Afreximbank’s FEDA acquires 5% stake in Geregu Power

From Abubakar Y. Ojimaojo ABUJA

The Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) has acquired a 5 percent stake in Geregu Power Plc, an electricity-generating firm.

FEDA is the impact development unit of the Africa Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank).

Details of the acquisition were contained in a statement issued by Akinleye Olagbende, Geregu’s secretary, to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Wednesday.

In October 2022, Geregu Power Plc became the first electricity generation company (GenCo) to be listed on the main board of the NGX.

“The purchase of the shares was concluded today the 21st of February 2023 with the purchase agreed in on the 21st of December 2022,” the statement reads.

Last year, FEDA announced that it received internal approvals to acquire a strategic minority stake in Geregu Power Plc, subject to satisfactory diligence and documentation.

The bank said as part of its intervention efforts in Africa’s energy sector, it made

NBS: Nigeria’s GDP growth dropped to 3.1% in 2022

From Abubakar Y. Ojimaojo

Abuja

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in 2022 stood at 3.10 percent, representing a decrease when compared to the 3.40 percent recorded in 2021.

NBS, in the GDP report released on Wednesday, said the performance of agriculture and industry reduced in 2022 relative to 2021.

However, the report noted that Nigeria’s GDP — driven by the service sector — grew by 3.52 percent in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022.

The figure represents a growth of 1.27 percentage points compared to the third quarter (Q3) of 2022, which stood at 2.25 percent.

The bureau said the service sector improved by 5.69 percent and contributed 56.27 percent to the country’s GDP, while the agriculture sector underperformed, due to the flooding that rocked the nation last year.

“Although the agriculture sector grew by 2.05 percent in the reference period, its performance was significantly hampered by severe incidences of flood experienced across the country, accounting for lesser growth relative to the fourth quarter of 2021 which was 3.58 percent,” the bureau said.

“Moreover, the industry sector was yet challenged, recording -0.94 percent growth and contributing less to the aggregate GDP relative to the third quarter of 2022 and the fourth quarter of 2021.

“Overall, the annual GDP growth rate in 2022 stood at 3.10 percent, from the 3.40 percent reported in 2021.

“Thus, the performance of agriculture and industry reduced in 2022 relative to 2021, while the performance of the services sector improved in 2022.”

In the report, NBS said the oil sector contributed about 4.34 percent to the Q4 GDP growth, and 5.67 percent in the total annual GDP for 2022.

It linked the oil sector’s poor performance to the Nigeria’s dwindling oil production.

“The nation in the fourth quarter of 2022 recorded an average daily oil production of 1.34 million barrels per day (mbpd), lower than the daily average production of 1.50mbpds recorded in the same quarter of 2021 by 0.16mbpd and higher than the third quarter of 2022 production volume of 1.20mbpd by 0.14mbpd,” the report added.

“The real growth of the oil sector was -13.38 percent (year-on-year) in Q4 2022 indicating a decrease of 5.33 percent points relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021.

“Growth increased by 9.29 percent points when compared to Q3 2022 which was -22.47 percent. On a quarter-on-quarter [basis], the oil sector recorded a growth rate of -14.93 percent in Q4 2022.

“The oil sector contributed 4.34 percent to the total real GDP in Q4 2022, down from the figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2021 and the preceding quarter, where it contributed 5.19 percent and 5.66 percent respectively.

“The total annual contribution of oil to aggregate GDP in 2022 was 5.67 percent”

On the other hand, the non-oil a strategic decision to support leading energy platforms across Africa, including the renewable and transition fuels sectors. sector grew by 4.4 percent in 2022 and contributed 95.66 percent to the Q4 growth rate.

Afreximbank added that it aims to support Geregu Power as a minority investor and work with the current owners and management team to drive the expansion of the business over the next few years.

The non-oil sector, which includes information and communication (telecommunication) sector topped the contribution, trade, agriculture (crop production), financial and insurance (financial institutions), manufacturing (food, beverage and tobacco), real estate and construction, and accounting, contributed positively to the GDP growth.

The sector’s contribution to the nation’s 2022 Q4 GDP figure is higher than the share recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021 which was 94.81 percent and higher than Q3 2022 at 94.34 percent.

Meanwhile, on aggregate, 94.33 percent was contributed in 2022, higher than the 92.76 percent reported in 2021.