Business
Investors gain N795bn as GTCO lists N4.706bn shares
The Nigerian stock market opened the week on a positive note to add N795 billion to the portfolios of investors.
The performance was driven by the listing of 4.706 billion ordinary shares of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc(GTCO) at N44.50 per share.
Accordingly, the market capitalisation which opened at N63.645 trillion, increased by N795 billion to close at N64.440 trillion.
The All-Share Index also rose by 0.79 per cent to close at 104,418.95, against 103,598.46 recorded on Friday.
As a result, the Year-To-Date(YTD)return advanced to 1.45 per cent.
Market breadth closed positive with 39 gainers and 30 losers on the floor of the Exchange.
On the gainers’ chart, Beta Glass led by 9.98 per cent to close at N65, RT Briscoe followed by 9.92 per cent to close at N2.77 per share.
Access Corporation added 9.88 per cent to close at N27.80, Chellarams Plc rose by 9.83 per cent to close at N4.47 and Sky Aviation appreciated by 9.80 per cent to close at N35.40 per share.
On the losers’ chart, MRS led by 10 per cent to close at N180.90, Transcorp Hotel trailed by 9.97 per cent to close at N114.65 per share.
Eunisell dropped 9.95 per cent to close at N11.40, JohnHolt went down by 9.64 per cent to close at N7.50, while Caverton declined by 9.40 per cent to close at N2.12 per share.
Trading activity on the NGX was robust, with the value of transactions up by 54.72 per cent.
Investors traded 518.28 million shares across 17,196 deals in value of N13.3 billion, compared with 569.63 million shares exchanged in 11,282 deals worth N8.6 billion posted in the previous session.
Access Corporation led the activity chart in volume with 51 million shares exchanged across 1,053 deals, while Zenith Bank led in value of deals worth N1.7 billion.
Ahead of the week, Analysts at Cowry Asset Management Ltd., had predicted that the current positive market sentiment is expected to persist.
The analysts said this would be supported by the release of corporate earnings and anticipated corporate actions.
They noted that the financial results published so far have been encouraging, providing a foundation for sustained price support and attracting fresh capital inflows into the market.
“Moreover, the prevailing low valuation of many stocks continues to create opportunities for investors to buy into value and strategically reposition their portfolios.
“However, the market may experience bouts of volatility as the earnings season progresses.
“Mixed macroeconomic data and upcoming economic events are likely to influence market sentiment, particularly for companies with December year-end financials,”they said.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the appointment of a new eight -man Senior Management Team.
The appointment followed the recent announcement followed the appointment of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Board of Directors.
Disclosing this in a statement on Friday, NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, said the appointments all take immediate effect.
“Following the appointment of the Group Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced the appointment of a new 8-man Senior Management Team on Friday,” he stated.
“The team which will be headed by the GCEO, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has Rowland Ewubare as Group Chief Operating Officer; Adedapo Segun as Group Chief Financial Officer; and Olalekan Ogunleye as Executive Vice President Gas, Power & New Energy.
“Other members of the team are: Udy Ntia as Executive Vice President Upstream; Mumuni Dangazau as Executive Vice President Downstream; Sophia Mbakwe as Executive Vice President Business Services; and Adesua Dozie, as Company Secretary & Chief Legal Officer. All appointments are with immediate effect.”
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-generaI of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), says the recent tariffs announced by the United States (US) will have significant implications for global trade and economic growth prospects.
On April 2, President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs on all imports into the US, imposing 14 percent on Nigeria.
In a statement on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO secretariat is closely monitoring and analysing the measures announced by the nation.
The WTO DG said many members have “reached out to us”, adding that the secretariat is actively engaging with them in response to their questions about the potential effect on their economies and the global trading system.
“The recent announcements will have substantial implications for global trade and economic growth prospects,” the economist said.
“While the situation is rapidly evolving, our initial estimates suggest that these measures, coupled with those introduced since the beginning of the year, could lead to an overall contraction of around 1% in global merchandise trade volumes this year, representing a downward revision of nearly four percentage points from previous projections.”
Okonjo-Iweala expressed concern over the decline and the potential for escalation into a tariff war with a cycle of retaliatory measures that could lead to further declines in trade.
“It is important to remember that, despite these new measures, the vast majority of global trade still flows under the WTO’s Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) terms,” she said.
“Our estimates now indicate that this share currently stands at 74%, down from around 80% at the beginning of the year. WTO members must stand together to safeguard these gains.”
According to the WTO DG, trade measures of this size have the potential to create significant trade diversion effects.
Therefore, she called on members to “manage the resulting pressures responsibly to prevent trade tensions from proliferating”.
“The WTO was established to serve precisely in moments like this — as a platform for dialogue, to prevent trade conflicts from escalating, and to support an open and predictable trading environment,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
She encouraged members to utilise the forum to engage constructively and seek cooperative solutions.
By Abubakar Yunusa
The Association of Labour Veteran and Trade Union Assembly has voiced its support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming that food prices have significantly decreased across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the union’s interim president, Comrade Isa Tijjani, acknowledged the initial economic hardship faced by Nigerians at the beginning of Tinubu’s administration but insisted that government efforts had led to tangible improvements.
“At the start of this administration, the cost of food soared, and the nation was filled with cries of hunger and complaints. People were urged to be patient as the government worked towards solutions,” Tijjani said.
“Now, the President and his aides have worked tirelessly, and prices have come down drastically. However, I have yet to hear words of appreciation for their efforts. Recognising their achievements will encourage them to do even more for the nation.”
Tijjani, a former national vice-president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, urged Nigerians to differentiate between constructive criticism and unwarranted opposition.
He emphasised that engaging with the government in a respectful and solution-oriented manner would yield better results than resorting to hostility.
“The President of this country today is Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Advising him in a humble and respectful manner will be more productive than adopting a confrontational stance. Constructive engagement achieves more than threats and name-calling,” he added.
Tijjani also condemned the recent act of violence in Edo State, describing it as a cowardly attempt to incite division and instability in Nigeria.
He welcomed the swift response of both the President and the Governor of Edo State in addressing the situation and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
The labour leader further urged union members to participate in the upcoming General Executive Council meeting, where the union’s position on national issues will be formalised and disseminated at all levels of governance, from the state to the local and ward levels.
The Tinubu administration has faced criticism over the country’s economic challenges, including inflation and currency depreciation. However, government officials have maintained that their policies will yield long-term benefits for Nigeria’s economy.