West Africa | - Part 9

Record-High Nigeria Rate Seen Held on Inflation, Naira Woes

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Now that Nigeria’s economy is recovering from its worst slump in 25 years, the central bank can turn its focus to fighting inflation again — and shoring up its currency. The Monetary Policy Committee has kept its interest rate at a record-high 14 percent since July 2016, trying to support the economy, and will probably hold it there at its decision this week to contain above-target consumer-price growth. Officials can take heart…

Aliko Dangote Ups Bidding War for PPC With Cash, Share Offer

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Dangote Cement Plc, the Nigerian company controlled by Africa’s richest person, has written to PPC Ltd. offering South Africa’s biggest cement maker cash and shares as part of a takeover deal that is fuelling a bidding war. “We are waiting for them to get back to us, hopefully early next week,” Aliko Dangote said in an interview with Bloomberg TV in New York. “They can be part and parcel…

Boko Haram Defies Buhari With More Attacks in Northeast Nigeria

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ten months after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari declared a victory over Boko Haram, the Islamist militant group is stepping up attacks in the far northeast of the country. Boko Haram militants deployed at least 80 children as “human bombs” this year, Mark Lowcock, the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said on Tuesday in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, the group’s birthplace. The most spectacular attack occurred in July when the…

Cameroon Seeks to Improve Cocoa Bean Quality After Declines

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YAOUNDE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Cameroon is taking steps to encourage farmers to grow better quality cocoa after a deterioration in last year’s crop resulted in lower prices for the country’s beans. About 90 percent of Cameroon’s cocoa exports in the season through July were classed as Grade 2, the second of three quality ratings for beans, according to Trade Minister Luc Magloire Atangana Mbarga. That compared with 97 percent previously and meant that Cameroonian…

Ghana Is Said to Triple Minimum Capital Requirements for Banks

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ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) – The Bank of Ghana more than trebled minimum capital requirements for lenders as part of reforms aimed at strengthening the industry, according to people familiar with the matter. Banks will need to set aside at least 400 million cedis ($91 million) in capital compared with 120 million cedis previously to meet their license obligations, the people said, asking not to be identified because an official announcement hasn’t yet been made. Lenders…

Nigeria’s Economy Expands to End the Worst Slump in 25 Years

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria’s economy expanded in the second quarter, ending its worst slump in 25 years as agricultural and oil output increased. Gross domestic product of Africa’s largest crude producer grew 0.55 percent in the three months through June from a year earlier compared with a revised 0.9 percent contraction in the first quarter, the Abuja-based National Bureau of Statistics said in an emailed report Tuesday. The median of 10 economists’…

Nigeria Immigration Service bans cash payment at passport offices

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), on Monday, 28 August 2017, announced the ban of cash payment for processing of Nigerian passports in all passport offices across the country. The ban is part of the efforts by NIS to eliminate perceived corruption associated with processing of Nigerian passports. This directive was made following an investigative report revealing that immigration officials engage ‘agents’ also known as touts to request for more…

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