capital market
Royal Exchange reports 167% increase in profit to N420m


By Kayode Tokede
Royal Exchange Plc has released its unaudited financial statements for the half year (H1) ended June 30, 2020 with profit after taxation of N420.076 million a 167 per cent increase from N631.462 million loss in the same period of 2019.
The group result released on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday showed that earned income fell by two per cent to N7.825 billion from N7.990 billion in H1 2019.
Royal Exchange had earlier released its unaudited financial statements for the first quarter ended 31 March, 2020 with profit after taxation of N25.412 million a 114per cent growth from N187.556 million loss in the same period of 2019. Earned income rose by 6% to N3.779 billion from N3.554 billion in Q1 2019.
Moreover, its consolidated annual report and financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 showed a loss after taxation of N1.313 billion down from N160 million loss in the same period of 2018
The group result showed that total assets declined to N32.107 billion from N35.594 billion while shareholders fund/total equity also dropped to N3.983 billion from N5.149 billion.
The company had declared a Gross Written Premium of N10.58 billion for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2019.
Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos recently, the firm’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Benjamin Agili, said that despite the harsh environmental condition, the company was able to grow its top-line figures and maintain its leadership in key corporate accounts.
Agili noted that the firm also participated in large-ticket insurance transactions, its renewed focus on the retail markets.
According to him, the retail markets shall be a growth driver in the future and agriculture insurance, which is beginning to gain traction in the insurance market in Nigeria.
“We are expanding our strategic focus to three main areas, namely: Digital Insurance, Retail Insurance Market and Agriculture Insurance as farming is a key economic activity in Nigeria,’’ he said.
In line with NAICOM’s directive, the managing director said the company’s revised recapitalisation guidelines is poised to surpass the directive, as indicated in its approved 2019 financials.
Agili said plans were in top gear to ensure that the company was well capitalised and able to take advantages of the opportunities that will present itself in the insurance market in Nigeria.
“REGIC will continue to reinvent itself to be more responsive to the needs of the customer, offering them the products and services they need, in ways that they want.
“We are adopting a customer-centric approach to all our businesses to ensure we are competitive in the market.
Royal Exchange was incorporated as a private limited liability Company on December 29, 1969, converted to a public limited liability company on July 15, 1989 and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on December 3, 1990.
capital market
IATF2023 records $43.8bn closed deals


The African Export-Import Bank has disclosed that the third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) held in Cairo from 9 to 15 November witnessed the conclusion of business deals and transactions valued at US$43.8 billion.
In the final tallies released in Cairo, the organisers of the continental event said that the amount represented the value of 426 deals concluded in 21 sectors covering 52 countries. At a press conference to announce the results, Executive Vice President (Intra-African Trade Bank) at Afreximbank, Mrs Kanayo Awani, also announced that 130 countries participated in the trade fair, which attracted 1,939 exhibitors and 28,282 participants who attended physically and through the IATF virtual platform.
One of the notable transactions included the Export Agriculture for Food Security Framework executed by several African countries (as Origin Countries) and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, Arise IIP (as Anchor Investor) to which Afreximbank committed US$2 billion to boost production, processing, and intra-African trade in agricultural products and to provide African farmers and agribusinesses with opportunities to access larger markets across the continent.
Mrs Awani also said that the IATF had successfully established itself as the premier trade and investment event in Africa, with the unique capacity to increase intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.
“Building on the successes of IATF2018 and IATF2021, I am proud to say that the buzz and energy generated by IATF2023 will be felt across Africa and beyond for many years to come. Together, we have explored new possibilities and opened new doors for a brighter future for our continent,” she added.
IATF2023 kicked off on 9 November and included an official opening ceremony, a Presidential Summit which was addressed by President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, a Trade and Investment Forum, the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), an African Auto Forum, AU Youth Entrepreneurship Programme, a Sub-Sovereigns Conference, a Diaspora Summit, an African Industrialization Week and an African Tourism Sustainability and Investment Forum. A series of side events were also held as part of the trade fair.
The next edition of the IATF will be hosted in 2025 by Algeria.
capital market
Investors record positive gains, as NGXASI advance by 0.43%


Investors yesterday recorded positive gains on the Nigerian equities market following Monday’s losses.
According to data obtained from the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) website, the NGX Market CAP recorded a gain of N165.99 billion in Naira terms.
The NGX All-Share Index (NGXASI) also advanced by 0.43 percent, closing at 71,250.17 basis points, compared to the previous day’s loss of 0.66 percent, which closed at 70,946.83 basis points. With the growth, the NGXASI now stands at 39.02 percent.
The total volume traded also advanced by 20.93 percent to close at N433.57 million, valued at N11.11 billion and traded in 7,016 deals.
The Gate Index closed flat at 183.36, while the Toni index advanced by 0.27 percent to close at 375.28 basis points.
At the close of trading, the market recorded 40 gainers, 15 losers, and 64 unchanged. NSLTECH topped the gainers list, while ABBEYBDS topped the list of losers.
UACN was the most traded stock by volume with N61.71 million, while NIDF was the most traded stock by value with N2.22 billion units traded.
UACN also had the highest volume contribution with 14.23 percent, while UBA and GTCO followed closely.
According to the value chart, NIDF is at the top with a 20.0 percent contribution. AIRTELAFRI and MTNN followed closely behind.
capital market
SEC DG calls for multifaceted approach to enhance capital market growth


The Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Lamido Yuguda has called for a multi-faceted approach to enhance the growth of Nigeria’s capital market.
The SEC DG made this known while addressing journalists at the 2023 conference of the Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) held in Lagos at the weekend.
According to Yuguda who was represented by the Executive Commissioner Operations, SEC, Mr Dayo Obisan, “Effectively harnessing the capital market for national development entails a multi-faceted approach, these include deploying more infrastructure, fostering more public-private partnerships, establishing specialised entities like special purpose vehicles (SPVs), listing state-owned enterprises, issuing green bonds to support sustainable projects, and bolstering small and medium enterprises among others.”
According to him, the revised capital market master plan underscored SEC’s commitment to deepening and. repositioning the financial market as a key driver of sustainable economic growth.
“The master plan which represents collective aspirations of the capital market community is focused on driving initiatives geared towards growing and deepening the market with the ultimate goal of accelerating the emergence of our dear country in the top 20 economies by the year 2025,” Yuguda said.
The SEC DG added that synergy holds the potential of unleashing capital market prowess and paving the way for a prosperous future.
According to him, achieving the objective necessitates an increased utilisation of market mechanisms and instruments to raise funds and stimulate economic advancement.
He pointed out that the commission would continue to introduce new ideas and policies that would support the development and regulation of a capital market that is dynamic, fair, transparent, and efficient to contribute to the nation’s economic development, noting that investors protection plays a crucial role in the development and integrity of the capital market.
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Director, SEC Lagos Zonal office, Mr John Briggs, urged the government to create infrastructure financing instruments that would facilitate easy servicing of obligations.
“We have encouraged a lot of infrastructure funds like sukuk, and green bonds and we are even talking about blue bonds to develop the market.”
“The capital market has created the conducive environment to ensure a transparent and dynamic market which would continue to attract investment,” he said.
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