General News
Pendulum Swings in Favour of Risk as New Coronavirus Cases Appear to Slow

By Lukman Otunuga, Senior Research Analyst at FXTM,
The sentiment pendulum swung deeper into “risk-on” territory on Wednesday with Asian shares closing higher, as investors assessed the coronavirus outbreak against speculation around central banks loosening monetary policy.
Asian investors breathed a sigh of relief as the number of new coronavirus cases appears to be slowing. However, there remains a thick cloud of uncertainty over how badly the outbreak has impacted China, Asia and the global economy. With the death toll from the virus topping one thousand with 42,000 confirmed cases, investors are likely to remain wary and cautious despite the apparent “risk-on” mood. The positive vibe from Asian markets may support European shares this morning and potentially trickle back down to Wall Street which closed at fresh record highs overnight.
Oil sensitive to demand side concerns
Oil jumped over 1.5% on Wednesday amid early signs that new coronavirus cases were slowing in China. This development has eased concerns over the negative demand impact from the outbreak in the world’s largest energy consumer.
However, Oil markets are certainly not out of the woods yet with further downside on the cards if economic growth in China ends up decelerating in Q1. On the supply side of the equation, OPEC+ recommended a further cut of 600,000 bpd last week in an effort to limit the painful decline in Oil prices, but Russia has been reluctant to commit to deeper cuts.
If the cartel moves ahead with further cuts, this will bring the total production cuts to 2.3 million barrels per day. Such an outcome will have consequences on Nigeria’s current quota of 1.7 million barrels a day which may be reduced to accommodate for the new production levels. If Nigeria producing less Oil and prices remain depressed, the country’s foreign exchange and fiscal revenues will be under threat, ultimately impacting economic growth and Naira stability.
We suspect the next few months are going to be volatile for Oil, with the path of least resistance pointing south.
While WTI Crude could rebound towards $52 and beyond in the short to medium term, the resistance around $54 may put an end to the bull’s party. A breakdown back below $50 should open the doors towards $48.
Dollar takes a breather, but bulls still remain in control
The mighty Dollar retreated from a 2020 high on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell indicated that US interest rates would be left unchanged.
Appetite for the Greenback should remain stimulated by optimism over the US economy, speculation around the Federal Reserve leaving interest rates unchanged and safe-haven demand. Powell was fairly optimistic over the outlook for the US economy in his update to the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday and may mirror a similar tone on Wednesday. With uncertainty over the virus still a major theme and the ramifications it may have on the global economy lingering in the air, the Dollar is likely to push higher. Focusing on the technical picture, the Dollar Index is bullish on the daily charts with prices trading around 98.83 as of writing. A solid daily close above 99.00 should open the doors towards 99.50.
General News
CAC Lists 15 Unregistered Firms Operating in Nigeria

Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has warned Nigerians against dealing with 15 unregistered entities using company names and registration numbers that are not in the commission’s records.

In a public notice signed by CAC Management, the commission said it had discovered the use of purported company names and RC numbers that are not registered with the CAC, urging the public to disregard them and verify all business information directly from its portal.
“The CAC remains committed to protecting the integrity of the Companies Register, upholding the law, and ensuring a safe and transparent business environment in Nigeria,” the CAC said.
According to the notice, the following are the entities not registered with the CAC:
Famas Services Nigeria Limited (RC: 216312)
Promo Dutch Investment Limited (RC: 396654)
Dialack Concept Nig. Ltd (RC: 297772)
Purpleheart Construction and Real Estate Mgt. Co. Ltd (RC: 1210548)
M/S Loktu Enterprises (BN: 373466)
Loktu Enterprises (BN: 400390)
Badatoyak Ltd (RC: 521322)
Johson Nats Limited (RC: 198492)
Peoples Club Nigeria International (CAC/IT/41191)
Jiba Enterprise (BN: 577523)
Civil Engineering Solutions Nigeria Limited (RC: 33001)
Gabdoff Hotel Ltd (RC: 112409)
Amoka Group (BN: 545221)
BEEC Nigeria Limited (RC: 30143)
- Adetunji (BN: 657466)
Explaining the reason for the commission’s publication, the statement noted that it aligns with its statutory role of maintaining an accurate and reliable companies register, protecting investors, and preventing fraudulent activities in the business environment.
The commission urged Nigerians to always confirm the status of any company or business name through its official portal.
General News
IHS Nigeria Leads Gender Based Violence Awareness Walk, Reaffirms Zero Tolerance with Advocacy Seminar

Demonstrating unwavering commitment to a safe and dignified workplace, IHS Nigeria held an awareness walk followed by a high-impact seminar as part of activities to commemorate the global 16 days of activism to End Gender-Based Violence against women and girls.

The initiative underscored the organisation’s ongoing efforts to sensitize the community, educate employees, strengthen internal safeguards, and reinforce its zero-tolerance policy for all forms of harassment and abuse.
After the walk along Adeola Odeku and Idejo Streets on Victoria Island, employees convened for a seminar at the IHS Nigeria corporate head office, where Bukola Konkwo, Associate Director, Operations Excellence IHS Nigeria and one of the leaders of the Women in IHS Network (WIIN), reiterated the organisation’s position on gender-based violence in her opening remarks:
“Violence does not discriminate, and neither should our compassion. At IHS Nigeria, boldness is not just a value on paper, it is a call to action. We are intentional about ensuring every employee feels safe, respected, and empowered.”
The seminar featured two leading voices in Gender Based Violence advocacy. Titiola Vivour Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and Nwanne Okafor, Victimologist and Gender Based Violence Advocate. Speaking during the seminar, Titilope stressed the urgency of prevention and education:
“Gender-based violence is not a special-class problem. Anybody can be a victim. Our responsibility is to know the signs, protect one another, and intervene early. When we know better, we do better.”
She also encouraged organisations to prioritise consent education, confidential reporting, and background checks, practices IHS Nigeria has already integrated through its Safe Zone Committee, a confidential support system for staff.
Nwanne Okafor, also spoke on the role of colleagues in recognizing and responding to abuse in the workplace:
“Many victims don’t need you to fix their situation, they need your support, your sensitivity, and your discretion. Speak up when necessary. Silence gives violence permission.”
Her session included real-life cases that underscored how abuse affects workplace productivity, mental health, and safety.
The awareness walk, saw both male and female staff members from across various departments marching in solidarity with survivors and advocates worldwide and served as a public declaration of IHS Nigeria’s commitment to building a culture rooted in respect, safety, and accountability.
Reinforcing IHS Nigeria’s stand, during her closing remarks, Titilope Oguntuga, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, captured the spirit of the event:
“This conversation doesn’t end today. Now that we know better, we must all do better, by advocating, supporting, and actively contributing to a workplace free of violence in any form.”
IHS Nigeria continues to strengthen its internal systems, policy frameworks, training programs, safe reporting channels, and continuous awareness sessions, to ensure that every employee is protected and empowered. The organisation reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, abuse, or violence, and remains committed to leading the corporate sector in progressive, people-centered safety standards.
General News
Nigeria’s GDP Rises to 3.98% in Q3 2025, Driven by Agriculture, ICT, and Finance

Nigeria’s economy expanded by $3.98$ per cent in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

GDP
This growth rate marks a slight improvement from the $3.86$ per cent recorded in the same period of 2024.The report highlights a mixed but generally positive recovery across key sectors. Aggregate GDP in real terms stood at ₦57.03 trillion, up from ₦54.85 trillion in Q3 2024.
The Services sector remained the largest contributor to overall output at $53.02$ per cent, followed by Agriculture at $31.21$ per cent. Key growth drivers included crop production, telecommunications, real estate, trade, and financial services.
The non-oil sector continued to be the main engine of the economy, expanding by $3.91$ per cent. This strong performance outpaced both Q3 2024 ($3.79$ per cent) and Q2 2025 ($3.64$ per cent). Agriculture grew by $3.79$ per cent, driven predominantly by crop production.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector posted a particularly strong real growth of $5.78$ per cent, with its contribution to real GDP rising to $9.10$ per cent. Furthermore, Financial and Insurance Services recorded a significant real growth of $19.63$ per cent.
In contrast, real growth in the Manufacturing sector slowed to $1.25$ per cent, down from $1.74$ per cent in the previous quarter.
The oil sector posted a real growth of $5.84$ per cent, a marginal increase from $5.66$ per cent in Q3 2024. This growth was linked to an average crude oil production rise to $1.64$ million barrels per day (mbpd), up from $1.47$ mbpd a year earlier.
Despite this positive change in output, the sector’s contribution to real GDP remains modest at **$3.44$ per cent$.Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, noted that while most sectors sustained positive momentum, growth remains uneven.
Strong gains in ICT, finance, agriculture, and trade were crucial in stabilizing overall output. This data aligns with projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which, in October 2025, revised Nigeria’s 2025 growth outlook upward to $3.9$ per cent, citing higher oil production, stronger investor confidence, and a supportive fiscal stance as key drivers.
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