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.

Africa’s biggest telecoms operator MTN Group said on Monday it has rebounded to an annual profit and would pay shareholders a dividend that exceeded guidance and planned to buy back shares.

Reuters reports that the strong performance in the year ended December 31 followed a difficult 2024 for the group, when its largest business, MTN Nigeria ⁠was hit by sharp currency devaluations, surging inflation and high interest rates.

For the full year 2025, strong performances in MTN Nigeria and MTN Ghana , as well as 3.6 billion rand in cost savings, delivered a profit before tax of 47.4 billion rand ($2.81 billion).

That compared to a restated loss before tax of 4.1 billion rand in 2024.

At the market opening in Johannesburg, South Africa-headquartered MTN shares surged 7.4% before paring gains to trade 4.8% higher at 0943 GMT.

The operator declared a final dividend of 500 cents per share, ‌up ⁠45%, and 35% above the 370 cents minimum MTN had guided for the period.

Group CEO Ralph Mupita said in a media call that MTN would introduce an enhanced framework, targeting an annual distribution of 40% to 60% of equity-free cash flow in shareholder remuneration, effective now.

The framework includes ⁠a minimum cash dividend of 40% of equity‑free cash flow, with an additional 20% available for further cash payouts or share repurchases.

Mupita said the board had approved a buyback of up to ⁠6 billion rand, “to be executed opportunistically over three years from 2026”.

The group’s service revenue rose 22.7% to 218.5 billion rand, led by strong growth of 54.9% and 35.9% ⁠in Nigeria and Ghana, respectively, the mobile operator said.

(Reuters)

Photo: Olayemi Cardoso , CBN Governor

To combat fraud, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has unveiled new regulations aimed at strengthening fraud control and digital banking security across the country.

These provisions are set to take effect from 1 May 2026.

In a circular issued to all banks, other financial institutions and payment service providers, the apex bank details amendments to the Revised Regulatory Framework for Bank Verification Number (BVN) operations and additional requirements for instant payment services.

Under the new BVN framework, financial institutions are required to maintain a temporary watchlist for BVNs implicated in suspected fraudulent transactions.Any BVN placed on this list will remain there for a maximum of 24 hours, during which the account holder will be contacted to provide clarification.

The circular also sets age restrictions for BVN enrolment, limiting registration to individuals 18 years and above, and restricts phone number amendments linked to BVNs to a single change.

Access to BVN databases will now be exclusively for CBN-licensed financial institutions, with the central bank retaining the right to grant access in extenuating circumstances under existing laws.