Capital Market

NGX Group Appoints Kwairanga As New Chairman

Published

12 months ago

October 7, 2022

Olushola Okunlade Writes

Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), a leading integrated market infrastructure group in Africa has announced that its Board has appointed Alhaji (Dr) Umaru Kwairanga as the new Chairman at its meeting held on Wednesday, 5 October 2022.

Prior to Dr. Kwairanga’s appointment as the substantive Chairman, Mr. Ikpobe Apollos, a Non-Executive Director of NGX Group was on Friday, 30 September 2022 elected as the Acting Chairman. The appointment of an acting chairman was done to ensure governance continues and allows for wider consultations before the appointment of a substantive successor to the erstwhile Chairman, Otunba Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who announced his retirement at the 61st Annual General Meeting of the Group.

In keeping with good governance ethos, and to ensure continuity as well as institute an orderly succession plan for The Group, the Board also created the position of Vice Chairman and appointed Mr. Oluwole Adeosun, a Non-Executive Director of NGX Group and current President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) to fill this position.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Kwairanga resolved to work assiduously with his colleagues on the Board to immediately stabilise relationships with all key stakeholders and set the Group on the path to a brighter future. “I am very excited to lead the execution of our corporate strategy and deliver world-class governance to the Group. I appreciate the Board for the confidence in my abilities to deliver on our mandate for the shareholders of NGX Group. I would like to thank our erstwhile Chairman, Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and our outgoing Acting Chairman, Mr. Apollos Ikpobe for their outstanding and diligent service to the Company, and I promise to continue to deliver in line with their set standard of execution and delivery.”

Dr. Kwairanga, a thoroughbred capital market professional with an excellent corporate governance pedigree, has 30 years of cognate experience in banking, pensions, manufacturing, and commercial sectors. He served previously as a Council Member of the then Nigerian Stock Exchange and as a member of the Board of Directors of NGX Group. He is currently a Council member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria and an active director of multiple listed and unlisted companies.

In 2019, the Southern Swamp Associated Gas Solutions project was commissioned, and the SPDC JV is planning to reduce associated gas flaring further through its Forcados Yokri gas-gathering project, of which large parts are set to be completed in 2022. Despite such efforts to reduce continuous flaring, unfortunately flaring intensity (the amount of gas flared for every tonne of oil and gas produced) at both SPDC- and SNEPCo-operated facilities increased in 2021 owing to short-term operational issues. Flaring from SPDC-operated facilities increased by around 5% in 2021 compared with 2020. The increase was primarily because of the extended outage of the gas compression system in SPDC’s shallow-water operations. The system was restored and became operational from January 2022. Flaring at SNEPCo-operated facilities rose by around 160% in 2021 compared with 2020. This was mainly because of an increase in flaring on the Bonga floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Repairs to a flex-joint on the Bonga FPSO’s gas export riser in the second quarter took longer than expected, in part because of weather conditions. While repairs were under way, the FPSO continued to produce oil and therefore flaring was necessary for safety reasons. The repairs were safely concluded in July 2021. Although flaring intensity levels rose in 2021, SPDC and SNEPCo over the last 10 years have almost halved the combined amount of hydrocarbons they flare from 1.5 million tonnes in 2012 to 0.8 million tonnes in 2021. This reduction is the result of a strict flaring reduction management process and both SPDC and SNEPCo will continue to work in close collaboration with joint-venture partners and the government to make progress towards ending routine flaring of associated gas. NIGERIA LNG EXPANSION UNDERWAY Global demand for LNG continues to grow as the world increasingly seeks reliable supplies of lowercarbon energy. Shell’s investment in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure for export is expected to help 6 This is according to a data provided by global research and consultancy business Wood Mackenzie. the country benefit further from revenues. Shell Gas B.V. and its partners took a final investment decision in 2020 on a new LNG processing unit – known as Train 7 -- at NLNG. The expansion is expected to create around 12,000 jobs for Nigerians during construction and stimulate growth of the local oil and gas service sector, with 55% of engineering and procurement of goods and services being sourced in-country. Train 7 is expected to ensure Nigeria’s continued place as a global player in a lower-carbon energy source. Once operational, Train 7 will add around 8 million tonnes per annum of capacity to the Bonny Island LNG facility, taking the total production to around 30 million tonnes per annum. In 2021, NLNG began awarding procurement and construction contracts. Early works started at the site. The first phase of the worker village is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2022 and the new material offloading facility ready for use by the end of 2022. NLNG’s Train 7 is expected to come onstream in the middle of the 2020s. KEY LICENCE RENEWED FOR DEEP-WATER SNEPCo has interests in four deep-water blocks in the Gulf of Guinea, two of which it operates. Today, nearly one-third of Nigeria’s deep-water oil and gas production comes from the Bonga and the nonoperated Erha fields.6 Since production began in 2005, Bonga alone has produced more than 950 million barrels of oil with the 2021 average oil production per day at 105,000 barrels. The Bonga FPSO vessel has a total production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day and 150 standard cubic feet of gas export per day. In 2021, the availability of the FPSO vessel increased to 80% from 70% in 2020. In addition to Bonga, SNEPCo’s exploration activities have led to several significant discoveries of oil and gas over the last two decades, including the Bolia and Doro fields (Shell interest 55%). Nigeria Briefing Notes Helping to power Nigeria’s economy 13 In the right investment climate, SNEPCo believes that there are opportunities to expand. In 2021 the OML 118 (Bonga) production sharing contract was renewed and the lease extended for 20 years. Bonga North and Bonga South West Aparo (BSWA) oil fields are two such potential opportunities. Bonga North is a proposed tie-back project to the existing Bonga FPSO with Phase 1 comprising 14 wells. BSWA is a development of a new FPSO with Phase 1 comprising 23 wells. SUPPORTING RENEWABLE ENERGY STARTUPS Millions of Nigerians are excluded from the country’s power grid and Shell Companies in Nigeria have established and provided substantial funding for a not-for-profit, impact-investing company called All On. Operating as an independent company, All On works to bring reliable electricity – often from renewable energy sources -- to off-grid urban and rural customers. This support aims to build a solid pipeline of viable businesses that can create the scale required to address Nigeria’s access to energy gap. In December 2019, SPDC and SNEPCo made a significant additional 10-year financing commitment of $160 million in All On, bringing the total commitment to $200 million. By the end of 2021, All On had provided investment capital to over 40 renewable energy start-ups in its portfolio – an increase of more than 30% from 2020. One such company is Infibranches Technologies Limited, to which All On has committed $2 million, which is expected to enable the indigenous technology company to expand sales of solar home systems via its more than 13,000 agent banking partners across Nigeria. With the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, the All On Hub was established in 2020 to provide nonfinancial support and build the capabilities of off-grid energy entrepreneurs. In 2021, the hub supported 81 ventures – nearly double the 41 supported in 2020. Also in 2021, All On, Odyssey Energy Solutions and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet launched a $10 million equipment financing facility as part of the DART pilot programme in Nigeria. 7 Hydraulic flying leads support the delivery of hydraulic fluid and/or chemicals between subsea equipment. 8 Subsea trees are an assembly of valves and other components used to monitor and control the production of a subsea well. DART will combine demand pooling, aggregated purchasing of solar equipment, and access to affordable finance to unlock economies of scale for solar companies, achieve cost savings for end-users, and accelerate the growth of the renewable energy sector in Nigeria and beyond. DEVELOPING LOCAL CONTENT AND SKILLS Shell Companies in Nigeria contribute to the growth of Nigerian businesses that can provide technical and support services to the industry. This includes the manufacture of tools and technical kits, the operation of helicopter flights in the Niger Delta, and strategic partnerships between foreign and local companies to stimulate technology transfer and capacity development. While there are government-required programmes in some areas, such as the Nigerian and Community Content Strategy embedded in the Assa North/Ohaji South gas development project, Shell Companies in Nigeria deliberately seek to contract local businesses wherever possible. In 2021, Shell Companies in Nigeria awarded $800 million worth of contracts to Nigerian-registered companies. Of these, 92% were companies with at least 51% Nigerian ownership. SNEPCo has awarded major engineering and construction contracts to companies that are indigenous, have local staff, or possess domestic capabilities in the country. At present, the manufacture and rebuild of hydraulic flying leads7 (HFLs) is being carried out in-country by wholly indigenous companies. Pressure Controls Systems Nigeria Limited, another Nigerian company, continues to refurbish old subsea trees.8 Sometimes, a lack of access to capital hinders Nigerian companies from competing for and executing contracts effectively. Shell Companies in Nigeria have provided access to nearly $1.6 billion in loans to 901 Nigerian vendors under the Shell Contractor Support Fund since 2012. These loans help improve their tendering opportunities.

Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NGX Group, Oscar N. Onyema, OON, said “the appointment of Dr. Umaru Kwairanga as the Group’s new Chairman is a positive step in the Group’s journey to delivering value to shareholders. As we move to execute our strategy aimed at maximising outcomes for our shareholders, we would count on Dr. Kwairanga’s wealth of experience in making strategic board decisions.

The outgoing Acting Chairman, Mr. Ikpobe, who retired from the Board effective September 5, 2022, appreciated the Board for their cooperation during his tenure as both a director and his appointment as Acting Chairman. “The past year as a director on this noble board gave me the opportunity to actively contribute to the transformation process of NGX Group. I trust that the board will continue to lead innovations in the Nigerian capital market as a values-driven organisation.”

The Board of NGX Group, in all its actions, continues to give utmost consideration to the role of NGX Group and its subsidiary companies, to act as key enablers of the smooth functioning of the Nigerian capital market and the broader economy.

Related Topics:#NGX #NGX ASI #NGX The Stock Africa Is Made Of #ngxceo #NGXExchange #ngxgroup #ngxplc

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Capital Market

Frenzy In Capital Market As NGX ASI Hits 15-Year High

Published

4 weeks ago

August 29, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

Impressive Earnings Boost NGX Market Cap Up By N1.8Trillion in July

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

The Nigerian capital market was euphoric at the close of trading on Tuesday as the market hit a 15-year high.

The All-Share Index (ASI) of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) rose by 0.51% to 66,490.34 points from 66,151.38 the previous day, surpassing the highest value of 66,371.20 recorded on the Exchange on March 5, 2008.

This performance was in part, attributed to a surge in banking stocks as investors strategically positioned themselves, taking advantage of the recent record earnings posted by banks. Consequently, market capitalisation increased by 0.51% to closed at N39.69 trillion from N36.21 trillion recorded on Monday.

This meant that investors gained N510 billion in two trading sessions. Among the various sectoral indices, the NGX Banking Index experienced the most significant daily gain, rising by 1.63%. Following closely were the NGX Consumer Goods Index, with a 0.99% increase, and the NGX Industrial Index, which saw a 0.21% uptick. Conversely, the NGX Oil/Gas Index dipped by 0.09%, and the NGX Insurance Index recorded a substantial decline of 1.56%, both attributable to investors reallocating their funds.

An analysis of Tuesday’s market activities revealed a substantial increase in trade turnover compared to the previous session, with transaction values surging by an impressive 79.18%. Consequently, the total volume of stocks traded reached 436.95 million units, valued at N7.02 billion, across 7,933 deals. This marked a significant uptick from the 311.12 million units valued at N3.92 billion traded in 7,193 deals on Monday.

FBN Holdings topped the activity chart with 55.15 million units valued at N911.21 million. Following closely was Japaul Gold with the sale of 33.11 million units worth N29.92 million, while UBA transacted 30.17 million units valued at N41.21 million.

Market breadth closed positive, with 35 stocks appreciating in value while 32 stocks depreciated. Champion Breweries led the pack of gainers with a remarkable 10% increase in stock value. Conversely, Linkage Assurance led the group of 32 declining securities, with a 10% decrease in stock value.

Reacting to the performance of the market, market experts attributed this strong performance to a combination of factors, including investor sentiment influenced by macroeconomic developments such as the formation and swearing-in of the economic cabinet by President Bola Tinubu. Additionally, movements in yields within the fixed income market played a role in shaping market dynamics. They emphasized the importance of strategically positioning investments in fundamentally strong stocks, given the ongoing challenges posed by the weak macroeconomic environment on corporate earnings.

Capital Market

Financial Services Stocks Dominate NGX Turnover By 58%

Published

1 month ago

August 20, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

The Nigerian financial services sector played a significant role in boosting the trade volume and value of equities on the floor of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) despite global and local equities market challenges.

Nigerian stocks had closed in the negative territory following profit-taking activities on all trading sessions except for Friday trading session (+0.4 per cent). Sell pressures in stocks like Airtel Africa, BUA Cement, and MTN Nigeria dragged the market’s All-Share Index (ASI) down by 0.93 per cent to close at 64,721.09 points while market capitalisation dropped to N35.422 trillion.

However, the Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.166 billion shares valued at N16.925 billion traded in 13,819 deals; thus contributing 69.04 per cent and 57.55 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with 191.320 million shares worth N843.336 million in 1,829 deals while the Oil & Gas Industry recorded a turnover of 64.352 million shares worth N810.637 million in 2,159 deals.

FBN Holdings Plc, Transnational Corporation Plc, and Fidelity Bank Plc (measured by volume) were the most traded stocks, accounting for 576.688 million shares worth N6.911 billion in 3,524 deals and contributing 34.14 per cent and 23.50 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

Meanwhile, a total turnover of 1.689 billion shares worth N29.407 billion in 29,477 deals was traded by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 1.741 billion shares valued at N25.087 billion that exchanged hands in the previous week in 30,652 deals.

Furthermore, the market indices finished lower with the exception of NGX Premium, NGX AFR Div. Yield, NGX Consumer Goods, NGX Industrial Goods, NGX Growth, and NGX Sovereign Bond indices appreciated by 0.69 per cent, 0.44 per cent, 2.39 per cent, 0.37 per cent, 1.08 per cent, and 0.25 per cent respectively while the NGX ASeM index closed flat.

Twenty-nine (29) equities appreciated in price during the week lower than forty-one (41) equities in the previous week. Fifty-six (56) equities depreciated in price higher than forty-four (44) in the previous week, while seventy (70) equities remained unchanged, same as seventy (70) recorded in the previous week.

Analysing the market performance, market operators anticipated mixed market performance in the upcoming week. They stated that they expect investors to rebalance their portfolios based on corporate earnings assessment for the first half of 2023. Cordros Research, in an emailed note, said, “In the medium term, we expect investors’ sentiments to be influenced by developments in the macroeconomic landscape and the movement of yields in the fixed-income market. Overall, we reiterate the need for positioning in only fundamentally sound stocks as the weak macro environment remains a significant headwind for corporate earnings”.

Capital Market

NGX, CIS, ASHON To Work With MOFI On Market Development, Listings

Published

1 month ago

August 14, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

By Moninuola Sulaiman

Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), along with the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and the Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), have demonstrated their willingness to collaborate with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) in facilitating market development and listings.

This was disclosed during the Closing Gong Ceremony, held in honour of MOFI’s engagement with capital market stakeholders at the NGX trading floor in Lagos.

Temi Popoola, the CEO of NGX, commended MOFI for its role as the custodian of government investments and assets, emphasizing that NGX is eager to collaborate with MOFI to facilitate capital access for listed entities and contribute to the advancement of Nigeria’s capital market. “This partnership is an opportunity for the capital market to actively play a key role in growing the economy under President Bola Tinubu’s agenda. This is an exciting time and you may have seen that our local investors really stepped up their participation in the market recently. We think that with a lot of foreign capital, together with the strengthening and enhancements that have been done, that the market is ready to support many initiatives from the government. We really look forward to working together towards the support in developing our markets”.

On his part, Dr. Armstrong Takang, the CEO of MOFI, emphasized the importance of optimizing the value of government investments and assets, aiming to mobilize, structure, and deploy investment capital in priority sectors of the economy. He expressed the aspiration to grow MOFI’s asset under management (AuM) to at least N100 trillion. “MOFI intends to collaborate with NGX to guide companies in meeting governance, operational, and reporting requirements necessary for listing on the Exchange. This move also contributes to MOFI’s objective of professionalizing Government Owned and Government Linked entities (GOE and GLEs)”, he added.

Expressing the institute’s enthusiasm for the partnership, Oluwole Adeosun, the President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), pledged cooperation with MOFI, particularly in areas like capacity development and other market-related initiatives.

Sam Onukwue, the Chairman of ASHON, noted that the partnership’s impact on the Nigerian economy would extend beyond financial gains to encompass broader socio-economic advantages that contribute to sustainable development.

On her part, Tinuade Awe, the CEO of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), highlighted the regulatory company’s commitment to collaborating with MOFI on matters of transparency, investor protection, and mitigating systemic risks.