Business

Brent crude surges to $104 amid escalating Iran conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he was demanding other countries help to protect the key maritime corridor, adding that he was in conversation with several allies about securing the strait.

Published

8 months ago

March 16, 2026

OCHEFA

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Oil prices rose on Monday morning as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on allies to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz and investors react to threats facing Middle East export facilities.

According to CNBC, international benchmark Brent crude futures with May delivery traded 1.5% higher at $104.72 per barrel, paring earlier gains, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with April delivery advanced 0.3% to $98.91.

U.S. crude had surpassed $100 earlier in the session.

Both contracts have surged more than 50% over the past month, reaching their highest levels since 2022, as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted.

Brent closed above $100 for the first time in four years last week.

The narrow waterway is a critical energy choke point that typically carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil.

Related Topics:Featured global oil supply Global oil supply disruptions

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Business

Naira Exchange Rates Thursday, 5 Nov 2026

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2026

OCHEFA

61 Views

BLACK/ PARALLEL MARKET RATES

₦1400DOLLAR (USD)

₦1830POUND (GBP)

₦1515 EURO (EUR)

₦950 CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD)

₦70 SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR)

₦350 UAE DIRHAM (AED

₦190 Chinese YUAN (CNY)

₦100 Ghanaian CEDI (GHS)

West African CFA ₦2240 (XOF)

Central African CFA ₦2180 (XAF)

₦820 Australian Dollar AUSSIE (AUD)

Business

NNPCL wants to sell 10% equity via IPO on NGX, LSE

NNPC is expected to spend at least the whole of 2027 preparing for the proposed offering, with the listing primarily intended to strengthen corporate transparency and governance in line with Nigerian law.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2026

OCHEFA

108 Views

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) is considering selling between 5% and 10% of its equity through a potential initial public offering (IPO), with the proposed listing expected to focus primarily on Nigeria’s domestic capital market.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, adding that the company could also pursue a secondary listing in London or New York.

The disclosure comes shortly after the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s IPO closed on October 27, following a two-week extension of its subscription period from the initial October 13 deadline.

Ojulari indicated that raising additional capital would be a secondary consideration rather than the main reason for going public.

The company is also considering listing some of its subsidiaries separately, following a model adopted by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned oil company.

Beyond the potential IPO, Ojulari disclosed that Chinese companies have expressed interest in acquiring equity stakes in some of NNPC’s smaller refineries, particularly the Port Harcourt and Warri facilities, which require substantial rehabilitation.