Business
AMCON Reports N2.37trn Loss
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) reported a N2.37 trillion loss on Friday, exposing the scale of financial devastation wrought by a 2009 banking crisis to be deeper than first thought.
The surprisingly large loss also raised questions about how AMCON will refinance a N1.7 trillion zero-coupon bond at the end of 2013, and may have implications for Nigeria’s national budget, according to Reuters.
The after-tax loss – which AMCON officials revealed at a news conference – comes in the first accounts to be published by the bad bank since it was set up in 2010 to absorb the debts of banks hamstrung in a crisis caused by over exposure to a weak oil and local stock market in 2008-09.
The crisis nearly sank nine lenders until the central bank intervened with a $4 billion bailout fund to keep them afloat.
The loss was a “wake-up call” that the banking sector’s problems will not be resolved as easily as first thought and that banks may end up paying a higher contribution towards its resolution, said Razia Khan, head of Africa research at Standard Chartered Bank.
“The non-performing loans that we bought were four times larger … which shows you that what was disclosed as NPLs (non-performing loans) on the books of the banks were (below) what we found when they started selling to us,” said AMCON Executive Director of Finance Mofoluke Dosumu.
“We bought four times what we initially envisaged.”
Analysts questioned how AMCON’s losses would impact its ability to repay a total of N4.5 trillion government-backed bonds used to clean up the banking sector if the value of the assets it hold continued to erode and whether the sinking fund will be sufficient in the short-term.
The banking sector has recovered sharply after the crisis with strong earnings drawing investors back to Nigerian shares following several years of turbulence in the local stock market that wiped 60 percent off their value in 2008.
The index of Nigeria’s top ten banks has gained 17.5 percent so far this year to recover from a loss of 32 percent in 2011. The main-share index is up 33 percent.
The loss figure, which was quoted as of December 2011, just reflected write downs of debts taken on at the time and equals half of Nigeria’s annual budget.
“The N4.5 trillion bonds equal about 11 percent of GDP … if AMCON can’t repay them, the government will have to. That would have a huge impact on the government’s balance sheet,” said Leon Myburgh sub-Saharan Africa strategist at Citi.
But others say the loss may be ring-fenced and AMCON may raise other revenues.
“It’s a one off loss. My understanding is that they don’t have to finance it,” said Standard Bank’s Samir Gadio.
“Effectively, they’ve just marked to market their losses at the time and we all know they acquired a lot of NPLs.”
AMCON said it had recovered N85 billion worth of bad loans and it expected to make more recoveries.
Chief executive Mustapha Chike-Obi, said he was confident the “bad bank” will be able to refinance its bonds at maturity next year and it could also choose to retire them using the proceeds of its sinking fund.
Chike-Obi said that Nigerian banks had agreed to increase their collective contributions to a post-crisis “sinking fund” used to refinance the bank’s bad debts to 100 billion naira, up from the 60 billion naira they had already put in.
It also expects to conclude the privatisation of three banks it nationalised after the crisis, by mid-2014, which would bring in some money, Chike-Obi said.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter