The naira yesterday continued its recovery against the dollar on the parallel market after slumping to N460 to the greenback about two weeks ago. As the Federal Government’s partial lifting of the COVID-19 lockdown in Lagos State, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja commenced on Monday, the naira further appreciated to N430/$1 from N450 per dollar last Friday. Analysts attribute the local currency’s recovery to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) approval of Nigeria’s $3.4billion loan request, as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) announcement…
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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…
Read MoreFraud: 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…
Read MoreCOVID-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…
Read MoreIMF: 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…
Read MoreLockdown: 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…
Read MorePWC: 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…
Read MoreAdesina commends UK over investments in AfDB
President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has commended the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) over its investments in the bank. He made the commendation while speaking at the at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, “Sustainable Infrastructure Forum.” Noting that the DFID is a key strategic partner of the AfDB, Adesina disclosed that since the DFID joined the bank in 1983, its “strong and consistent support for the African Development Fund has helped us to support the development of low-income states, especially the fragile states.” According…
Read MoreFirstBank wins double awards
First Bank of Nigeria Limited has been named 2019 “Best Mobile Banking App” and “Fastest Growing Retail Bank” winner by Global Business Outlook. The Global Business Outlook Award recognises and rewards excellence in business in companies across the world, both in the public and private sectors. The award rewards innovation, creativity and the drive to create value. FirstBank earned the Fastest Growing Retail Bank recognition because of its leading role in promoting financial inclusion in the country, a drive that has resulted in its 44,000 agent banking network designed to…
Read MoreMoody’s explains sub-Saharan Africa’s 2020 outlook
Moody’s Investors Service has said that the negative 2020 outlook for sovereign credit worthiness in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) reflects the worsening external environment, weak government finances and subdued GDP growth. In a report released yesterday, the rating agency stated that countries in sub-Saharan Africa had made limited progress in reducing risks linked to elevated debt burdens and debt servicing needs, while growth won’t be strong enough to meaningfully buttress incomes or increase economic resilience. “The less predictable external environment is aggravating sub-Saharan African sovereigns’ existing challenges and make them more…
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