A new report by the Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) has revealed that Nigerian banks are allocating just one per cent of total credit to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This is despite the sector contributing 50 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing 80 per cent of the …
The Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) has called for an immediate criminal investigation and prosecution of all individuals connected to the controversial political ambition of Mahmud Sadis Buba, describing the episode as a major national security concern that exposed deep failures in Nigeria’s political, security, and verification systems. In a statement titled “THE …
The Nigerian stock market extended its bullish run in May 2026, with investors gaining approximately ₦4.52 trillion as strong performances in industrial, insurance, and banking stocks lifted key market indicators despite weakening market breadth. Data from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) showed that the All-Share Index (ASI) rose by 3.35 per cent during the month, climbing …
The Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics has criticised the Presidency's 'Nigeria's Energy Sector Reforms: A Three-Year Review (2023–2026)' report, describing the document as a political communication exercise that overstates progress while overlooking major challenges facing the country's energy sector. In a statement titled 'A House Built on Sand: The Illusion of Progress in Nigeria's …
Three years into President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria’s economy tells a story of sharp reforms, painful adjustments and an unfinished struggle to convert macroeconomic stability into broader prosperity. Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu’s government has pursued two defining economic reforms — fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification — aimed at stabilising public …
Nigeria’s economy will grow by 3.93 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, CardinalStone Research has projected. The projection will be supported by stronger oil production and the resilience of the non-oil sector despite rising global geopolitical tensions. In its latest review of Nigeria’s Q1 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) report, the research firm …
European Central Bank President and former International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday warned that central banks worldwide must protect their independence as political and economic pressures grow. Speaking at a conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Lagarde said governments, economic shocks and declining public trust were increasingly testing central banks, according to an …
The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, says Nigeria’s next phase of economic reform should focus on industrialisation, power sector reforms, productivity growth and export competitiveness despite signs of economic recovery in the first quarter of 2026. In a policy brief he released on Thursday …
The Russia-Ukraine war, changing political decisions in the United States and rising global tensions are reshaping how Nigerian banks manage risk. This global turmoil is pushing the banks to rethink everything from loan quality and collateral values to cybersecurity and liquidity planning, Pinnacle Daily can report. A review of 2025 audited financial reports of 11 …
Fidelity Bank Plc posted a sharp increase in impairment charges on financial assets in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, as rising macroeconomic pressures and higher provisions for other assets weakened profitability despite strong growth in earnings and foreign exchange gains. An analysis of the bank’s financial results released on Monday shows that impairment charges …
