NSE opens week with marginal loss

  The Nigerian equities market yesterday closed negative to begin the trading week on the downtrend over sell pressure, producing only 16 losers and only 14 gainers.   Key market indicators, the NSE ASI, declined by 0.005 per cent as investors sell off their shares following the Coronavirus global threat.   The All-Share Index had dropped by 1.18 basis points or 0.005 per cent from 22,921.59 index points last Friday to 22,920.41while the market capitalisation of equities depreciated by N613 million to close at N11,945.042 trillion from N11,945.655 trillion.  …

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DiamondXtra: Access Bank rewards customers

  Access Bank Plc is set to splash millions of naira on lucky customers who will emerge winners in the forthcoming DiamondXtra monthly draw.   According to Adaeze Ume, Group Head, Retail Products and Segments, Access bank Plc, “we have been encouraging our customers to stay safe and stay connected by using our various digital channels this period. We know these are trying times and our customers need funds to pay essential domestic bills, send money to their loved ones and also save up for unforeseen circumstances since we don’t…

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Fraud: AfDB bans Nigeria-based Chinese firm for 18 months

  The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has blacklisted China Zhonghao Nigeria Limited, a civil engineering company registered in Nigeria, for 18 months, for alleged fraudulent practices.   In a statement posted on its website yesterday, the AfDB said: ”An investigation conducted by the bank’s office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption established that China Zhonghao Nigeria Limited, as a member of a joint venture with Oceanic Construction and Engineering Nigeria Ltd., was jointly responsible for its joint venture partner’s fraudulent misrepresentations of its year of incorporation, the value of its reference…

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COVID-19: Polaris bank commends medics, assures on service delivery

  Polaris Bank has once again commended medical professionals those on  the frontlines of the fight to flatten the COVID-19 curve, even as the nation continues to battle the spread of the pandemic.   In a statement issued in the wake of Federal Government’s extension of the lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, The bank’s Head, Strategic Brand Management and Communication, Nduneche Ezurike, hailed the role of medical personnel in the fight against the virus that is currently ravaging the entire world.   The bank also praised the media…

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IMF: I03 countries seek $100bn emergency facility

  The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has said that 103 nations are seeking about $100billion from the fund as  emergency financing to tackle the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.   The IMF boss, who disclosed this in a blog post obtained by New Telegraph yesterday,  said the fund had doubled its emergency, rapid-disbursing capacity to meet expected demand of about $100 billion, adding  the IMF’s Executive Board “will have considered about half of these requests by the end of the month.”   Also…

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Lockdown: Low forex demand freezes pressure on naira

  Low demand for dollars on the foreign exchange markets, due to the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is masking rising pressure on the naira, traders have said.   According to the leading non-bank currency broker on the continent, AZA, not even the failure of the agreement reached by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to bolster oil prices has had the sort of negative impact on the naira that analysts expected.   In a note obtained by New Telegraph yesterday, the firm said: “Gloom over OPEC’s…

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Coronavirus: CACOVID orders 400,000 testing kits

plans relief package for 1.7m households   The private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has ordered 400,000 materials to support Federal Government in its battle against the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic.   A statement issued yesterday by the group revealed it ordered the  materials to fast-track molecular testing for the virus, noting that the reality of the situation at hand was such that efforts must be put together with no stone left unturned in dealing with the scourge.   In the same vein, the coalition disclosed that no less than 1.7…

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COVID-19: Pensioners’ denial amid imminent implosion 

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic and its attendant tragic results, the victims have remained largely the aged made up of mostly pensioners. Across the United States and Europe, mainly Italy, Spain, Germany among others, the reports of deaths due to the pandemic have been recorded largely against the elderly. A quick research within the period of the outbreak has revealed that survival for those with underlying health issues, a development common with the old, is very remote. While Nigeria has privileged information on this to prepare its pensioners…

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Housing: CBN’s planned intervention excites stakeholders 

As the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is figuring out the modalities to make funding housing and mortgage developments a reality, stakeholders in the sector are already strategising on necessary measures to be put in place to make the apex bank’s intention impactful. Part of the measures they are urgently seeking include industry standardisation and amendments of housing and mortgage related laws, among others, to fully drive home ownership among Nigerians. Speaking through the Festus Adebayo-led Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), on a social media platform, the professionals, which comprised…

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PWC: Liquidity, staff safety top Nigeria businesses COVID-19 concerns

Businesses in Nigeria have identified liquidity and the safety of their staff among the most pressing business needs they are concerned about as they grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of the findings from a survey conducted by PwC Nigeria. The survey findings were revealed during a recent webinar hosted by the firm, on the economic implications and policy responses to COVID-19. The survey had about 3000 respondents ranging from managers to CEOs and business owners. Asked what their top business concerns were, 22.5 per…

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