Business
Naira stays above N1600 bandwidth at unofficial market as MPC meeting kicks off

Naira stays above N1600 bandwidth at unofficial market as MPC meeting kicks off
The naira, week on week, posted some recovery against the haven currency at the unofficial market as the Central Bank of Nigeria set in motion its first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting under Mr. Yemi Cardoso, with many analysts expecting a significant increase in the benchmark interest rate, also known as the monetary policy rate.
The naira initially traded around N1600 to the USDT early Monday morning at the time of drafting this report, posting a weekly gain of more than 25% for the week, although this has moved above the N1600 mark as at the time of this report.
Binance and Cryptocurrency Usage
A significant number of young Nigerians have become increasingly dependent on Binance to buy digital assets as a hedge against rising inflation and currency devaluation.
Notably, for Nigerian foreign exchange traders, the Binance P2P platform has emerged as a key location for price discovery.
Although Nigeria has not officially stated that it has blocked access to Binance and other cryptocurrency platforms, some Nigerian users of these sites have complained about not being able to access the platform on their X accounts.
These digital service providers have been major players (reference points) in the FX market of the nation, frequently acting as standards for regional FX rates.
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The government wants to take control of the naira’s value and maintain its place in the financial system, so it’s restricting access to these platforms.
Monetary Policy Expectations
Following a few missed monetary policy sessions, Nigeria is expected to implement two aggressive interest rate hikes in less than two months to control inflation and strengthen the naira, according to a Reuters poll released on Friday.
Nigeria’s monetary policy rate is expected to increase by 225 basis points to 21.00% on February 27 during Governor Olayemi Cardoso’s first monetary policy meeting, according to a survey conducted last week.
With the local currency still trading near its record low on the black market and January inflation increasing to 29.9 percent year over year, market pundits anticipate considerable policy tightening and the announcement of de facto system-wide tightening measures.
Dollar Index and Federal Reserve Outlook
Meanwhile, the dollar index used to gauge the dollar’s strength against major currencies posted decent gains in London trade on Monday, following its first weekly loss since 2024.
Though Federal Reserve officials cautioned that the bank was not in a rush to start lowering interest rates early, particularly given the persistently high inflation rate, the dollar managed to hold onto its three-month highs.
Some additional Fed speakers are anticipated this week, most of whom will probably restate the view of higher interest rates for longer.
Naira stays above N1600 bandwidth at unofficial market as MPC meeting kicks off
Business
I’m honoured, excited over World Bank’s appointment – Dangote

I’m honoured, excited over World Bank’s appointment – Dangote
President and CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has expressed gratitude following his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, a global initiative aimed at accelerating private investment and job creation in emerging economies.
In a statement confirming the development, Dangote described the appointment as both an honour and a reflection of his long-standing commitment to economic development through private enterprise.
“I am both honoured and excited to accept my appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, dedicated to advancing investment and employment in emerging economies,” Dangote said.
“This opportunity aligns with my long-standing commitment to sustainable development and unlocking the potential of developing economies.”
He referenced the successes of the so-called Asian Tigers, economies that experienced rapid growth through strategic investment, as a source of inspiration for advancing similar outcomes in other parts of the world.
The World Bank announced Dangote’s inclusion on Wednesday as part of a broader expansion of the Lab, which enters a new phase focused on scaling up solutions that attract private capital and generate employment in developing countries.
Other newly appointed members include Bill Anderson, CEO of Bayer AG; Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises; and Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
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World Bank Group President Ajay Banga noted that the expanded membership underscores the institution’s focus on integrating private-sector leadership into its strategy for global job creation.
“With the expanded membership, we are mainstreaming this work across our operations and tying it directly to the jobs agenda that is driving our strategy,” Banga said.
“This isn’t about altruism—it’s about helping the private sector see a path to investments that will deliver returns, and lift people and economies alike. It’s central to our mandate.”
The lab, which was co-chaired in 2023 by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, previously sought to mobilise £1 trillion in sustainable investment, particularly targeting energy transition projects in emerging markets.
Aviation
Air Peace suspends flights nationwide over NiMet strike

Air Peace suspends flights nationwide over NiMet strike
Air Peace has suspended all its flight operations across the country due to the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The airline said in a statement on Wednesday that it was also suspending operations due to the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings.
“Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over,” Air Peace said.
“Your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates as the situation unfolds.”
The airline had earlier announced that the NiMet strike could lead to flight delays and cancellations across its network.
Air Peace added that it was monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders to minimise the impact on customers’ travel plans.
Employees of NiMet commenced a nationwide indefinite strike over welfare issues on Wednesday.
Some of the issues raised involve “NiMet’s refusal to negotiate or implement agreed financial allowances and unresolved entitlements,” including wage awards, peculiar allowances, and outstanding payments from the 2019 minimum wage.
They also accused the management of the agency of withholding important documents, ignoring requests for inclusion of omitted staff in past payments, and neglecting key training programmes in favour of executive retreats.
Business
Nigeria’s gas production increases by 15.6% to 227,931.65 mscf

Nigeria’s gas production increases by 15.6% to 227,931.65 mscf
Nigeria’s gas output has increased 15,6 percent month-on-month, MoM, to 227,931.65 million standard cubic feet, mscf, in March 2025.
But on year-on-year, YoY basis, the nation’s gas output recorded a marginal increase to 227,931.65 mscf in March 2025, from 198,353.62 mscf, recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Gas Production Status reports indicated that of the total of 227,931.65 mscf produced in March 2025, 119,552.75 mscf was associated while 108,378.90 mscf was non-associated gas.
Associated gas is extracted in the process of producing crude oil while non-associated gas is produced without crude oil after much investment, exploration and development.
The Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), which is directly involved in the development of policies, targeted at increasing investment in the sector said efforts have been made to increase investment and production of gas in Nigeria.
Similarly, in its recent report obtained by Vanguard, the Nigerian LNG Limited stated: “We are fully committed to expanding our operations with the NLNG Train 7 Project, which will boost our production capacity by 35%, increasing from 22 Million Tonnes Per Annum (mtpa) to 30 mtpa. This project underscores our role as a key player in the global LNG market and positions Nigeria as a top-tier supplier of LNG, leveraging its vast proven gas reserves of 202 trillion cubic feet (the 9th largest globally).
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