Business
NASCON Reports 84% Growth in PAT
NASCON Allied Industries Plc turned in an impressive growth in all performance indicators in the year ended December 31, 2022, with profit after tax surging by 84 percent, from N2.97 billion to N5.47 billion.
The company’s shareholders consequently gave kudos to the management, at the 2022 annual general meeting (AGM) at the weekend in Lagos.
Analysis of the food seasoning company’s annual report indicated that profit before tax rose significantly by 98 percent, from N4.24 billion to N8.37 billion, representing an increase of N4.12 billion. Turnover was on the upswing, increasing from N33.28 billion to N58.79 billion, a 77 percent increase compared to 2021.
Earnings per share also increased to 206 kobo in 2022 in contrast to 112 kobo in 2021. A total of N2.65 billion is to be paid as dividend compared to N1.06 billion in 2021.
A shareholder, Tunde Badmus, applauded the management for the impressive performance and efficient running of the company, amid harsh economic environment. Badmus appreciated the company for the dividend declared despite what he described as the challenging operating environment.
In the same vein, former National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Anthony Omojola, lauded the board and management of NASCON for improved performance and declaration of dividend. Omojola said that the company had remained consistent in dividend payment over the years.
He, however, urged the company to work with registrars and investors relations department to tackle the rising unclaimed dividends in the market.
The shareholders approved a dividend payment of N1 per 50k share, totalling N2.65 billion as recommended by the board. This was in contrast with N1.06 billion or 40k per share declared in the comparative period of 2021.
According to Chairman, NASCON, ‘Yemisi Ayeni, the company reduced greenhouse gas emissions by five per cent during the accounting period.
Ayeni said the company implemented waste reduction programmes and achieved a 28 percent reduction in hazards and non-hazardous waste generated.
She said, “We have strengthened our relationships with our employees, customers, suppliers, and communities and supported initiatives that promote social well-being.
Acting Managing Director, NASCON, Thabo Mabe, pointed at insecurity, congested ports and poor road infrastructure, unstable power supply along with employee emigration, traffic gridlock and foreign exchange issues as factors which constituted challenges of doing business in 2022.
Mabe expressed optimism that “2023 will involve capitalisation on our gains, leading to greater productive efficiency and enhanced resource utilisation in spite of the challenges in 2022.”
On future plans, he said that the company would continue to embrace strategies that would boost its market share. “Our core competence in our business is to refine crude salt for both human and animal consumption. This is an area that we have focused our business to attain leading customer service standards. Our plan for future growth is to continue to develop these markets and drive cost savings within the business, as input costs skyrockets.
“Nigeria is blessed with a huge consumer base and opportunities; we will be part of these opportunities and contribute our quota to power eradication,” he said.
The National Salt Company of Nigeria was established as a salt refinery at Ijoko, Ogun State in 1973, as a joint venture between the Federal Military Government of Nigeria and Atlantic Salt & Chemical Inc. of Los Angeles, California, USA.
The Company was privatised in 1991 with its shares listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in October 1992, through which Dangote Industries Limited purchased majority shares. Following the reverse takeover of NASCON by Dangote Salt Limited (DSL) in 2007, NASCON acquired the assets, liabilities, and business undertakings of DSL.
Principal activities of the company include processing raw salt into refined, edible, and industrial salt. NASCON is also into the production of seasoning and vegetable oil.
. . . Tinubu Lauds NNPC Ltd, Partners Over Three Commissioned Gas Projects
In line with its renewed hope agenda, the Federal Government has reiterated determination to utilize Nigeria’s abundant gas resources towards revamping her industrial growth and kick-starting economic prosperity.
Biztellers reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the assertion while commissioning three critical gas infrastructure projects executed by the NNPC Limited and its partners in Ohaji-Egbema, in Imo State and Kwale, in Delta States, on Wednesday.
The three projects commissioned include the expansion of the AHL Gas Processing Plant, the ANOH Gas Processing Plant and the 23.3km ANOH to Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Custody Transfer Metering Station Gas Pipeline Projects.
He said, “It is pleasing that approximately, 500MMscf of gas in aggregate would be supplied to the domestic market from these two Gas Processing Plants, which represents over 25% incremental growth in gas supply.
“In practical terms, this translates into more gas to the Power Sector, Gas-Based Industries, and other critical segments of the economy.”
The President pointed out that from the onset, his administration was clear of its intention to leverage on the virtually unlimited capacity of gas to deepen domestic gas utilization, increase national power generation capacity, revitalize industries, and create multiple job opportunities for economic growth.
He said aside the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative which is aimed at moving Nigerians away from petrol and diesel as vehicular combustion fuel, significant progress has also been recorded in incentivizing gas development through Presidential Executive Orders.
While congratulating the projects partners (NNPC Limited, Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) and Seplat Energy for the successful implementation of the three projects, Tinubu particularly charged the NNPC Limited to, as the national energy company of choice, sustain its relentless efforts and record more successes in the energy sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
President Tinubu described the commissioning as a highly significant milestone for Nigeria as it demonstrates his administration’s efforts to accelerate the development of critical gas infrastructure geared at enhancing the supply of energy to boost industrial growth and create employment opportunities.
He said the projects were fully in line with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative, and his administration’s quest to grow value from the Nation’s abundant gas assets while concurrently eliminating gas flaring and accelerating industrialization.
“I wish to assure the citizenry that these are just the beginning, as the federal government is stepping up its coordination of other landmark projects and initiatives that will ensure the earliest realization of gas fueled prosperity in our country.
“Consequently, I wish to assure investors in the energy space that this is an investment enabling government and we will not relent in facilitating the ease of doing business,” the President noted.
Earlier in his address, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo highlighted the efforts of his ministry to continue to champion the utilisation of gas as a transition fuel as Nigeria moves towards achieving clean energy efficiency and security by 2060.
Ekpo commended the President for his leadership and support towards the success of the three projects.
In his remarks, the GCEO NNPC, Mele Kyari described the commissioning as a demonstration of Mr. President’s commitment and support to grow the domestic utilization of natural gas for power generation, as feedstock for gas-based industries and overall rapid industrialization of Nigeria on the back of the enormous gas resources in the country.
Kyari assured that as part of its mandate, NNPC Ltd remains committed to maintaining energy security by executing more strategic gas projects for the benefit of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Government has listed her April 2024 Savings Bonds worth N4.214 billion on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) platform.
This was disclosed in the market bulletin signed by the Head, Issuers Regulation Department of NGX, Godstime Iwenekhai.
According to the bulletin, “Trading License Holders are hereby notified that the April 2024 Issue of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Savings Bonds was listed on Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on May 13, 2024.”
Details of the Bonds include FGS April 2026, 1.228 million units valued at N1.228 billion at a coupon rate of 17.046%, while FGS April 2027, 2.986 million units amounted to N2.986 billion at a coupon rate of 18.046%.
The bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the FGN and charged upon the general assets of Nigeria, according to the debt office.
FGN Savings Bond is issued monthly in tenors of two and three years with quarterly payment of coupons (interest) at a rate predetermined and published by the DMO every month.
The retail savings bond product was introduced by the DMO on behalf of the FGN in 2017 to democratise its activities in the bond market by making it easily accessible to Nigerians to ensure continuous development of the domestic market and bridge infrastructure deficit which has been a constraint to economic growth.
Nigeria’s inflation rate surged to 33.69% in April 2024, up from 33.20% in March, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, released Wednesday, shows a 0.49 percentage point rise within a month.
Year-on-year, the inflation rate has surged by 11.47 percentage points, compared to 22.22% in April 2023, highlighting the ongoing economic challenges and rising costs for consumers.
The report reads “In April 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 33.69% relative to the March 2024 head line inflation rate which was 33.20%.
“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.47% points higher compared to the rate recorded in April 2023, which was 22.22%.
This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in the month of April 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., April 2023).
“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in April 2024 was 2.29%, which was 0.73% lower than the rate recorded in March 2024 (3.02%).
“This means that in the month of April 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is less than the rate of in crease in the average price level in March 2024.”
Prices of food and basic commodities have surged dramatically in recent weeks, as Nigerians grapple with a soaring cost of living and one of the nation’s most severe economic crises.
The crisis has been intensified by the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows.
The naira, which had appreciated against the dollar in April, has since plummeted from about N1,100/$1 to roughly N1,500/$1.
Following the latest inflation report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is anticipated to review the country’s interest rate, currently set at 24.75%.
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