Business
Experts Advise Nigerians On Economy
Some financial experts last Wednesday urged Nigerians not to
despair, as the Federal Government renewed efforts at growing the economy.
Our correspondent reports that the experts collectively made
the submission at the one-day Finance Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria
(FICAN) roundtable in Lagos.
The theme of the meeting was “The Economy in the first half
of 2012 and outlook for second half”.
Mr Bunmi Asaolu, Head, Equity Research of First Capital
Ltd., said that the performance of the stocks and bonds market in the first six
months of the year showcased Nigeria as an investment destination sought after by
foreign investors.
He said that contrary to other opinions, the nation recorded
about seven per cent growth in the first quarter of 2012, but witnessed some
significant weakness in the non-oil sub-sector.
According to him, Nigerian’s insatiable appetite for
imported goods and the huge foreign exchange committed in the importation of
refined petroleum products were major setbacks in the period under review.
Asaolu said that in spite of the setbacks, the nation
managed to achieve a modest 7.5 per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
between Jan. and June, 2012.
Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the Managing Director of Access
Bank, said that Africa’s global share of the stock market capitalisation was
1.81 per cent.
Represented by Mr Joe Osorjie, Head, Credit Risk Management,
Aig-Imoukhuede bemoaned government’s inability to explore private sector
financing opportunities, stressing that banks’ weak assets currently stood at
0.15 per cent.
He said that only 17 out of 53 African countries had
accessible stock exchanges, adding that African financial institutions were
relatively inactive in the derivatives market.