The upward trend in the equities segment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week is expected to continue this week, as more banks to turn in their reports for the 2009 financial year.

It is a known fact that landscaping and beautification can help you make your compound and environment look more beautiful; but this is not the only advantage that landscaping offers. It offers relaxation spots to ease off stress and boost tourism.

Nigerian insurance industry may sacrifice another class of its business to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) if the Employees Compensation bill presently at the National Assembly is passed into law.

Following the increasing awareness on fire hazards and its associated destructions, insurance companies have raked in a total of N73.47 billion premium income from fire policies in ten years.

The proliferation of dormant shareholders associations in the absence of regulation may have become a source of concern to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC,) as it has mandated all shareholders association to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

There are indications that the stock market will maintain upward trend in the financial year 2010 if the rising investors’ confidence and earnings from the quoted companies are sustained coupled with the recently passed bill by the National Assembly for the establishment of Assets Management Company (AMC) when it takes off and buy out the toxic assets of the rescued banks.

Some banks in Lagos are still operating their off-site Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) after the expiration of central bank”s deadline that banks close all such machines. The CBN had in June 2009 directed banks to stop operating ATMs outside their premises and gave them up till March 31, 2010 to close such machines.

The Fiscal Responsibility Commission has charged civil society organizations and the entire citizenry to play active roles in ensuring that public officers adhere to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007. The Act provides for stiff penalties for misuse or embezzlement of public funds by government officials.

Intercontinental Bank says it has outsourced 3,400 of its support staff as part of its repositioning exercise. A statement issued by the bank”s Corporate Communication Department in Lagos on Thursday said that the exercise was one of the key elements of the bank”s ““Project Transformation”” initiative.

Can you think of a business you could do without using electricity? The General Manager of TKB Ventures Limited, Alhaji Moruf Sanni, who is also the Director, Dye Dealers & Kampala Workers of Nigeria, provides the answer in this chat with Franklin Alli

The construction of the proposed second runway for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has generated so much controversy, considering the cost which is put at N64 billion.

Mr Matthew Adebayo is the chairman of The Vine Energy Resource Inc (TVER), a renewable energy company started about three years ago. Adebayo who worked for Johnson and Johnson (J&J ) for 21 years and also a top executive of the company, served in three management boards of the global company before coming to Nigeria to establish TVER alongside other people. He brings to bear on the renewable energy company, his wealth of experience. Adebayo spoke to Financial Vanguard in Lagos.

LeapFrog Investments, the world’s first microinsurance fund, recently announced that it has surged past its $100 million target capitalization, months ahead of schedule.

COMRADE Peter Ekhormhalomhen Esele, the youngest President-General in the history of labour movement in Nigeria, has been honoured with a fresh mandate by members of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, to lead the umbrella body for senior staff association in the country, for another three years.

Accenture Nigeria has named Mr. Niyi Yusuf as its Country Managing Director with effect from April 1, 2010. Mr. Niyi Yusuf who currently head the company’s Systems and Integration Growth platform in Nigeria succeeds Mrs. Omobola Johnson.