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Lagos, April 1, 2026 – The recent recapitalisation of Nigerian banks, coupled with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Risk-Based Capital directive, has significant implications for credit ratings across the sector. While many banks have met the minimum paid-up capital thresholds, ratings are increasingly determined by the quality, resilience, and risk-absorbing capacity of that capital, rather than its nominal size. Capital Quality vs. Quantity Although banks have reached the paid-up capital thresholds (₦500B, ₦200B, or ₦50B, depending on size), meeting these amounts alone is insufficient. They must demonstrate through stress testing that …

New York, April 1, 2026 – Oil prices fell on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said the ​country will end its war on Iran fairly soon. The front-month Brent contract for June fell $2.06, or 2%, to $101.91 per ‌barrel by 11:47 a.m. ET (1547 GMT), bouncing off a session low of $98.35.  U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for May slipped $1.39, or around 1.4%, to $99.99 per barrel, off a session low of $96.50. Trump, who plans to deliver a speech later in the day, told Reuters …

London, April 1, 2026 – OPEC oil output plunged in March to its lowest level since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, a Reuters survey found, as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz and ​forced export cuts. Crude output by the 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in ​March fell by 7.30 million barrels per day month-on-month to 21.57 million bpd, the ⁠survey showed, led by cuts in Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. OPEC and ​its allies …

Lagos, March 27, 2026 – Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company has advised prospective investors to disregard false reports circulating about its planned public offering. The company said in a statement that it would make formal  announcement to give comprehensive, and accurate details regarding any proposed transaction through official channels  It said any such offer, if made, would be undertaken solely on the basis of duly authorised offer documentation and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements. It said the clarification was necessary  after the management observed recent circulation …

 Washington, March 27, 2026 –  The signature of President Donald Trump will appear on future paper currency, according to the Treasury Department, which said the move was in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States. “There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than U.S. dollar bills bearing his name, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the semiquincentennial,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. Little information about the decision …

By Vivian Imoh-Ita Lagos, March 27, 2026 – Investing in Women-Led Enterprises Is a Growth Strategy Nigeria Can’t Afford to Delay Across African banking, the conversation is shifting from “inclusion as intent” to “inclusion as performance.” Margin pressure, recapitalisation conversations, digitisation, and tighter risk expectations are forcing a hard question: where will sustainable, low-volatility growth come from   in   the   next   cycle?   One   answer   is   hiding   in   plain   sight:   women-led   enterprises, underfunded, underserved, and consistently productive.  In Nigeria’s informal economy, where cash flow is real but documentation is uneven, the institutions …

Lagos, March 27, 2026 – Industry leaders, policymakers, financiers, and innovators have convened the inaugural Nigeria Transport & Logistics Summit (NTLS) 2026 to forge actionable strategies for building a faster, more connected Nigeria through transport, mobility, and logistics. It was hosted by Sterling Bank at Eko Hotel & Suites and held under the theme: “Funding the Engine of Growth.”  The summit positioned Nigeria’s transport and logistics sector as a critical, but under-leveraged driver of productivity, regional integration, and economic growth. Transport, mobility, and logistics collectively form the backbone of the …

Cairo, March 27, 2026 –  Egypt has ordered shops, restaurants and shopping malls to close from 9.00pm from Saturday, hoping to curb energy bills that have more than doubled because of the Iran war. Prime minister Mostafa Madbouly announced the curfew and said it would last for a month initially. “Shops, shopping centres, restaurants and cafes will all close at 9.00pm on weekdays,” he said, adding that on Thursdays and Fridays and at the weekend they will be allowed to stay open until 10.00pm. The premier said that before the …

Abuja, March 27, 2026 – President Bola Tinubu has directed the expansion of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas to include electric vehicles. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday. The statement said the initiative would now be known as the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV). It said with this approval, PiCNG & EV will lead and coordinate Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy, covering gas-driven vehicles and electric vehicles nationwide. The …

Abuja, March. 27, 2026 – Ghana’s immediate-past President, H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, is to head of the 120-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the Republic of Benin’s Presidential election on April 12, 2026.  He is to supported by a technical team led by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, the Mission will observe all key aspects of the processes leading up to the election – campaigns, Election Day activities, and during the post-election period. The Observation Mission will …