The shares of Ikeja Hotels Plc, Transnationwide Express Plc, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc and United Bank for Africa (UBA) enjoyed much of the investors’ patronage last week to make it to the top performing stocks’ list.

One of the main focus of the management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) led by Oscar Onyema since assumption of office in 2011 has been to re-package companies quoted on the NSE and make them globally acceptable. To achieve the objective, the Exchange had over the period set certain standards which quoted companies are required to adhere to. It has also organised road-shows to some international markets to show-case Nigerian brands. The quest peaked two weeks ago in the launch of a prestigious listing platform, the Premium Board, writes Nkiruka Nnorom

Until the Federal Government grant incentives to operators to develop existing crude oil and gas fields, the hope to escape the bitter pinch of oil glut, remains a mirage, experts stated.

The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has given his support to the forthcoming 2015 Nigeria Infrastructure Public Private Partnership Summit billed for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the last quarter of this year.

Following over N1.03 trillion loss of investment in the Nigeria Stock Market in recent time occasioned by slow pace of governance, policy direction, high political risk, non ministerial appointment, among others, shareholders in this interview urge investors to exercise patience as market rebound is imminent.

THE announcement by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that the nation’s four refineries would not be sold, has continued to draw knocks, as well as commendations from different strata of the country’s economy. A former Senate Committee Chairman on Petroleum Resources, Senator Lee Maeba, insisted that government is not in a position to run the refineries efficiently.

EFFORTS geared towards blocking leakages in the petroleum industry seem not to be yielding the desired results, as pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft had over the years served as a major setback in the sector, disrupting businesses, discouraging investments and increasing expenses. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in its Annual Statistic Bulletin 2015, disclosed that a total of N242.778 billion was lost to pipeline vandalism in different parts of the country.

THE low price of crude oil has taken a toll on the finances of Seven Energy International Limited, as the company posted a loss after tax of $53 million, about N10.6 billion in six months, between January and June 2015. The company, in its financial statement for the half year, HY1 2015, released to its investors and other stakeholders, disclosed that the loss, compared to a profit of $27 million, about N5.4 billion recorded in the same period of 2014, was primarily due to the fall in oil price.

SEVEN months after the take of the transitional electricity market, TEM, generation and distribution companies, GENCOs and DISCOs are yet to meet the contractual terms for the implementation, the Transition Company of Nigeria, TCN, has said. The Executive Director, the Nigerian Electricity Market, an arm of the TCN in charge of systems operations, Mrs. Ngozi Osuhor, said that the DISCOs are not prepared for the take-off of TEM, as they continue to circumvent its contractual demands.

THE declining price of crude oil in the international market has continued to take its toll on the Nigerian oil and gas sector, as no employment has been created in three months, between April and June 2015, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said. Oil and gas companies globally are threatening to reduce their workforce significantly, as low oil price has started to take its toll on the companies.