The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening state-owned businesses as part of its broader plan to achieve a self-sufficient economy. Speaking during a working visit to HHL Insurance Brokers Limited, the General Manager of the Kwara State Public Procurement Agency (KWPPA), QS Raheem Abdulbaki, emphasised the agency’s dedication to promoting local content across the state. He noted that these efforts have been consistently implemented over the past…

Africa’s most populous country among former crisis-hit economies attracting foreign inflows Foreign investors have flocked to Nigeria’s markets in recent months, as the threat of a US trade war with larger developing economies has sent portfolio managers looking for cover in former crisis-hit frontier markets now on the rebound. The Nigerian naira is among the world’s top-performing currencies since November’s US election with a rise of more than 7…

According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the naira appreciated by 0.16 percent to 1530.52/$ at the close of trading on Wednesday, March 19, from 1532.93/$ in the previous session. The naira traded as high as 1545/$ and reached a low of 1500/$, which was lower than Tuesday’s figures. In the parallel market, CardinalStone Research reported that the naira remained unchanged at 1,585.00/$, causing the spread for…

Electric vehicle maker Tesla is warning that the Trump administration’s trade policies could be detrimental to U.S.-based EV companies. In an unsigned March 11 letter to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the company — owned by billionaire Elon Musk, who is currently a special adviser to President Trump — encouraged the administration to consider how its trade policy could “harm” domestic automakers like Tesla. “As a…

Ottawa, Canada – Former Bank of England and Canada Governor, Mark Carney, has been elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Canada, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown with U.S. President Donald Trump over trade and diplomatic relations. On Sunday afternoon, the Liberal Party of Canada announced that Carney secured a decisive victory, winning 86% of the votes (131,674) against his closest competitor,…

The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) saw a significant boost on Monday, following the listing of additional shares by Fidelity Bank Plc, which increased the market capitalisation by N94 billion. This surge comes after the successful conclusion of the bank’s hybrid offer, which included both a rights issue and a public offer both of which were oversubscribed. A total of 18.2 billion ordinary shares, each valued at 50 kobo, were added to…

Traders had been expecting cartel to postpone its plan to boost output Opec+ said it will proceed with a plan to increase oil production from April, in an unexpected move by the cartel that sent crude prices tumbling. Saudi Arabia and seven other members of the Opec+ group had previously delayed a plan to unwind long-standing output cuts several times and traders had widely expected it to be postponed…

In what turns out to be a piece of positive news, Nigeria’s foreign reserves have surpassed the $40 billion mark for the first time in three years, marking a significant milestone in economic recovery efforts. The governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, who disclosed during a meeting with the Assistant Governor for Monetary Affairs at the Saudi Arabian Central Bank (SAMA), Talal Al-Humond, on the sidelines of…

The UK needs to develop a pipeline of construction skills and knowledge             After months of delivering confidence-sapping messages on the British economy, the Labour party has begun to change its tune. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled plans to build new towns across the country; part of a broader promise to construct 1.5mn homes within the current parliament. That followed announcements last month to revive the development of…

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has decided to maintain the country’s benchmark interest rate at 27.50% following its 299th meeting in Abuja. CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, made the announcement on Thursday, highlighting that the committee unanimously agreed to keep key monetary parameters unchanged as it evaluated the economic outlook for 2025. The CBN also kept the asymmetric corridor around the MPR at +500/-100…

For the past week, there have been verbal alterations between a cryptocurrency firm, Binance’s boss, Gambaryan and some members of the House of Representatives over the former’s claims that the lawmakers demanded a $150million bribe to give him a soft landing in the case of a fraud allegedly committed by the firm. However, the named lawmakers have fired back, affirming that Gambaryan’s allegation is a tale of falsehood and sheer…

Keystone Bank has announced that it is now fully owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria, following a ruling by the Lagos State High Court on Tuesday, 11 February 2025. The bank confirmed that the takeover would bolster its stability and assist in the smooth process of recapitalisation. The development comes after the court ordered the forfeiture of shares held by the bank’s former shareholders, Sigma Golf Nigeria Limited and…