Business
Nigeria To Spend USD123.5BN On Industrial Minerals Development
The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has estimated that over USD 123.5 billion will be required for the development of the country’s industrial minerals over the next five years (2023-2028).
Project Coordinator, MinDiver, Dr. Sallim Salaam, who discloses this, said that Nigeria is richly endowed with over 30 industrial mineral types found in about 752 locations.
He said that these minerals are at different stages of development, from exploration to mining, adding that the
key participants in the industrial minerals sub-sector are artisanal and small-scale operators who exploit feldspar, trona, kaolin, talc, silica sand and dolomite for the chemical polymer and pharmaceutical industries.
” Others are quarry operators that mine and process granites, limestone, and marble as aggregates for the construction industry, cement, and lime production.
” Also included are barite and mica for mud drilling in the oil industry and phosphates for fertilizer production and soil liming.
“Generally, the local production of industrial minerals has steadily grown from 43,725,070 tonnes in 2016 to 78 454,628 tonnes in 2021.
” Even at this level of progress, Nigeria currently imports over 80 percent of its industrial minerals for the local industries.
” The Federal Government is determined to develop the available industrial minerals to stimulate industrial growth further and for import substitution, ” he said.
The estimated cost for implementing the actions described in the roadmap is 123.5 USD, to be spent over five years, the direct economic benefit obtained from the substitution of mineral imports covers this cost.

Business
NAICOM Revokes Nigeria Reinsurance’s Licence, Freezes Operations Over Capital Shortfall
Banire directed banks, financial institutions, policyholders and members of the public not to honour any instruction relating to the company except those issued by him or persons expressly authorised by him.
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has revoked the operating licence of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation for failing to meet the statutory Minimum Capital Requirement (MCR) and appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, as Receiver/Provisional Liquidator to wind up the company’s affairs.
The appointment took effect on August 3, 2026, following the cancellation of the company’s certificate of registration by the insurance regulator.
In a public notice dated August 4, 2026, Banire said NAICOM appointed him, in exercise of its statutory powers, to oversee the receivership and liquidation of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (RR-002).
In the notice, the company’s licence was revoked after it failed to comply with the prescribed Minimum Capital Requirement applicable to its category of licence within the stipulated compliance period, in accordance with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and other extant laws, regulations and guidelines.
Banire said his appointment authorises him to immediately trace, recover, secure and take possession of the company’s assets, collate and settle its liabilities in line with the NIIRA 2025, liaise with NAICOM on matters relating to the liquidation, and submit periodic reports to the Commission.
Banire directed banks, financial institutions, policyholders and members of the public not to honour any instruction relating to the company except those issued by him or persons expressly authorised by him.
Source: ThisDay
Business
NDIC begins paying depositors of 46 closed microfinance banks
NDIC Managing Director and Chief Executive Oludare Sunday confirmed the development at a retreat for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters in Lagos on Wednesday.
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has started reimbursing depositors affected by the closure of 46 microfinance banks nationwide.
NDIC Managing Director and Chief Executive Oludare Sunday confirmed the development at a retreat for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters in Lagos on Wednesday.
” Payments are ongoing, and over 700,000 Heritage Bank customers have already received their insured funds through BVN-linked accounts.
“We have started paying depositors of those banks, and gradually we intend to cover all the insured depositors,” he said,” he said.
Following the revocation of the 46 MFB operating licences, the CBN subsequently appointed the NDIC as provisional liquidator of the failed financial institutions.
Business
Naira Exchange Rates Thursday, August 5
BLACK MARKET RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1,420 Sell ₦1,425
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) Buy ₦1,900 Sell: ₦1,915
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,585 Sell ₦1,600
CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370
CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205
GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400
CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900
Commercial Bank Exchange Rates
Access Bank
Currency Sell
USD / NGN ₦1378.00
Fidelity Bank
Currency Sell
USD / NGN ₦1370.00
GBP / NGN ₦1869.78
EUR / NGN ₦1604.54
Sterling Bank
Currency Buy Sell
USD / NGN ₦1350.00 ₦1385.00
GBP / NGN ₦1795.89 ₦1884.00
EUR / NGN ₦1536.93 ₦1618.33
ZAR / NGN ₦82.34 ₦86.99
Official CBN Exchange Rates
US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,363.85
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,837.38
EURO (EUR) ₦1,575.25
SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,686.26
JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8.65
CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦202.05
WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2. 39
WEST AFRICAN UNIT ACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,859.53
SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦363.12
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦83.35
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