Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited hosted its clients at the 2026 Global Market Outlook event, bringing together industry experts to examine the evolving global financial landscape and its implications for Nigeria in 2026, where it revealed that the country’s growth outlook is optimistic.

A statement from the bank on Tuesday stated that the well-attended event featured presentations from speakers drawn from Standard Chartered, including Manpreet Gill, Chief Investment Officer, Africa, Middle East and Europe; Lanre Olajide, Head of Wealth and Retail Banking, Nigeria; Ernest Adejumo, Head of Wealth Solutions; Uche Ugboh, Head of Treasury Markets; and Chima Eboh, Head of Affluent Banking and Branches.

The speakers delivered insights on current market trends, economic shifts, and wealth-building strategies, followed by a question-and-answer panel session that offered attendees practical perspectives on navigating opportunities and challenges in the year ahead.

Speaking on the impact of the global outlook on Nigeria and the investment opportunities available to stakeholders, Gill said, “Clients took away three key messages from the 2026 global market outlook: (i) Stay overweight equities, (ii) continue to generate attractive yields through diversified bonds, but most importantly (iii) diversify, both within equities and across asset classes given valuations and continued uncertainty.”

Adejumo said the key takeaways from the bank’s 2026 Global Market Outlook highlighted the importance of discipline and diversification in an increasingly complex global environment.

“While short-term volatility may persist, investors who concentrate on long-term fundamentals, quality assets, and informed, advisory-led portfolio construction are best positioned to navigate uncertainty and seize emerging opportunities.

“Our GMO reinforced a clear message for investors: clarity comes from context, not noise. By understanding the global themes influencing growth, inflation, and interest rates, clients are better equipped to make confident and well-timed investment decisions. This approach focuses not on predicting markets but on preparing portfolios through diversification and discipline, aligned with their long-term financial goals,” he said.

The event hosted over 1,200 clients across Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt and concluded with a networking lunch with the bank’s management team.

Nigeria’s economic outlook for 2026 remains cautiously optimistic, with GDP growth projections of 4.3 to 4.4 per cent, driven largely by the services sector, particularly ICT and finance, as well as a potential recovery in the oil sector. Efforts to diversify revenue sources beyond oil are ongoing.

However, challenges, including high inflation and fiscal pressures, persist, while poverty is expected to remain an issue despite reforms aimed at promoting inclusive growth.

Key focus areas include stabilising the naira, controlling inflation through effective monetary policy, improving infrastructure, and ensuring that government policies translate into tangible benefits for citizens. Achieving these goals will require strong fiscal discipline and comprehensive structural reforms.

Standard Chartered said it remains optimistic about Nigeria’s long-term economic potential, emphasising the importance of sustainable reforms, infrastructure development, and regional cooperation in driving growth in Nigeria and across Africa. The bank noted that by aligning global trends with regional strengths, it is well-positioned to support clients and communities in achieving their goals in 2026 and beyond.

By exporting about 70 per cent of its crude oil and 45 per cent of natural gas, Africa annually loses $15 billion, says the Association of Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO).

The APPO Secretary-General, Farid Ghezali, disclosed this on Tuesday in his remarks at the official opening of the 2026 edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES), in Abuja.

Ghezali said in spite of the continent’s immense potential, Africa was facing a paradoxical and frustrating reality of making such significant export of its natural resources.

However, Ghezali, forecasts a turn around of the situation, with the operations of the African Energy Bank (AEB) which is being positioned to raise about $15 billion to finance oil and gas projects in the continent of Africa by 2030.

APPO said the bank, which would begin operation fully by June in Abuja was expected to create over 500,000 direct jobs in the local midstream.

African Energy Bank is a joint initiative of APPO member states and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), established with an initial capital of Five billion dollars.

Its core mandate is to mobilise domestic and regional capital for energy infrastructure, reduce Africa’s reliance on external financing, and align energy investments with the continent’s long-term development and industrialisation goals.

“The AEB will unify intra-African pricing for gas and oil, allowing our member countries to achieve savings of up to 30 per cent on their energy imports, a potential gain of 1.4 billion dollars for Africa,” he said.

He said financing remained the main bottleneck hindering the development of the continent’s strategic projects, adding that over 150 essential projects, from refineries to pipelines, such as the Ajeokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, to gas infrastructure remained blocked.

To address this anomaly, the APPO scribe, said the African Energy Bank was designed to unlock the 200 billion needed for the continent’s midstream-downstream projects by 2030.

Ghezali disclosed that the African Energy Bank would allow the listing of shares of the national oil companies in the continent and flagship projects, such as the Dangote Refinery or the AKK Gas Pipeline.

He explained that it would also connect Africa’s certified projects to the world’s largest sovereign wealth as well as to capital markets with structured equipment and public-private partnerships.

The Chairman, Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), Adegbite Falade, in his remarks said Nigeria must build an energy industry that could sustain itself, deliver lasting value to Nigerians through collaboration and consolidation rather than through fragmentation.

“The future of the industry lies not in the whole model of extraction and exports of the nation’s raw hydrocarbons, but it lies in creating in-country value that fuels the economy and increasingly contributes to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth,” he added.

Falade said since 2025 edition of the summit, Nigeria’s oil and gas industry had recorded notable progresses across the entire value chain, adding that the upstream scaled up in terms of liquid production while gas production had grown significantly.

“This growth in liquid has been supported by an increase in export pipeline availability, reduced crude losses, and stronger indigenous contribution to production.

For the first time, indigenous producers and independents now account for more than 50 per cent of national production.

“We continue to see sustained implementation of the PIA and strengthening of sales through the issuance of relevant and appropriate executive orders.

“However, a few things still remain by way of all kinds of process stakeholders if we are to build an energy industry that is truly self-sufficient and that consistently creates value for the nation.,” Falade said.

He,however, urged the Federal Government to continue to create an industry that could allow the driving and the envelope of private capital to build our industry infrastructure.

Falade said, “Without this, we will not be able to reach the massive gap in potential that we have to meet in our contribution to the nation’s GDP.

We must reduce bureaucracy, we must streamline industry fees and related charges, just to make sure that operators remain competitive.

Our industry today operates at a significantly elevated premium in cost relative to other non-share jurisdictions. We must address the issue of access to long-term and affordable capital.

“We must ensure policy stability and adopt competitive fiscal frameworks that support resource monetisation and stimulate interest rate growth.”

As an emerging global energy powerhouse, Nigeria has the responsibility to utilise its abundant gas resources to power Africa’s rise and contribute meaningfully to global stability.

Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this during an address at the opening ceremony of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“Nigeria’s pathway to a prosperous future lies in our collective ability to leverage our resource abundance, especially as gas sits at the heart of our strategy. It is our bridge to a cleaner future, our engine for industrialization, and our foundation for export-led growth”, Ojulari stated.

Describing what he termed as Africa’s energy trilemma, Ojulari said though the African continent is endowed with vast energy resources, it still grapples with issues of accessibility, affordability, and sustainability, with over 600 million Africans living without access to electricity.

He said that with 37 billion barrels crude oil and 209 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, Nigeria and the NNPC Ltd are ready to lead the charge in changing the narrative.

“With over 600 million Africans still lacking electricity, the continent’s priority cannot be a copy and paste. Ours must be a just, equitable, people-centered energy additions, one that lifts our people out of poverty, powers industries, supports agriculture, transforms transportation, and unleashes the creativity of Africa’s youth”, he stated.

He said NNPC Ltd was not just a commercial entity but also a peace and prosperity enabler.

On steps being taken to enhance access to gas as the primary fuel for driving industrialization and economic growth, the GCEO said NNPC Ltd has launched a new Gas Masterplan, while aggressively progressing strategic gas infrastructure projects such as the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3), Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipelines, and the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) expansion.

“These projects are more than pipelines, they are highways for economic opportunity”, he explained.

The Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has warned that inconsistent regulatory frameworks across African countries remain one of the biggest obstacles to cross-border energy investments, calling for the strengthening of the African Petroleum Regulators’ Forum as a continent-wide platform for regulatory alignment.

Eyesan made the call in a keynote address at the Nigerian International Energy Summit held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Monday.

She was represented at the event by the Director, NUPRC, Mr Edu Inyang.

Her remarks were contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Head, Media and Strategic Communication of the commission, Mr Eniola Akinkuotu.

Speaking on the theme “One Africa, One Regulator Voice: Aligned Policies for Continental Prosperity and Investment,” the NUPRC boss said Africa’s energy challenge is no longer about resource availability, but about regulatory fragmentation that raises costs, delays projects and scares away investors.

“Investors are not deterred by Africa’s geology; they are deterred by inconsistent rules,” Eyesan said.

According to her, AFRIPERF was created to address this gap by driving regulatory convergence, improving predictability and accelerating the execution of cross-border oil and gas projects that can deliver shared prosperity across the continent.

“AFRIPERF was established to institutionalise regulatory convergence, provide predictability and enable faster execution of cross-border projects that deliver shared prosperity,” she added.

Eyesan explained that the forum, launched in collaboration with petroleum regulators across Africa, is already making progress in aligning technical standards, developing shared data platforms, building regulatory capacity and projecting a unified African voice at global energy and climate engagements.

She noted that Africa’s prospects for industrialisation and inclusive growth remain immense if its resources are developed through coordinated policies and aligned regulatory frameworks.

“Africa holds about eight per cent of global oil and gas reserves, nearly 30 per cent of known critical mineral resources, and has a population exceeding 1.5 billion people, most of whom are youthful and economically active.

“When these advantages are harnessed through integrated infrastructure, coordinated policies and aligned regulations, they can drive industrialisation, strengthen regional value chains, enhance energy security and deliver inclusive growth” she said.

Despite the global energy transition, Eyesan reaffirmed that oil and gas will remain central to Africa’s development for decades, supporting electricity generation, clean cooking, fertiliser and petrochemical production, as well as public revenues required to fund infrastructure, healthcare and education.

She highlighted Africa’s growing success in speaking with one voice at international platforms, noting that coordinated advocacy at successive Conferences of the Parties helped secure recognition of gas as a transition fuel and culminated in the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh.

“These successes show what Africa can achieve when it speaks with one voice,” she said, adding that similar unity is required within the continent’s regulatory and investment frameworks.

Eyesan cited existing examples of policy alignment yielding results, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, regional power pools and cross-border gas infrastructure such as the West African Gas Pipeline.

However, she lamented that more than 180 trillion cubic feet of discovered natural gas across Africa remains undeveloped, largely due to fragmented markets and unaligned fiscal and regulatory regimes.

“This is a huge missed opportunity for energy access, industrial growth and economic transformation,” she said.

The NUPRC chief noted that Nigeria has taken deliberate steps to lead by example through the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, transparent licensing rounds and the development of major gas infrastructure projects such as the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano pipeline, the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the revived Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.

She also pointed to the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, headquartered in Nigeria, as a major step towards mobilising African capital for African energy projects, especially at a time when global financing for fossil fuel investments is shrinking.

In her closing remarks, Eyesan urged African regulators and policymakers to deepen cooperation by strengthening AFRIPERF, expanding regional gas and electricity networks, adopting shared sustainability standards and maintaining a unified stance in global energy and climate discussions.

“Our voice must be one, our frameworks aligned, and our actions coordinated. Only then can we unlock the full transformative power of Africa’s resources for our people”, she said.

AFRIPERF, launched by African petroleum regulators, was conceived as a response to these challenges. The forum aims to harmonise regulatory standards, align fiscal and operational frameworks, share data and build capacity among regulators to support cross-border projects and improve Africa’s competitiveness as an investment destination.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released a comprehensive assessment of Nigeria’s fintech landscape, outlining the priorities needed to sustain innovation, strengthen system integrity, and support the next phase of digital financial growth.

The report examines the scale and maturity of Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem, highlighting the country’s leadership in real-time payments and the structural factors shaping recent growth. It positions fintech innovation as a complementary force within the financial system, expanding access, efficiency, and reach, while preserving stability and resilience.

Informed by surveys and extensive stakeholder engagement, the report outlines practical policy directions to improve regulatory coordination, strengthen supervisory capability, and support responsible innovation, including cross-border scale. It underscores interoperability, proportional regulation, and effective execution as critical enablers of sustainable ecosystem development.

This publication forms part of an ongoing series through which the CBN will continue to engage the financial sector, provide clearer regulatory direction, and support more coordinated execution. It is intended to serve as a shared reference point for banks, fintech firms, regulators, infrastructure providers, investors, and partners as Nigeria consolidates its position within the regional and global fintech landscape.

TotalEnergies has reaffirmed its commitment to continuously improve initiatives that will improve on its local content delivery.

Speaking at the 9th Nigerian International Energy Summit, Mr. Cyprian Ojum, Deputy General Manager, Nigerian Content, TotalEnergies, emphasized that local content is a strategic priority, not just a compliance checkbox.

He stated that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010 is clear: every operator must treat local content as an operating philosophy, focusing on retaining value locally.

“This week, we are discussing content as a strategic priority. We are here to tell a story, one that centers on local consciousness. This is not about ticking a compliance checkbox or fulfilling a political obligation. It is about having a deliberate plan”

“The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010 is very clear, every operator, alliance partner, project promoter, contractor, or any entity involved in monitoring the oil and gas industry in Nigeria must treat local content as an operating philosophy”

“From the moment a project is conceived, the key question becomes: what quantity of value will be retained locally at the end of this project? That is precisely how local content is defined under the 2010 Act. Project design must therefore be driven by value retention”.

“This is why, at the early stages of our projects, we engage in extensive iterations with the SDLD. We make multiple visits to the NCDMB and sit with the Project Certification and Operations Department to review and refine our Nigerian Content Plan.”

“As mentioned earlier, the Act covers 17 service categories and over 300 subsections, each with clearly defined minimum and maximum local content thresholds. Whether the activity involves fabrication, construction, procurement, installation, transportation, drilling, mud services, or other operations, there are specific percentages that must be achieved, he said.

Ojum emphasized that local content is not just about compliance, but about building expertise and retaining value in-country. He cited the Agena project as an example of successful capacity building and value creation.

“Beyond value retention, Sections 10, 27, 28, 29, and 30 of the Act emphasize training Nigerians and developing capacity. For us, performance-driven local content is anchored on capacity building”.

“Take the Agena project as an example. Capacity development was deliberately built into the project through infrastructure investment. When LADOL and the Samsung–LADOL collaboration were referenced earlier, that speaks directly to TotalEnergies’ commitment.The largest FSO in Nigeria was delivered through this project”

“Within the Agena project alone, about 200 Nigerians were trained in critical skills that are actively deployed across the industry today not only within TotalEnergies, but also across other companies.

“Today, Agena contributes nearly 10 per cent of TotalEnergies’ global production. That level of impact underscores the scale of value created in Nigeria”, he said.

He explained that Total Energies’ approach includes: Human Capacity Development, designed to respond to industry needs, focusing on sustainability.

Value retention, by prioritizing local value creation and retention, and collaboration, this is done by working with local contractors and NCDMB to meet local content thresholds.

Ojum said TotalEnergies has achieved significant success in local content development, with its IKAN project reaching 95 per cent Nigerian content.

Highlighting the company’s commitment to building expertise and retaining value in the country,Ojum emphasized that Nigerians can deliver complex oil and gas projects to international standards, citing the IKAN project’s success, adding that the Ubata project aims to further push local content boundaries.

Ojum’s remarks highlight the importance of local content in driving Nigeria’s energy industry growth and sustainability.

Petroleum product marketers have argued that the only way to shield Nigerians from the shock of a sudden surge in petrol prices is for the Federal Government to sell crude oil to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other local refineries at subsidised rates.

The marketers, therefore, urged the Federal Government to sell crude oil to domestic refiners with a subsidy to prevent a sharp increase in petrol prices.

Specifically, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider subsidising crude prices while also extending the naira-for-crude deal to other modular refineries operating in the country.

Dangote refinery recently effected a price hike, pushing the pump price of petrol to N839 per litre at MRS and other filling stations.

A few days later, crude prices surged above $70 per barrel in the global market, fuelling speculations that petrol prices could rise to N1,000 per litre in Nigeria, especially in locations far from the refinery or major tank farms.

Speaking on the development, the IPMAN spokesman, Chinedu Ukadike, said a subsidised crude oil supply had become critical to absorbing the shock of any possible price surge.

Crude oil prices, which serve as the main feedstock for refineries, change constantly, and such fluctuations directly affect the prices of petrol, diesel, and other fuels.

Ukadike said the Federal Government should offer refineries a ‘special deal’ on crude oil to act as a buffer, helping to keep pump prices stable even when global crude prices rise. In an interview with our correspondent, he said, “We need to consider crude oil subsidy.

The Federal Government can see how to subsidise crude oil being given to Dangote in naira.”

According to him, subsidised crude would help prevent what he described as a sudden increase in petroleum product prices, which often impacts the cost of domestic goods and services.

“The subsidy will ensure that there is no sudden increase in domestic goods and services. We are making this request now that the Federal Government should subsidise the crude oil it sells to Dangote and other refiners producing fuel locally,” he stated.

The IPMAN spokesman explained that the reason the refinery recently asked marketers to top up payments already made for petroleum products by N100 per litre was due to the rise in global crude prices, urging the Federal Government to consider the possibility of a crude subsidy.

Last Monday, the Dangote refinery announced an increase in its gantry price of petrol from N699 to N799 per litre. The adjustment pushed Dangote’s gantry price to about N70 higher than the landing cost of imported Premium Motor Spirit.

Findings by The PUNCH showed that marketers who had completed payments and processed final slips at N699 per litre were later asked to top up to N799 per litre before loading. This followed the refinery’s withdrawal of its temporary festive price support and the invalidation of previously issued loading authorisations.

Our correspondent reports that following the price increase by the Dangote refinery, most filling stations across the country adjusted their pump prices.

In Lagos, petrol prices ranged from N830 to N859 per litre. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited sold PMS at N849 per litre along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. MRS filling stations dispensed the product at N839 per litre, while a few outlets sold at prices slightly lower than those of the Dangote-partnered MRS stations.

With the increase in petrol prices, Ukadike said fuel sales had slowed compared to the December festive period, noting that many consumers were becoming more conservative in their fuel consumption.

“The market is becoming slow now, unlike in the festive season when the prices were low. People were filling their tanks then, but now, people are becoming conservative because of the price increase,” the IPMAN leader stated.

Although the price of Brent crude settled at $69.32 per barrel on Sunday evening, Ukadike warned that unless crude prices decline to around $60 per barrel, petrol pump prices would continue to face upward pressure.

According to him, crude oil prices and exchange rates remain the major determinants of fuel pricing, stressing that changes in either would affect how petroleum products are sold in the domestic market.

Ukadike further warned that petrol could hit N1,000 per litre if the crude price surge persists, particularly in areas far from fuel depots. “The crude surge will definitely affect our local market. The price of petroleum products will come down if the crude price goes down; that’s the common principle of the market,” he said.

First HoldCo Plc has announced its unaudited financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025, reflecting a year of deliberate strategic actions aimed at strengthening its balance sheet, improving asset quality, and positioning the business for more resilient and sustainable growth amidst successful capital raise activities.

As stated in the unaudited Group financial statement, FirstHoldCo recorded a 4.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) increase in its Gross earnings to N3.4 trillion, supported by a 36.3% y-o-y growth in net interest income of N1.9 trillion on the back of enhanced earnings yield and margins of 17.11% and 11.0%, respectively. Similarly, net fees and commissions improved by 18.7% y-o-y to N290.7 billion. These are clear indications of the strength of the revenue generating capacity of the core business which continues to be solid.