Business

Challenges Of Nigerian Capital Market In 2009

Published

12 years ago

January 1, 2010

In the annals of the Nigerian Capital Market, year 2009 will remain indelible due to its dismal performance. The banking reforms, global financial meltdown, change of leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) policies and counter policies within and outside the market inter alia are some of the factors that would make 2009 not to be forgotten in a hurry by many investors and even market operators. These factors made the market to remain on a free-fall during the year under review.

For investors in the market, it was an unpalatable year as by mid December 2009, average year-to-date return at the market stood at a negative of 35 per cent, an extension of the average drop of 46 per cent recorded in 2008.

This implies that an average investor with portfolio spread across the market recorded more than 35 percent loss in its market value during the period. And for those that invested in financial stocks had an average of more than 44 percent; those in the insurance were the worst hit with an average loss of about 64 percent while petroleum stocks generally lost some 61 percent.

A look at the activities in the market showed that within 11- month period ended November 30, 2009 it recorded a turnover value of N638.11 billion as against N2.33 trillion recorded in the comparable period of 2008 indicating a drop of N1.7 trillion or 73 percent.

During the same period, the market turned over a total volume of 95.3 billion units of shares compared with a turnover of 183.45 billion units of shares traded in the corresponding period of 2009. This represents 48 percent decrease in the market turnover during the review period.

The two key indicators for corporate market performance, the all share index and aggregate market capitalisation were also in tailspin. The benchmark index, all share index of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed at 20,795.49 basis points as at December 11, 2009 compared with an opening of 31,446.96 basis points at the beginning of the year indicating a drop of 33.86 per cent.

Also, the aggregate market capitalisation of listed equities which opened trading for the review year at N6.957 trillion fell to N4.990 trillion as at December 11, 2009 indicating a drop of 28.77 percent.

Indeed, the year, 2009 was a bad bargain for investors at the capital market as return on investment (ROI) which come in form of dividend dropped by 65 per cent from N280 billion out in 2008 to N98 billion so far.

The sweeping banking reforms exercise by the CBN, according to market analysts has been the main cause of the prolonged dominance of the bears as it has worsened liquidity crunch and hightened tension in the market.

Many investors as a result took solace in the bond market with minimal risk. In addition to this is the full disclosure policy by the CBN which mandates banks to make public their exposure to toxic loans and assets and make adequate provision for their repayment.

Most of the banks declared losses as the loan provision took toll on their performance while only a hand full made marginal profit.

Analysis of the market performance before the banking reforms revealed that in the first quarter, the market fell by 34 percent as the market indicators, all share index closed trading at 19,851.89 points on March 30, 2009 compared with an opening points of 31,450.78 basis points while the market capitalisation dropped from an opening figure of N6.96 trillion to N4.48 trillion.

There was a turn of event in the second quarter as the market indicators tilted northward with the market capitalisation surging by 33.71 percent to close at N5.99 trillion even as the bench mark index grew by 32.23 percent to close at 26,249.28 basis points.

The indices moved southwards in the third quarter as the market capitalisation declined by 14.36 percent to finish at N5.13 trillion while the all share index went down by 15.94 percent to close at 22,065.00 basis points.

From the fourth quarter to November 30, the market capitalisation decreased 2.57 per cent to close at N4.99 trillion while the index stood at 21,010.29 basis points representing a drop of 4.78 percent.

Ironically, many emerging and advanced stock markets world wide have taken the path of recovery as many have recorded double-digit positive year-to-date returns.

In United States of America for instance the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a positive year-to-date return of about 19 percent according to reports. The Standard and Poor’s 500 index recorded 22 percent while the Nasdaq gained 39 percent.

The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 index posted more than 18 percent bench mark return while the CAC 40 index, a major gauge of the French market had 18 percent return.

Others are Germany’s DAX Index, 19 percent, South Africa’s YSE All – Share Index 25 percent, Japan’s NIKKEI 225 Index, 11 percent and India’s BSE 30 Index with a shooping bench mark return of 78 percent.

In spite of the many weaknesses, there is silver linings for the market. But this can only be manifest when a concrete step is taken towards the reality of the take-off of market markets, the new rules on share buy back, reduction in costs of transactions, comprehensive periodic reporting requirements, publication of periodic forecasts of quoted companies, a strict regulatory surveillance by both NSE and SEC among others that would reinforce investors confidence in the market.

The delisting of inactive companies from the Exchange by the NSE will go a long way to help the market and the introduction of rules to check the inefficiencies in the primary market especially in private placement.

Business

Customs Intercepts N6, 974m Worth PMS

Published

1 day ago

January 17, 2022

The Tide

Barely two weeks after seizing a tank-full equivalent of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known locally as petrol, the Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 1005 jerry cans of the same product.
The product, amounting to 3000 litres, is with Duty Paid Value (DPV) worth of N6,974,750.00.
A statement signed by the Command’s Spokesman, DSC Hussaini Abdullahi, and made available to our correspondent in Lagos at the weekend, said the seizure was made during a routine check of the adjoining creeks, beaches, and flash points.
The statement quoted the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Bello Mohammed Jibo, as saying that “as long as unrepentant and undesirable elements engage in acts of economic sabotage and smuggling, so shall officers and men remain a step ahead to counter their illicit trades”.
The statement further reads: “In continuation of our efforts to suppress smuggling of petroleum products within the nooks and crannies of the command, officers and men of the Seme Area Command on a routine patrol along the creeks within Seme and Badagry intercepted another large quantity of petroleum products in sacks.
“After successful evacuation of the said item to the command’s premises where examination was conducted, one thousand and five (1005)x 30 litres of jerry cans of petroleum products each, equivalent to thirty thousand, one hundred and fifty (30,150) litres were discovered. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) is Six million, nine hundred and seventy four thousand, seven hundred and fifty naira (N6,974,750.00), only”.
While showcasing the seized products, Jibo commended the doggedness, patriotism, dedication and high level of professionalism exhibited by his men, noting that the new Land Cruiser patrol vehicles (Buffalo) recently donated to commands by the Management of the NCS has aided the operation of the command, as the vehicles enhance access to a wider circle.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

NASS, MDAs’ Non-Remittance Of Taxes Cost FIRS N5.8bn …NCAA Tops Defaulters With N2,984bn

Published

1 day ago

January 17, 2022

The Tide

Non-remittance of tax deductions by the National Assembly, comprising the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies has resulted in a loss of tax revenue amounting to N5.8 billion by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 2019.
Disclosing this in its 2019 Annual Report on non-compliance, internal control, and weakness issues in MDAs of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation said it is for the year ended December 31, 2019.
The MDAs, according to the Report, are the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa; Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria; Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority; Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited; Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Jigawa State; Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Department of Petroleum Resources; National Assembly Service Commission; and Nigerian Correctional Services.
It stated that between 2018 and 2019, the MDAs failed to either remit one per cent stamp duty, value added tax, withholding tax or Pay As You Earn tax deducted from awarded contracts, thereby contravening sections of the Financial Regulations and Treasury Circular issued on December 29, 2015.
The Report further stated that Paragraph 234(I) of the Financial Regulations states that “it is mandatory for accounting officers to ensure full compliance with the dual roles of making provision for the Value Added Tax and withholding tax due on supply and services contract and actual remittance of same”.
Specifically, it quoted Paragraph 235, saying, “Deduction of VAT, WHT, and PAYE shall be remitted to Federal Inland Revenue Service at the same time the payee who is the subject of deduction is paid”.
It continued that the Treasury circular Ref No. TRY/A12&B12/2015 and OAGF/CAD/VOL.II/390, dated December 29, 2015, states that “1% Stamp Duty chargeable on contract awards and the remittance be made to the relevant tax authority (Federal Inland Revenue Service)”.
The Report also stated: “The audit observed that the sum of N5,828,621,715.06 was the amount of taxes not remitted by 12 Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has the highest amount of N2,984,887,250.00, while Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, New Bussa has the least amount of N1,021,011.13”.

Business

NCS, Apapa Records N870,39bn Revenue Boost

Published

1 day ago

January 17, 2022

The Tide

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recorded an impressive performance in its revenue generation and anti-smuggling campaign in 2021.
Disclosing this recently during a review of its activities in 2021, the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta, said the sum of N870.38 billion of the N2.24 trillion announced recently by the Service was collected in Apapa Command in 2021.
Giving an insight into the command’s revenue profile, Malanta told newsmen that the N870.38 billion collected by the command was 68 percent more than what was collected in 2020 which was N518.4 billion.
He stayed that the Command recorded 103 seizures worth N31 billion in 2021.
Malanta identified the seizures as 46.55kg of cocaine, which was concealed on board MV Karteria and MV Chayanee Naree laden with raw sugar; containers of foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, secondhand clothes, unregistered pharmaceuticals such as captagon pills, tramadol, codeine syrup, etc.
“These were seizures made in accordance with the provisions of sections 46, 47, and 161 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45 LFN 2004. These seizures are condemned by a competent court of law and the suspects are still undergoing investigation and interrogation”, the Customs boss said.
He continued that 5.38 metric tons of non-oil commodities were exported through the command as against 1.3 million metric tons in 2020.
According to him, the Free on Board (FOB) value for the exported items rose from $340 million (N140 billion) in 2020 to $641 million (N264 billion) last year.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos