Business
Euro zone witness lowest inflation drop since 2009
BRUSSELS – Euro zone inflation hit its lowest level since November 2009 in March; a shock drop that raises expectations the European Central Bank will take radical action to stop the threat of deflation in the currency bloc.
Annual consumer inflation in the 18 countries sharing the euro was 0.5 percent in March, with the pace of price rises cooling from February’s 0.7 percent reading, the EU’s statistics office Eurostat said on Monday.
Economists polled by Reuters had predicted a 0.6 percent reading – itself worrying for an economy that is barely pulling out of a record-long recession after a crisis that nearly broke up the currency area.
The euro zone is far from the deflation that Japan suffered from the early 1990s, when falling prices weakened demand, leading to wage cuts and even lower prices, but the bloc’s low inflation rate is a clear sign of economic fragility.
Inflation has now been in the ECB’s “danger zone” of below 1 percent for six consecutive months, and the flash reading increases the chances the ECB will cut interest rates when its Governing Council meets on Thursday. Speculation has also grown that it may employ other easing measures such as a negative deposit rate or even U.S.-style bond-buying.
But this year’s late Easter, which has delayed the impact of rising travel and hotel prices at a time when many people go away in Europe, could encourage the euro zone’s central bank to wait until its June meeting to act.
“This will keep the possibility of further monetary policy easing very much alive,” said Nick Kounis, head of economic research at ABN AMRO in Amsterdam. “Nevertheless, the central bank has shown quite some tolerance for low inflation recently.”
The ECB, which targets inflation of just below 2 percent, left borrowing costs unchanged at 0.25 percent in March and has argued that deflation risks in the bloc are limited.
‘LOW-FLATION’
Some euro zone members, like Ireland, Cyprus and Greece have experienced falling prices in recent months. For the bloc as a whole, price rises for industrial goods outside the energy sector were very modest in March, a sign demand remains weak.
On Monday, the International Monetary Fund’s top European official said the ECB had more room to cut interest rates to counter risks from low inflation, although he said the Fund did not see deflation setting in.
“We are not so much worried about deflation by itself, but we are very worried about what we call ‘low-flation’,” said Reza Moghadam, Director of the IMF’s European Department.
“There is more room for further (ECB) easing, not least because inflation is under control.”
ECB President Mario Draghi suggested after the ECB’s March meeting that the bank will either do nothing or take bold action should the outlook deteriorate.
He has also said the bank has been preparing additional policy steps to guard against possible deflation, and that the longer inflation remained low, the higher was the probability of deflationary risks emerging.
The relentless weakening trend may focus minds, especially after the head of Germany’s powerful central bank came out to discuss some of the bolder options in more detail, for example pumping more money into the economy via a bond-buying programme.
“There’s still a case for easing, but we don’t think there’s going to be enough agreement within the Governing Council members to ease on Thursday,” said Guillaume Menuet, an economist at Citigroup in London.
One factor that may temper the ECB’s response is a sense among economists that inflation has hit bottom and will rise in the coming months. Commerzbank’s Christoph Weil said he expected consumer prices to be back at 0.9 percent in April, noting the late Easter and also stabilizing food and energy prices.
– REUTERS
Shell will continue to support Nigeria in its efforts to build a secure energy future through investments and efficient delivery of its businesses in Nigeria.
“We continue to invest in Nigeria’s future through our projects, our people, and our enduring confidence in the potential of this nation,” General Manager, Development and Subsurface Shell Nigeria Deepwater, Kun Jiang said today while delivering the sponsor’s remarks at the 49th edition of the Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Lagos.
Kun highlighted current investments in Bonga North, HI and the advancement of Bonga Southwest as testimonies of Shell’s confidence in Nigeria’s deepwater future. The confidence was further reiterated with the recent launch of a US$3 billion contract financing programme by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), which will help Nigerian contractors build capability, create value, and accelerate project delivery.
Shell is a major sponsor of the conference as part of a longstanding support for a professional body which has contributed to the development of the oil and gas industry. Discussing the theme of the conference; “Thriving in the Evolving Global Energy Landscape: Collaborative Growth and Resilience,” Kun said Nigeria had a lot of opportunities despite geopolitical tensions that threaten global supply chains and market volatility and shifting energy dynamics.
“With a population exceeding 240 million people, abundant natural resources, world-class talent, and growing domestic energy needs, Nigeria has all the ingredients to become one of the world’s most attractive energy investment destination,” she pointed out. “But potential alone does not create prosperity. Potential must be converted into progress. Resources must be transformed into value. Opportunity must be matched by action.”
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Nigeria must continue to attract capital, strengthen the business environment, embrace technology to unlock potentials if it will thrive in the global evolving energy landscape. She added: “The future will belong to countries and industries that combine resilience with innovation, ambition with collaboration and investment with execution excellence. Nigeria has the resources. Nigeria has the talent. Nigeria has the opportunity. What is required now is the collective determination to seize it.”
Shell is mounting an exhibition at the SPE conference with SNEPCo’s Senior Production Geologist Abidemi Belgore taking industry leaders and regulators round the stand.
Key areas of interest include technological breakthroughs that have enhanced output at Bonga and facilitated the execution of the Bonga North project. Also highlighted on the stand is the full range of Shell businesses in Nigeria from deepwater oil production and integrated gas to renewables and power solutions as well as social investments across the country.
The Nigerian naira recorded further gains against the United States dollar on Monday, appreciating to N1,408 per dollar in the parallel market, compared to N1,415/$ recorded at the close of trading last weekend.
The local currency also strengthened in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), where it appreciated to N1,365 per dollar, up from N1,368/$ at the end of last week.
According to data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the indicative exchange rate improved by N3, reflecting sustained appreciation of the naira in the official market.
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The latest gains also narrowed the gap between the parallel and official exchange rates to N43 per dollar, down from N47 per dollar recorded on Friday, indicating a gradual convergence between both markets.
Meanwhile, activity in the official foreign exchange market increased significantly, with interbank turnover surging by 132.3 per cent to N137.05 million, compared to N58.99 million recorded last weekend.
The improved performance of the naira across both markets comes amid continued efforts by monetary authorities to stabilise the foreign exchange market and enhance liquidity.
With a view to improving operational efficiency, safety, compliance and service delivery across its operations, Pinnacle Oil & Gas Limited has reaffirmed commitment to building stronger relationships with its vendors.
The company made the commitment at its 2026 Vendors’ Forum held in Lagos under the theme, “Partnering for Operational Excellence,” with the sub-theme, “Strengthening Partnerships Through Compliance, Safety, Performance and Innovation.”
The forum brought together more than 100 existing and prospective vendors as well as key stakeholders, both physically and virtually, to strengthen collaboration and align suppliers with the company’s operational standards and growth strategy.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Oil & Gas, Adenike Labinjo, described vendors as strategic partners whose commitment to quality, innovation, safety and compliance is critical to the company’s success.
She said as Pinnacle continues to expand its operations, it has become increasingly important for the company and its vendors to share a common understanding of expectations, responsibilities and performance standards.
Labinjo stressed that safety, regulatory compliance and ethical business practices remain non-negotiable in all engagements with suppliers.
She noted that stronger collaboration with vendors would help the company deliver greater value to customers and other stakeholders while supporting sustainable business growth.
The forum featured technical presentations by senior executives from the company’s Procurement, Engineering, Compliance, Finance, Legal, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), and Sales and Marketing departments.
Participants received guidance on Pinnacle’s procurement procedures, vendor onboarding and prequalification processes, Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, tax invoicing, payment processes, contractual obligations, technical specifications, contractor responsibilities, supplier performance expectations and Service Level Agreements.
The company also unveiled improvements to its Purchase Order (PO) process aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and ease of doing business with vendors.
A major highlight of the event was an interactive question-and-answer session where vendors engaged directly with the company’s leadership on procurement procedures, compliance requirements, project execution, HSE standards and areas for continuous improvement.
According to Pinnacle, the session reinforced its commitment to transparency, open communication and stronger collaboration with suppliers.
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The company also recognised outstanding vendors whose contributions have supported its operational performance over the past year. Five companies received Certificates of Recognition for exceptional service delivery, innovation and partnership.
The award recipients were Great Grace Enterprise for Outstanding Delivery Performance, Cevets Nigeria Limited for Excellence in Project Delivery, Ceezik Projekts for Outstanding Quality, Diadco Nigeria Limited for Outstanding Responsiveness, and Sephill Innovative Solutions Limited for Best Commercial Value.
On the significance of the forum, Head of Procurement and Administration, Oluseyi Ogunfowora, said the initiative reflects Pinnacle’s determination to build stronger partnerships through transparency, collaboration and shared accountability.
She explained that the procurement function coordinates the requirements of Engineering, Operations, Marine, Compliance, Legal, Finance, HSE and other business units to ensure a fair, efficient and transparent procurement process.
Ogunfowora urged vendors to submit complete and compliant documentation, communicate proactively and seek clarification whenever necessary.
“The success of our business depends on the strength of our partnerships,” she said. “When vendors clearly understand our expectations and we work together with transparency, compliance and open communication, we create a high-performing vendor ecosystem that benefits everyone.”
She added that the 2026 Vendors’ Forum forms part of Pinnacle’s broader strategy to strengthen supplier engagement, improve operational efficiency and reinforce a culture of compliance, safety, innovation and continuous improvement throughout its value chain.
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