THE National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has approved the 2016 accounts of 39 insurance companies, leaving out about 10 others that were among the 49 that have so far submitted in line with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

AGENTS of Financial Institutions and Mobile Payment Operators have called for the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address the challenges of excessive service charge and inadequate funding plaguing the agent banking system.

The decision is a positive one for the market. If they had actually effected that change to the negative side, that would have affected investors’ confidence. But now that they have extended the review period upward, I think that will give investors some level of confidence. Of course, you know the market has been very strong or bullish over a couple of period because of the renewed interest. That shows the level of confidence investors have in the market. So, apart from that, I also think that the FX situation has actually been very supportive of the market for them to say ‘let’s wait and see the impact of the FX situation. I think for me that is quite good for the market.

DIRECTOR General Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma, has declared that the agency would spare no effort at boosting intra and inter-African trade.

Reflecting uptick in economic activities buoyed by improved foreign exchange inflow courtesy of oil price rebound and increased foreign investment inflow occasioned by new foreign exchange policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, investors’ fortunes on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) soared by whopping N2.2 trillion in the first half of the year (H1’17).

Director, Other Financial Institution and Supervisory Department (OFISD) Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, disclosed this at the just concluded second annual two-day professional seminar organized by the National Association of Microfinance Banks, Lagos State Chapter (NAMBLag) in conjunction with CA Compuconsult &Associates with the theme: ‘Strategic Options for Sustainability of Microfinance Operations in a Challenging Environment.

IN that short sentence, Fashola summarized all that has been wrong with the political-economy of Nigeria. In 2016, while executing the first budget of the Buhari administration, no single kobo was spent on the Second Niger Bridge.

AHEAD of the launch of Exchange Traded Derivatives, ETDs, by the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, later in the year, the 2nd Vice-President of the NSE Council, Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, has expressed optimism that the ETD initiative will develop into a robust market that could support the nation’s growth ambition.

As at the end of the day we are able to close on a very sound note. We increased the premium income from $33.5million in 2015 to $49.6million in 2016 which is about 35 percent growth.

BUSINESSES and consumers have differed in the expectations of the direction of the inflation rate in the third quarter of the year.

The top 10 banks earned N138 billion from charges on electronic payment transactions. This represented 26 per cent increase from the N109.1 billion earned in 2015. Bank customers who spoke to Vanguard, however, differed in their views about this development.

BARGAIN hunters will continue to dictate the pace of activity in the equities market as investors continue to buy in on stocks that had depreciated in prior trading sessions.

AS part of its resolve to impact positively on the environment where it operates, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has reaffirmed that it will continue to empower the people through its various programmes on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

HERITAGE Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to further deepen the drive to support agribusiness value chain in order to fast track food security and sufficiency in the country.

ECOBANK Nigeria Limited has initiated the planting of 500 coconut tree seedlings on Victoria Island being part of the Lagos State greener, healthier and sustainable environment campaign targeted at planting at least 10 million trees by the year 2020 within the state.