Demand for corporate and secured loans strengthened significantly in the second quarter of 2026 as improving economic conditions, stronger banking sector liquidity and increased lender confidence encouraged Nigerian banks to expand credit to businesses and households, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said. The bank disclosed this in […]
Category: Financial Market
Financial Market
Dangote Cement Exports Rise 62.3% In Half Year
Dangote Cement Plc grew cement and clinker exports from Nigeria by 62.3 per cent to 1.1 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, reinforcing the country’s position as a regional manufacturing and export hub while also reporting a 22.7 per cent rise in profit after tax to […]
Otedola’s First HoldCo Stake Hits N1.47trn After N222bn Acquisition
Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Femi Otedola, has increased his ownership stake in the financial services group to 25.87 per cent following the acquisition of an additional 1.779 billion ordinary shares valued at approximately N222.2bn, further strengthening his position as the company’s largest individual shareholder. The […]
Access Bank Partners FG to Scale MSMEs Through Artificial Intelligence
Access Bank Plc has partnered with the Federal Government to accelerate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) among Nigeria’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), unveiling a new digital platform aimed at helping entrepreneurs improve productivity, expand market access and strengthen business sustainability as the country pursues its ambition of […]
United Capital assets surpass ₦2trn, targets deeper Africa expansion
L-R: Dr. Gbadebo Aderenle, Managing Director, United Capital Investment Banking; Adetola Fasuyi, Managing Director, United Capital Wealth Management; Dr. Odiri Oginni, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, United Capital Asset Management; Peter Ashade, Group Chief Executive Officer, United Capital Plc; Esther Adeola-Balogun, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, UCEE Microfinance Bank; and […]
Otedola Raises First HoldCo Holding to 21.95% After N77.6bn Share Purchase
Billionaire businessman and Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Femi Otedola, has increased his ownership stake in the financial holding company to 21.95 per cent following the acquisition of 706.13 million ordinary shares valued at approximately N77.6bn through a related entity. The transaction, disclosed in a regulatory filing […]
Access Bank to Host Maiden MSME Conference, Launches SME App
Access Bank is set to host the maiden edition of its MSME Conference on Friday, July 24, 2026, at its Head Office in Victoria Island, Lagos. The conference, themed “AI for SMEs: Scaling Through Digital Tools,” will bring together entrepreneurs, business leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to explore […]
Nigeria Tops Global Equity Markets With 67% Dollar Returns – Bloomberg
Nigeria’s stock market has emerged as the world’s best-performing equity market in dollar terms this year, recording a 67 per cent return and overtaking South Korea, according to a new report by Bloomberg. The report, published on Thursday, ranked Nigeria first among 92 global stock exchanges monitored by […]
Royal Exchange Seeks Insurance-Oil Sector Partnership To Drive Growth
Nigeria’s insurance and oil and gas industries have been urged to deepen strategic collaboration through stronger local content implementation and digital transformation as part of efforts to accelerate economic growth, strengthen domestic capacity and improve the country’s resilience.Nigerian entertainment updates The call was made by the Group Managing […]
N68.32tn Budget Faces Credibility Test as Deficit Hits N31.45tn — BudgIT ……Says Budget Ambitious But Unrealistic, Warns of Pre-Election Spending Risks ……..Only 54% of Budget Backed by Revenue
Civic technology organisation, BudgIT, has raised concerns over the Federal Government’s N68.32tn 2026 budget, describing it as ambitious but largely unrealistic given the country’s weak revenue base, widening fiscal deficit and growing debt obligations. In a analysis of the approved fiscal plan, BudgIT warned that the […]