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Naira depreciation wipes out MTN’s profit amid stellar performance

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MTN Nigeria Plc has recorded Foreign Exchange, forex loss of N740 billion in its financial year 2023, according to its report released on the Nigeria Exchange Limited, NGX, on Friday.

Consequently, the forex loss impacted negatively on its performance as it posted a loss before tax of N177.8 billion compared to a pre-tax profit of N518.8billion in the previous year.

Against this backdrop, Mr Karl Toriola, MTN’s Chief Executive Officer, said “despite headwinds, we remain optimistic and committed. We believe in Nigeria”.

The company’s audited results for the year ended 31 December 2023, as indicated by it resulted in a loss after tax amounting to N137billion. This sharp contrast was evident compared to the restated Profit After Tax (PAT) of N348.7 billion reported in 2022.

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MTN stated that the repercussions of this financial decline extended to negative retained earnings and shareholders’ equity, reported at N208 billion and N40.8billion respectively, as of December 2023.
The reports stated that adjusting for the substantial net forex loss, the restated PAT would have been N344.5billion, reflecting a 14.3 percent decrease.

The report stated, “The significant devaluation of the naira in 2023 resulted in a materially higher net forex loss of N740.4billion (2022 restated: N81.8bn), reflected within net finance costs, which resulted in a reported loss after tax of N137bn compared to a restated PAT of N348.7billion in 2022.”

On 14 June 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced changes in the Nigerian forex operations, which required the immediate collapse of all segments of the market into the investor and exporter window and reintroduced the ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ model to improve forex liquidity.

This led to a 96.7 percent movement in the exchange rate since the announcement of N907/US$ (NAFEM rate) at the end of December 2023 as the market seeks an equilibrium level.

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MTN said this significant movement in the exchange rate impacted its operations especially its operating expenses and net been finance costs.

“The most significant of these exposures relate to the tower lease costs, which comprised the bulk of the 45-50 percent foreign currency exposure in our operating expenses in 2023.

“Our tower lease costs are recognised in line with IFRS 16 and IAS 21, which has had several impacts on our financial performance,” the company said.

Toriola also explained: “2023 witnessed a very challenging operating environment characterized by rising inflation, currency devaluation, and foreign exchange shortages, complicated by geopolitical disruptions and cash shortages in Q1 arising from a redesign of the naira.

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These factors created severe headwinds for our customers and our business during the year.
The inflation rate increased throughout the year, reaching 28.9 percent in December 2023 – the highest reading in 18 years, with an average rate of 24.5 percent.”

The CEO said this was further exacerbated by higher fuel prices, arising from the removal of the fuel subsidy in May 2023, with the average prices of diesel and petrol up by 66.4% and 257.1 % in 2023 to N1,416.8/litre and N600/litre, respectively.

To mitigate the effects of these headwinds on its operations, Toriola said the company continued to invest in network infrastructure – with a disciplined focus on value-based capital allocation and efficiencies – to enhance capacity and expand coverage.

“This enabled us to meet the rising demand for data and, coupled with compelling and competitive propositions for our customers, accelerate the growth of our commercial operations,” he said.

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Po!n, betting sites recorded 162m Nigerian visitors in June – Report

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A report by global data and business intelligence platform, StatiSense, has revealed that more than 162 million Nigerians visited porn and betting websites in June 2024.

According to the platform’s most recent data, which lists the top ten websites that Nigerians saw on their mobile devices in June, a sizable percentage of this traffic visited websites with gambling and pornographic content.

A post on StatiSense’s official X page revealed that a variety of search engines, social media apps, and betting platforms were among the most popular websites.

Notably, two pornographic websites, Xvideos and Xnxx, came in second and sixth place respectively with a total of 80.18 million visits.

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In addition, Nigerian mobile users visited sporting websites 176.83 million times. Of these, 83.1 million visits were allocated to sports betting sites Sportybet and Bet9ja, which secured third and fourth places on the list.

Google and Facebook were also among the sites that featured prominently in the report.

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Reps hail Wike, Tamuno over AICL’s improved revenue, infrastructure

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Members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on FCT, led by Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betara have applauded the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike over ongoing infrastructural development projects across the nation’s capital city.

The lawmakers who spoke during an interactive session with the Group Managing Director of Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL), Dr. Maureen Tamuno applauded her ingenuity towards improved revenue generation since her assumption of office.

While presenting her scorecard and strategy adopted in the turnaround of Abuja Investment Company Limited to the Committee, Dr. Tamuno disclosed that AICL only manages the district markets, not the entire markets across the territory.

According to her, Wuse Markets is owned 90 percent by the individuals who bought the shops while AICL owns 10 percent.

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“For example, Wuse Market is owned 90 percent by the owners, we own 10 percent. What Abuja Management does for Wuse market is to manage the facility there through the toll taking which they do collect on our behalf and then they manage the facilities, they manage the refuse collections and they also work with the market association.”

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Tinubu serious in solving economic crisis — Wike

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Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Friday said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is serious in solving the economic crisis in the country.

Wike gave the assurance during the inspection of the ongoing construction of the 7.3 kilometers Gaba/Tokulo road in Bwari Area Council.

He pleaded with Abuja residents to give the present administration the needed support to deliver the dividends of democracy.

Addressing reporters during the inspection visit, the FCT Minister expressed satisfaction with the speed and quality of work on the road project and assured that it will be adequately funded to ensure its timely completion by December this year.

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The Minister who revealed that the project was 40 percent complete, said about 70 percent of the contractual sum has been paid to the contractor by the FCT Administration and expressed confidence in the capacity of the contractor to deliver the project within the agreed schedule.

Wike further disclosed that the Gaba/Tokulo road, when completed, will not only enhance transportation in the rural parts of the FCT, but will also improve food security in the nation’s capital by providing access to the farmlands, as well as access to the markets.

He also stressed the commitment of the FCT Administration to providing infrastructure in the FCT Area Councils, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Wike said: “So many people have thought that we are only concentrating in the city. Yesterday, we were in Saburi, today we are in Bwari. Tomorrow, we will be in Kuje, so that people will understand that while we are doing in the city, we are also carrying out development in the satellite towns and the rural areas because by the Renewed Hope Agenda, development is not only to be concentrated within the city but also to take to the rural areas in order to improve the economy.

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“Here is an agrarian area; without this road, how are they going to move their goods? And this is part of the problems we have in terms of food insecurity. People are talking about shortages of food, but if we don’t have means of transportation, that is also a problem.

“We are trying to solve that problem of transportation for farmers to be able to go and bring whatever they have produced for people to consume or to buy”.

Wike, while thanking the people of Bwari for their support for the government, also reiterated that President Tinubu was committed to addressing the economic problems of the country and called for their continued support.

He said: “We thank the people of Bwari and we want to also let them know that the government of President Tinubu is serious about solving the economic crisis we have. All we urge Nigerians is just to be patient.

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