Against the backdrop of servicing banks’ loan, shareholders of Oando Plc have called on the Board of Directors of the company to raise fresh funds by increasing its share capital.

The upward trend witnessed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, in the last couple of days continued last week, as the value of listed equities appreciated by N89.73 billion.

A Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan on the review of the nation’s constitution has recommended an amendment to the 1999 constitution that will compel government to provide housing for Nigerians as a fundamental right.

THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, ILO, is preparing a “Iinancial Initiative Inclusion” that will make available about N1billion with a single digit interest rate to women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

The Board of Conoil Plc has announced a profit of N4.4 billion for the financial year ended December 31, 2011, just as it recommended payment of N1.73 billion to shareholders as cash dividends for the period under review.

The dynamic nature of monetary policy especially sale of government securities to mop up excess liquidity makes it difficult to subject the budget of the Central Bank to legislative process for approval, says Dr. Okwu Joseph Nnanna, former Director-General at the West Africa Monetary Institute, Accra.

With the Nigerian capital market making a gradual recovery in the aftermath of the financial meltdown, Mr. Oladele Sotubo, Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, one of the ten market makers appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to stabilise and restore liquidity to the capital market, speaks on the significance of the development as well as other salient issues affecting the financial services industry in this interview in Lagos.

The Senate Committee on Communications last week listened to appeals on why it should consider an Act that makes telecommunication infrastructure strategic critical national infrastructure.

THE Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Chris Cooter has disclosed that bilateral trade volume between Nigeria and Canada has risen well above $3 billion (N480 billion), just as Foreign Direct Investment, FDI from Canada to Nigeria has also tripled giving the same figure.

The Federal Government should establish a specialized company that would identify and develop infrastructure projects to enhance planning and financing of such projects, says Mr. Taiwo Adeniji of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).