seen as the country’s engine of growth, in terms of development and industrialisation, wealth creation, poverty reduction and employment creation. Majority of Nigerian entrepreneurs are SME players, who employ at least 10 people and above.
Speaking at the launch of a hub, ‘Lagos Garage’ built by GE for advanced manufacturing-based innovation, strategy development, idea generation and collaboration, experts said desired growth in Africa, particularly Nigeria is only feasible through sustained effort towards empowering SMEs
The United States multinational conglomerate, GE operations span appliances, aviation, finance, energy, healthcare, ideas, intelligent platforms, lighting, oil and gas, power.
In Nigeria, GE’s interests are mostly in power and oil and gas, in which it has entered into many contractual agreements with the Federal and some state governments. However, the company is very secretive about its

USAID, Chi Farms partner to raise 4,000 tonnes of fish

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Chi Farms Limited have entered into a partnership to enhance capacity of small-scale farmers in the country and to add about 4,000 tonnes of catfish into the nation’s food basket yearly.
The partnership, which is part of the U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative, aims to assist entrepreneurs to become successful catfish farmers.
Chi Farms, according to the project layout, will ensure supply of quality feed and catfish juveniles to the farmers by enhancing its feed milling and hatching capacities.
Executive Director, Chi Farms Ltd, Martin Middernacht, said that the partnership would add positively to the overall food security in Nigeria.

NNPC bid: We’ll ensure accountability – Baru

Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said the bid for the sales and purchase of Nigerian crude oil grades will be transparent.
Baru said this in Abuja on Thursday when he declared the process open. ‎
According to him, the crude oil contract tenders‎ are to ensure transparency, enshrine accountability and conduct business in line with best global practices.
Baru said: “Today’s event marks yet another turning point in our quest to further enshrine transparency and accountability, two critical core values of our Corporation.
“Our focus as a national oil company is to enhance our production volumes, ensure the best value is realised through competitive marketing of our crude grades to international refineries and traders.
“In line with this aspiration, NNPC is collaborating with key stakeholders to improve on the overall security of our production sites and to ensure the safety of our environment.

Naira weakens to 470 on fresh dollar scarcity

The naira weakened to 470 on Thursday, from 465 on Wednesday, as fresh dollar scarcity hit the official and parallel foreign exchange markets.
The local currency had appreciated to around 450 after security agents carried out series of raids on Bureau De Change operators, who sold the greenback above the N400 stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Security agents have been raiding the offices of the BDC operators, ordering them to sell dollar at a lower rate in a bid to break the fall of the local currency.
However, the naira started recording losses gradually again as scarcity of the greenback weighed on the forex markets.
“The clampdown on the black market operators by security agents has negatively impacted dollar supply to the market,” one Bureau de changer operator told Reuters.
Economic and currency experts have said getting security agents after the BDC operators cannot get the

NSE ends eight-day loss, 19 stocks gain

Trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange ended on a positive note on Wednesday as 19 stocks recorded gains with market capitalisation appreciating by N20bn.
The NSE All-Share Index snapped its eight-day losing streak as most key sectors traded in positive territory.
A total of 165.725 million shares valued at N1.126bn exchanged hands in 2,484 deals.
The NSE market capitalisation rose to N8.784bn from N8.764bn, while the NSE ASI closed at 25,517 basis points from 25,461.34 basis points.
The financial services sector led gains after advances in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc by 1.19 per cent, 1.18 per cent and 0.82 per cent, respectively.
The consumer goods and industrial goods sectors also closed higher following gains across PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Glaxo Smitkline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc and Cap Plc by 4.90 per cent, 3.40

W’Bank budgets N12.2bn to clear Apapa gridlock

The World Bank is to support Nigeria’s maritime sector with N12.2bn ($40m) to help clear the traffic congestion that characterises most roads around the Nigerian Ports Authority in Apapa, Lagos, the Nigerian Shippers Council has said.
According to the NSC, the National Freight Information and Transport Hub, an arm of the World Bank, is working with the NPA on how the funds will be used to clear the trucks and tankers that cause heavy gridlock at Apapa, Orile, Tin Can Island and other areas around the Lagos port complex.
The Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, told journalists in Abuja during a press briefing that the move was aimed at making the NPA more efficient, adding that it would also ensure that oil pipelines were used to transport petroleum products instead of tankers.
He said, “No matter how efficient the terminal is, if you don’t have the road to evacuate cargo, how will you move your goods out of the ports? So, there must be an intervention and in that regard, the NSC has

Recession: FG plans tax relief for manufacturers – Adeosun

The Federal Government, in a bid to ease the burden of the current economic recession on the manufacturing sector, is planning some form of tax relief for the sector.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, dropped the hint on Wednesday in Abuja while responding to questions from journalists at the end of the Federation Account Allocation Committee meeting.
She said the tax relief was part of measures by the Federal Government to reduce the negative impact of the foreign exchange crisis on the sector.
Based on the Gross Domestic Product report for the third quarter released by the National Bureau of Statistics, the manufacturing sector’s growth rate was recorded at -2.93 per cent year-on-year.
This is lower by 1.02 percentage points than what was recorded in the second quarter of the year.
The report had blamed the decline in manufacturing activities to the continued drop in the naira to dollar exchange rate, which has made industrial inputs more expensive.

Brazil oil giant gets bribe money back

Brazilian prosecutors leading a major corruption investigation have returned $60m (£49m) to state oil giant Petrobras.
The money was retrieved from senior politicians, civil servants and businessmen who agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
The kickback scheme cost Petrobras an estimated $1.8bn, said company boss Pedro Parente.
The scandal has rocked the country and led to mass street protests.
Dozens of politicians and some of Brazil’s wealthiest businessmen have been arrested as part of the inquiry, known as Operation Car Wash, over the past two years.
Under new legislation, they were allowed to tell what they knew and return some of the corruption money in exchange for shorter sentences.
Many in Brazil criticised the operation, saying it was politically motivated and targeted mostly members of the

Innoson delivers 1st indigenous vehicles to military

To enhance the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists in the country, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous auto plant, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Ltd, has designed and built IVM G12 series, a special purpose range of off-road light trucks, for use by the military and related security organisations.
The first indigenous military vehicle was officially handed over to the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Bornu State, last week to enhance the operations against insurgency.
Presenting the IVM G12 series to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, at the tactical headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maimalari Barracks in the Borno State capital, the chairman, Innoson Group, Dr Innocent Chukwuma, assured that the vehicle would be at home on the challenging terrains the army is used to in its operations.
Chief Chukwuma introduced Innoson IVM G12 series as a highly mobile and tactical pick-up van, with double reinforced shock absorbers that can show strength and ability to cope with military functions, especially in the Northeastern part of the country.
Receiving the truck, General Buratai praised Innoson’s vision of manufacturing vehicles that serve the specific

Buhari demands transparency from Boards of NNPC, NCDMB, NNRA

President Buhari in a group photo with Members of Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) shortly after inaugurating Board of Parastatals in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources at the State House on 18th November 2016.Facebook/Femi Adesina

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the boards of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), with a call on the board members to uphold transparency in the management of ‎the organizations.
He also asked them to come up with new ways to overcome the present economic challenges.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, will chair the boards of the agencies under his ministry.
In a short remark, the president charged the members to ensure propriety in the management of the agencies.
The president noted that the boards came at a time when the global petroleum industry was going through a downturn in purchase which he said, had also translated into dwindling production by most producer nations.
He said Nigeria had been hit by the misfortunes of oil industry adding that several countries had been hit much harder.

Brexit will boost UK-Nigeria business ties – Envoy

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, on Friday said the decision by the UK to exit the European Union would boost business ties between it and Nigeria.
Arkwright said this in Lagos at a roundtable organised for workers and business entrepreneurs.
He said the target of the British Government was to grow its market.
According to him, relations between Nigeria and the UK will become stronger after exiting the EU.
He added that the British Government had decided to leave the EU and it would not renege on its decision.
The envoy noted that the British Government would give priority to smooth transition that would minimise disruption and there would be no immediate changes to their relationship with the EU.
Arkwright said: “Until we exit formally, UK will remain a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations of membership.”
Arkwright said the UK was working toward encouraging more businesses in Nigeria and would invest and

NNPC set to commence production of aviation fueI in Port Harcourt refinery

As part of the management of Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has announced its readiness to commence the production of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) popularly known as aviation fuel.
This part of efforts the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to reposition company for profitability in line with the 12-point agenda.
The Managing Director of PHRC, Dr. Bafred Enjugu, who disclosed this in a presentation made to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, during an official tour of the 210, 000 barrels per day facility, said the refinery has met all the international parameters for the production of aviation fuel.
“The good news from our stand point is that we have scored 24 out of the 24 parameters for the production of aviation fuel and I must say that this is made possible because of the never-give-up attitude of workers of the great PHRC,” he said.
Dr. Enjugu said the refinery has successfully blended ATK and was only waiting for appropriate conditions to commence full scale production of the product in response to demand of the aviation sector.

PENGASSAN may declare strike over job losses in oil sector

There are indications that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) may begin industrial action soon if the job losses in the oil and gas sector are not halted.
The President of the union, Olabode Johnson, who said this in Abuja, berated oil companies for reneging on the agreement reached over pathways to halting job losses and paying sacked workers their entitlements in full.
“What is very sad in this country is that high-level meetings are held at the ministerial level and decisions arrived at are not taken seriously by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and other oil companies on issues that have to do with the welfare of workers. We now have a situation where the oil companies are now reneging on the agreement. This is a slap on the face of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“We have said times without number that these IOCs cannot do what they are doing in Nigeria in their countries of origin. If they find it difficult to obey our laws here, then they should pack their equipment and

Trump plan to boost oil, coal could send prices lower

President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to boost the oil and gas sector and bring back coal, reversing President Barack Obama’s efforts to encourage renewable energy and cut dependence on fossil fuels.
But analysts say Trump’s policies could serve to worsen the global energy glut, which would reduce prices while doing little to revive the fortunes of “Big Coal.”
Trump has made no secret of his support for fossil fuels. His policy advisors include top oil industry lobbyists, fracking king Harold Hamm, and oil-rich North Dakota’s congressman Kevin Cramer.
Trump has promised to eliminate regulations restricting fracking; support oil and gas pipeline construction, including the Keystone XL project blocked by the Obama administration; open now-restricted federal lands and offshore areas, for exploration, including Alaska; and end Obama’s 2015 Clean Power Plan, which

Billionaire Warren Buffett invests in 3 big US airlines

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has taken stakes in three large US airlines, in a $1.3 billion bet that marks a sharp U-turn of his antagonistic views on the sector.
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. invested $797 million in American Airlines, $249 million in Delta Air Lines and $237 million in United Continental Holdings, according to a regulatory filing reviewed Monday by AFP.
Berkshire Hathaway also took a stake in Southwest Airlines, CNBC television network reported Monday.