Companies
These banks gave AMCON N168 billion in 2019
Nigerian Banks increased their contributions towards the AMCON sinking Fund to about N167 billion in 2019 compared to about N154,9 billion a year earlier.
Nigerian Banks increased their contributions towards the AMCON sinking Fund to about N167 billion in 2019 compared to about N154,9 billion a year earlier. This is according to data compiled by Nairametics Research.
All banks operating in Nigeria contribute 0.5% of their total assets as at the dates of their audited financial statements as levies to the Banking Sector Resolution Cost Trust Fund (BSRCTF), also known as the AMCON Sinking Fund, to repay AMCON’s debt to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to the data banks in our universe of data that we track have contributed a combined N455.9 billion in the last 3 years alone. Financial services conglomerate, FBNH has contributed the most with about N107.4 billion in the last 3 years. Zenith Bank is next with about N82.7 billion.
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Nigerian Banks’ contribution to AMCON Sinking Fund.
Source: Nairametrics Research.
What it means: The AMCON’s sinking fund was established following the realization that recoveries from AMCON-acquired bad loans might be insufficient to meet the cost of restoring financial stability. The fund is to further ensure that the burden on the national treasury is reduced, as any banking crisis will be resolved by banks, CBN and AMCON.
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Meanwhile, the increase in levies is in tandem with the growth of the banks’ total assets. For instance, the total annual assets of banks in the last five years were N27.37 trillion in 2015, N32.02 trillion in 2016, N35.77 trillion in 2017, N41.04 trillion in 2018 and N47.27 trillion in 2019, based on data compiled by Nairametrics Research.
While some industry watchers believe that AMCON’s existence will be longer than expected, considering the crisis that rocked the industry from inception, some shareholders told Nairametrics that such tenure elongation is not a welcome development for them.
National President, Constance Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria, Shehu Mikail, explained that the contributions made by the banks are huge and if care is not taken, it could deplete banks profit and returns on investments (ROI).
He said, “The contributions being made by banks into the sinking fund is to the detriment of their shareholders. The act that established AMCON needs to be reviewed and the agency should give details of its services to the nation.
“We do believe that all other regulatory agencies are up to the task of enforcing the necessary rules to sustain the financial sector but this is not, as it causes more injury to shareholders in terms of dividend payment.”
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Another shareholder, Taiwo Oderinde alleged that AMCON was designed to suppress investment in Nigeria, as all shareholders’ investments in the collapsed banks have gone down the drain. He said,
“Banks must have paid about N1trillion to AMCON in the last 10 years of its existence despite the fact that some financial institutions were nationalized without giving their shareholders anything. It was an emergency toxic vehicle established by the government through the CBN and stakeholders then to save the situation at hand, but it has overstayed its welcome.
“The only way forward is for AMCON to start winding down its operations because it has spent 10 years; it can use 2020 for rounding off. We call on the legislators to look into the tenure extension. The government needs to evaluate the performance of AMCON since inception, noting that the impact of the corporation is not felt.”
Companies
Dangote Sugar lists additional ordinary shares on NSE
This arose from the Scheme of Merger between Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc and Savannah Sugar Company Limited (SSCL).
Dangote Sugar refinery Plc (DSR) a major subsidiary of the Dangote Group, has disclosed that it has listed 146,878,241 additional ordinary shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), as a result of the recent merger with Savannah Sugar Company Limited.
This disclosure signed by Head, Listings Regulation Department, Godstime Iwenekhai, was released during trading hours on Wednesday.
In line with the resolution passed at the Court-Ordered meeting of members of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc on the 9th of July 2020, the additional shares listed on the Exchange arose from the Scheme of Merger between Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc and Savannah Sugar Company Limited (SSCL).
The additional 146,878,241 ordinary shares of 50 kobo listed are in consideration for the transfer by SSCL of all its assets, liabilities and business undertakings, including real property and intellectual property rights to DSR.
Hence, these shares shall be issued and allotted to the shareholders of SSCL (The Scheme Shareholders), in place of 162,756,968 ordinary shares held by the Scheme Shareholders in SSCL as at close of business on the terminal Date, when Dangote Sugar merged with Savannah Sugar Company Limited.
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With the listing of the additional 146,878,241 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has now increased from 12,000,000,000 to 12,146,878,241 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each.
Financial performance of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc
Results for the first half of 2020 ended June 30, 2020, show revenue increased from N80.363 billion in the corresponding period of 2019 to N103 billion, as the company continue to benefit from border closure.
However, the profit of the company in H1 2020 was marginally higher than the profit in the corresponding period of 2019, as a result of higher raw material and consumables costs which rose faster than the increase in revenue.
Companies
Dangote Cement to extend clinker export to other African countries
Dangote is on course to sell more clinker across West Africa and commence shipment to Central Africa in H2 2020.
The Management of Africa’s largest cement producer, Dangote Cement Plc (DCP), disclosed during a virtual event yesterday, that the cement producer is set to commence clinker export to other African countries within the next few weeks.
The Acting Group CFO, Guillaume Moyen, made this known in his presentation at the joint virtual event with NSE, tagged “Facts Behind the Figures and Sustainability report’’ on Wednesday, 24th September, 2020.
Backstory: In its half-year report, the Management of Dangote disclosed that on 12 June 2020, the maiden shipment of 27.8Kt of clinker from Nigeria to Senegal left the Apapa Export Terminal.
READ: Dangote Cement’s N100 billion CP admitted on FMDQ Securities Exchange
The Management reiterated that the company is on course to sell more clinker across West Africa, and commence shipment to Central Africa in H2 2020. As it is in line with the Group’s vision of making West and Central Africa, cement and clinker independent, with Nigeria the main export hub.
The absence of limestone in much of West Africa, especially those in the coastal states, forces those countries to import bulk cement and clinker from Asia and Europe, and this is quite expensive.
READ: BUA Cement Plc posts impressive unaudited H1, 2020 financial results
However, Dangote Cement plans an ‘export–to–import’ strategy, positioning Nigeria as the main export hub of the continent, in a bid to serve West and Central Africa countries from Nigerian factories, making the region cement and clinker independent.
This is consistent with the Group’s vision of cementing Africa’s economic independence, as this would lead to lower clinker cost for pan-African operations, due to the proximity of Nigeria to these countries, as clinker landing cost will be cheaper.
READ: Nigerian billionaires lose billions amid COVID-19 pandemic
The Management emphasized that this is possible, as Nigeria can serve a potential market of 15 countries, with over 350 million people, given the county’s relative abundance of quality limestone, especially in key Southern regions.
It is important to note that DCP’s clinker volume, according to figures contained in its H1 2020 results, has increased to 60Kt from 12kt in H1 2019, which translates to 400% increase.
The benefits of DCP’s export strategy
It is noteworthy that the innovative strategy of Dangote Cement Plc is expected to;
- Cement Africa’s economic independence, and contribute to the improvement of continental, regional, and intra-regional trade, as the company seeks to make regional and continental free trade agreement a reality.
- Ensure that the increase in production due to exports, leads to increase in capacity utilization in the Nigerian operation, and in turn, reduces fixed cost per tonnes.
- Increase foreign revenue exchange for the Nigerian operation, and offset foreign exchange risks.
- Reduce clinker landing cost, by leveraging on the proximity of Nigeria to other African countries.
Some of the benefits of our export strategy are Higher capacity utilization of our facilities; Ecowas benefits; Foreign exchange; and Lower clinker cost for Pan-Africa operations – @guillaumemoyen
#NSEhostsDangote https://t.co/TGd2N6JGZw pic.twitter.com/TvPGHunsb0— The Nigerian Stock Exchange (@nsenigeria) September 23, 2020
Companies
Fidelity Bank to raise N50 billion in bonds in Q4 to refinance existing debts
The new issue will be made to redeem the existing N30 billion bond which was issued at 16.48%.
One of Nigeria’s second-tier commercial banks, Fidelity Bank Plc, has concluded plans to issue up to N50 billion ($131.3 million) in local bonds by the fourth quarter of 2020, in order to refinance existing debts as the yields drop.
The disclosure was made by the Chief Operations and Information Officer, Gbolahan Joshua, during an analyst call on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
The crash of crude oil price globally, which was triggered by the novel coronavirus pandemic, has led to a decline in bond yields on the local debt market. This has made foreign investors to dump their local assets, leaving excess liquidity in the money market. This has also put a lot of pressure on the foreign exchange market as they look for dollars to repatriate their funds.
READ: Guinness Nigeria finding it hard to refinance its loans due to dollar scarcity
The Fidelity Bank top executive disclosed that the new issue will be made to redeem the existing N30 billion bond which was issued at 16.48%.
The global economic situation has seen yields in the debt market drop from as high as 18% about 3 years ago to less than 5% for the one-year treasury bill.
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Fidelity Bank had revealed that it expected to see a 15% drop in profit this year when compared to 2019 result due to the coronavirus pandemic. Its profit after tax increased by 21.9% to N12 billion for the half-year 2020.
The second-tier bank also disclosed that its income declined in the second quarter due to a downward review of lending rates on loans as a result of the economic downturn.
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