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Nigerian Stock Market Wraps 2023 With A Stellar N13trn Investor Gain

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In 2023, President Bola Tinubu’s reforms spurred a remarkable surge in the Nigerian stock market, with investors witnessing a staggering N13 trillion increase in returns.

Tinubu’s strategic policies, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the streamlining of foreign exchange rates, instilled robust confidence among investors, driving significant growth in fundamental stocks.

Despite facing double-digit inflation, the market’s capitalization closed the year at N40.918 trillion, a striking 46.6% leap from its 2022 closure at N27.91 trillion.

As a result, the Nigerian Exchange Limited All-Share Index (NGX ASI) soared to an unprecedented high of 74,773.77 basis points, marking an impressive Year-to-Date gain of 45.90% from its opening at 51,251.06 basis points for trading.

The addition of new listings significantly influenced the record-breaking trajectory of the NGX ASI, sustaining the stock market’s upward momentum.

Companies like MeCure Industries Plc, VFD Group, Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF), and Africa Plus Partners notably contributed to the positive trajectory observed in the period.

In 2023, significant stock market indices responded to the market’s trend, influenced by the wide-reaching reforms impacting various sectors within the Exchange.

Specifically, the NGX Banking Index surged by 114.90% to reach 897.20 basis points, while the NGX Oil & Gas Index saw a robust increase of 125.54% to hit 1,043.06 basis points.

Additionally, the NGX Industrial Goods Index experienced a growth of 12.86% to reach 2,712.27 basis points.

Commenting on the 2023 stock market performance, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka, the Chief Executive Officer of Wyoming Capital and Partners, remarked, “The market in 2023 was notably eventful and bullish.”

He said “We saw a market that picked its 2023 position way back in November 2022, when it was obvious that the three leading presidential candidates, namely: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, that could succeed former President Muhammadu Buhari, were pro-market.

“And so, the build-up to the bullish run in 2023, that started in November 2022, was a demonstration of market confidence in a private sector-centric president.

“The inaugural speech of President Tinubu, with respect to fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, eventually activated the market-wide pent-up confidence that had always been there but eluded the market ever since.

This market-wide confidence remained throughout the year.” he added

Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka expressed optimism for the Nigerian stock market in 2024, foreseeing a continuation of positive momentum.

Olayinka further stated “And we can draw that from 2024 budget proposal of President Tinubu, where total reliance has been placed on the use of private capital in funding some important developmental projects across the country.

“In a way, we are going to see more public companies get listed on the stock exchange for the purpose of raising new capital, while the existing listed companies will not be left behind in this development.

“So, I see a very bullish and active primary market in 2024, even though, there could be occasional moderation in price movement across the board, as investors take profit and engage in portfolio rebalancing.

“The fact that private sector will take the lead in navigating the economy out of its prolonged state of disequilibrium, we will see a better capital market in 2024.”

Managing Director of ARM Securities Limited, Rotimi Olubi, highlighted that in 2023, the Nigerian stock market demonstrated resilience amid challenges such as global agencies’ downgrades (FTSE and MSCI) and macroeconomic hurdles like persistent inflation, high-interest rates, and foreign exchange losses.

He said “Despite all these, the Nigerian equities market proved to stand strong, hitting historic highs with the NGX All Share Index reaching an unprecedented 70,000 points and achieving an impressive 45.90per cent YtD return, culminating at 74,773.77 basis points by year-end.

“Reforms, notably FX liberalisation and the removal of petrol subsidies, spurred investor optimism, resulting in substantial gains, particularly in the Banking and Oil and Gas sectors.  Furthermore, impressive earnings in the face of inflationary pressures and FX losses further boosted investor confidence, contributing to the remarkable market returns,” Olubi added.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s external reserves plummeted to a six-year low of $32.87 billion by December’s end, as data indicated. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervened by selling dollars in an attempt to stabilize the declining naira currency.

A combination of unresolved forwards, unfulfilled assurances of dollar inflows, and a twenty-year high in inflation led to a turbulent period for the naira.

As a result, the currency devalued by over 50%, making it the third worst-performing global currency in 2023. Kyle Chapman, an FX markets analyst at London-based Ballinger & Co, highlighted these challenges.

To support the naira, the CBN depleted its foreign exchange reserves, which had peaked at $47.63 billion in June 2018. By December, the country’s dollar reserves dwindled to a level last recorded in September 2017, standing at $32.16 billion.

Chapman said “The naira’s downwards momentum is likely to continue through much of 2024, and its ultimate trajectory will depend on whether the CBN’s rhetoric transforms into concrete policy moves that drive up the flow of U.S dollars into Nigeria and shore up trust in the official market.”

 

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CSOs Urge Further Reduction Of Pump Prices Of Petrol

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NNPCL Raises Official Fuel Pump Price To N537 Per Litre

 

Following the marginal reduction of the pump prices of premium motor spirit (PMS) by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian National Petrol Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), civil society groups have reacted by calling for further downward review.

Recall that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery had announced a partnership with MRS Oil and Gas to offer petrol at N935 per litre at retail outlets, while it reviewed the ex-depot price from N970 to N899.50 per litre.

The move, saw state oil major, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company peg its retail prices at N965/litre.

ALSO READ: Dangote Partnership: MRS Urges Nigerians To Insist On N935/Litre Petrol Price Nationwide

However, the civil society groups are of the opinion that the price reduction, fall short of expectations.

According to the Chairman, Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, the reduced price of N935/litre was still expensive and unsatisfactory.

He pointed out that petrol was just one of the products coming out of crude and that both government and private business could still give out free petrol to citizens while making huge profits from the other products.

In his words, “Well, we believe that if NNPC and the private sector actually give out PMS for free, they will still not run their business at a loss, because the other derivatives of petroleum products can still serve them, and can still make them to break even. So, even at that N900 and something, it’s still expensive.

“Dangote has kind of mooted the idea that it could drop to as low as N650. And if he has mulled this, then it means that it is the state, it is the NNPC that will have been the clog in the wheel of such progress. And you know also that we expected that fuel prices, especially PMS prices, will drop below N200 when Dangote was expected to come on stream.

“So, it’s unfortunate that we are still talking about over N900 and they want us to jump up and rejoice for that. That is not satisfactory. They should just let us see the breakdown of their production cost and why it’s still there. I mean, there are countries like Libya under Gaddafi that gave out PMS for free and they didn’t run anything at any loss. So, I believe that it can still go further down.”

On his part, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Ibrahim Rafsanjani, commended the reduction of fuel prices by the NNPC and Dangote, but said the government could still reduce the price.

“Dangote’s own is about N899 or something like that. Well first and foremost, we are happy that there is a little reduction in the prices. But also based on analysis and based on facts and evidences, we believe that it is possible for the Nigerian government to further reduce the prices.

“Because if a private company can reduce the price and it still makes profit, we wonder why government-owned enterprises cannot really pity its citizens,” he said.

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Non-Oil Sector Fuels Nigeria’s Q3 2024 GDP Growth, Says CBN

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a significant growth in the country’s economy, with a 3.46% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of 2024.

This marks the third consecutive quarter of expansion, up from 3.19% in Q2 2024 and 2.54% in Q3 2023.

According to the newly published Q3 economic report, Nigeria’s GDP output rose to ₦20.115 trillion, reflecting a notable improvement from ₦18.285 trillion in the previous quarter.

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The CBN attributed this growth primarily to the performance of the non-oil sector, which grew by 3.37% compared to 2.80% in Q2 2024.

The report highlighted transportation, crop production, and other sub-sectors such as financial & insurance services, information & communication, trade, and real estate as major contributors to the expansion.

The non-oil sector accounted for 3.18 percentage points of the total growth rate.

“The expansion of the non-oil sector was driven by the performance of the financial & insurance, information & communication, crop production, trade, transportation & storage, and real estate sub-sectors,” the report stated.

Despite the economic growth, challenges persist. Inflation, particularly in food prices, remains a significant concern, standing at 39.93% as of November 2024.

Rising food and energy costs have also impacted transportation expenses, with intercity bus fares increasing by 20.23% year-on-year to ₦7,117.17 in July 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Furthermore, the cost of petroleum, now exceeding ₦1,000 per litre, has driven up logistics and transportation expenses, adding pressure to households and businesses alike.

The CBN acknowledged these challenges, noting that the growth was achieved despite headwinds such as high inflation and rising operational costs.

Enhanced security measures in the Niger Delta have boosted domestic crude oil production, while restrictive monetary policies have helped moderate inflation in some areas.

“The growth recorded in the country is a result of continued efforts to improve the business environment, streamline cumbersome business processes, and deepen the quality of business infrastructure,” the CBN noted.

However, the report comes amid concerns over businesses exiting Nigeria due to persistent economic challenges.

 

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CSR: Asharami Synergy Donates Furniture To Gaskiya Junior School

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AOW 2021: Sahara Group advocates measured transition in Africa’s upstream sector

 

Asharami Synergy, a leading downstream energy solutions provider, has demonstrated its commitment to community development and education by donating essential furniture to Gaskiya Junior School in Ijora, Lagos, Nigeria.

Biztellers reports that the social responsibility initiative was executed in collaboration with Sahara Group Foundation – the social impact vehicle of global energy conglomerate, Sahara Group.

It was gathered that the initiative is part of Asharami Synergy’s ongoing efforts to support education in communities.

The donation includes classroom desks and chairs for the JSS1 classes.

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CEO of Asharami Synergy, Nomnso Dike, said the project will create a more comfortable and functional learning environment and enhance student performance.

“We are delighted at the opportunity to support the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education. It has been a privilege to collaborate with the management and students of Gaskiya Junior School to deliver this project, and we look forward to future opportunities to enhance academic performance in this historic institution,” Dike said.

According to him, Asharami Synergy’s education-focused social impact initiatives have benefitted over 10,000 individuals. They focus on building capacity and providing the resources necessary to help students learn and grow sustainably.

“Education is the foundation of a brighter future, and at Asharami Synergy, we believe that every child deserves a learning environment that inspires and empowers them” he noted, adding, “This donation is not just about providing furniture; it’s a reminder to the students that their dreams are valid, and we are committed to helping them achieve their goals.”

Vice Principal Academic of Gaskiya Junior School, Sola Oladokun, commended Asharami Synergy for the donation, noting that it would inspire students to perform better with “increased concentration and fewer distractions”.

“These desks and chairs are a game-changer for our students. It’s heartwarming to see their excitement, and as teachers, we are equally thrilled because this will make teaching and learning more effective. We are incredibly grateful to Asharami Synergy and Sahara Group Foundation for this thoughtful intervention,” she added.

Two representatives of the students, Akin Moses and Chukwudi Gift, at the event said the donation would increase their “desire to dream bigger and concentrate better during lessons”.

Also speaking at the commissioning, COO at Asharami Synergy, Adekanmi Adesola, said, “What started as an opportunity to support the communities that host our operations has now come full circle. This donation directly impacts the lives of these students, and we are proud to bring smiles to the faces of the students and teachers.”

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