The Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc has approved the Group’s audited interim consolidated and separate financial statements for the half-year ended June 30, 2026. These results were approved during a board meeting on August 27, 2026, and are now pending regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Upon receipt of this approval, the statements will be filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited. In compliance with regulatory guidelines, Access Holdings has entered a closed period, prohibiting insiders from trading the company’s shares until 24 hours after the public release of the audited financials.

Prospective car importers in Nigeria are reminded that final costs extend well beyond the purchase price, as various duties, levies, and taxes significantly inflate the landed cost. Key charges include a 20 percent customs import duty, a 7 percent surcharge, and varying National Automotive Council levies. Additionally, a new ‘Green Tax’ introduced on July 1, 2026, imposes environmental surcharges of two to four percent on high-emission vehicles, while exemptions are provided for electric and gas-powered vehicles to encourage cleaner energy. Industry experts emphasize the need for comprehensive landed cost estimates and thorough vehicle documentation verification to avoid unexpected financial burdens.

The Federal Fire Service (FFS), Lagos Command, has issued a safety warning regarding the unique risks associated with Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered vehicles. As Nigeria accelerates its transition to cleaner energy transport, the FFS emphasized that fires involving these technologies require specialized equipment and response techniques that differ significantly from conventional combustion engines.

FFS Chief Superintendent Badmus Abdulsamad highlighted the danger of "thermal runaway" in lithium-ion batteries and the risk of cylinder ruptures in CNG vehicles. The agency advised motorists to strictly use certified equipment and undergo regular professional inspections. First responders and the public are urged to prioritize immediate evacuation during incidents, as traditional firefighting methods may prove inadequate or dangerous for these specialized vehicle types. The Service confirmed it is currently conducting advanced training for personnel to manage these specific emergency scenarios.

Sterling Bank has announced the ninth edition of Agriculture Summit Africa, scheduled to hold in Abuja on September 15 and 16, 2026. The summit, themed Building the Next Superpower: Africa’s Food Power Play, aims to address the continent’s agricultural paradox by fostering collaboration between public and private sectors. With support from the International Finance Corporation and various development partners, the event focuses on mobilizing capital, improving infrastructure, and scaling agribusiness to enhance food security and trade competitiveness. Sterling Bank highlighted its commitment to the sector, noting a 39 percent increase in its agricultural financing to 331.7 billion Naira in 2025.

Nigeria’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market saw its lowest first-half value in nearly a decade, plunging 89% year-on-year to $105.8 million in the first six months of 2026. Despite the sharp drop in value, Nigeria recorded the highest number of transactions in Africa with 39 deals, indicating that while investors remain active, they are committing significantly less capital per deal. Analysts attribute the decline to a confluence of factors, including foreign exchange volatility, global risk aversion, political uncertainty regarding the 2027 elections, and a recent increase in the capital gains tax rate from 10% to 30%. The mismatch between buyer and seller valuations, combined with these macroeconomic headwinds, has shifted investment preferences toward smaller transactions and alternative capital-raising methods like rights issues and primary placements.

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has identified the integration of advanced artificial intelligence into cyberattacks as the primary risk to global financial stability. In a letter to G20 leaders, FSB Chair Andrew Bailey emphasized that frontier AI models increase both the speed and scale of potential breaches. The board highlighted that the financial sector’s reliance on a limited number of technology providers creates systemic vulnerabilities, urging firms to prioritize resilience, vulnerability management, and cross-border response strategies. The warning follows recent reports showing AI-driven cybercrime is significantly inflating financial losses worldwide.

The Central Bank of Kenya has approved Nedbank Group’s acquisition of a 66 percent majority stake in NCBA Group. This transaction, valued at over $855 million, marks a significant expansion for the South African lender into the East African market. The deal, which aims to leverage the complementary strengths of both institutions, remains subject to the fulfillment of final closing conditions.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed the schedule for its upcoming passport intervention exercise across the United Kingdom. The initiative, directed by Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, aims to process pending applications, renewals, and new enrollments for the diaspora. The exercise will run in London and Manchester from September 7 to 19, followed by Aberdeen and Cardiff from September 21 to 26. Applicants must complete all payments and registrations via the official NIS portal before attending their appointments.

Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO of Apple on September 1, 2026, after a 15-year tenure that saw the company’s market value grow to approximately $4 trillion. Cook will transition to the role of executive chairman, focusing on policy engagement. He is succeeded by John Ternus, the company’s former senior vice president of hardware engineering. Ternus, an engineer by trade, assumes leadership as Apple faces a critical shift toward artificial intelligence and seeks to develop its next major computing platform. His immediate focus includes the upcoming September 9 product event, which is expected to feature a new iPhone generation.

South Africa is among the top 20 countries hit hardest by global energy price hikes following shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Since February, the country has incurred at least 56 billion rand in additional fossil fuel costs as international prices surged. A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air notes that low- and middle-income nations are disproportionately affected by these shocks compared to wealthier economies. The resulting rise in transportation and operating expenses continues to pressure household disposable income and corporate margins across the region.

Decentralized lending platform Tectonic, which is associated with Crypto.com, has suffered a significant security breach resulting in the loss of $6 million. An attacker artificially inflated the value of the platform’s native Tonic token by 300 times, using the surge to borrow other digital assets as collateral. While the Cronos blockchain was paused to prevent further theft, the platform’s total value plummeted from $122 million to $3 million. Crypto.com has confirmed that its centralized exchange remains unaffected, with investigations currently ongoing to address the exploit.

Global oil prices surged above $90 per barrel on Monday following renewed military strikes between the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. US forces targeted Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, prompting retaliatory strikes from Tehran on US bases in Jordan. This escalation has reignited fears of supply disruptions in the vital waterway, reversing recent progress toward diplomatic arrangements for shipping security. For Nigeria, while higher prices could bolster government oil revenues above the $64.85 budget benchmark, they threaten to exacerbate domestic inflationary pressures on fuel and transportation costs.

The 2026 trading environment has shifted toward violent, rapid price adjustments driven by thinner market liquidity. According to data from the US Federal Reserve, this reduced liquidity has heightened volatility, leading to wider price swings that often trigger stop-loss orders at unfavorable levels. Market participants are increasingly advised to adapt by adjusting position sizing and using volatility-based stop-loss placement to mitigate the risk of slippage. Financial tools, such as the JustMarkets web terminal, are highlighted as resources for analyzing market sentiment and executing trades with faster, more reliable routing to combat these high-speed conditions.

SIAT Group, the majority shareholder of Presco Plc, recently hosted the SIAT Forward event to celebrate the company’s legacy, leadership, and staff. The event, held on August 21, 2026, honored the founding Vandebeeck family and long-serving stakeholders who have contributed to the firm’s growth since its inception in 1991. Current leadership emphasized a commitment to expanding the integrated agricultural business and creating value for stakeholders across its operations in Nigeria and Ghana.

Afriland Properties has appointed Agatha Obiekwugo as the new Chairman of its Board of Directors. She succeeds Emmanuel Nnorom, who is retiring after serving in the role since 2014. Obiekwugo, who has been a Non-Executive Director at the firm since 2018, brings over three decades of professional experience across several sectors, including oil and gas, banking, and technology. The leadership transition is intended to provide continuity as the company executes its strategy in the Nigerian real estate market.

The United States Department of Homeland Security is considering a proposal to eliminate the 60-day grace period currently granted to foreign workers on temporary employment visas—such as H-1B, L-1, and O-1—who lose their jobs. Introduced in 2017, this grace period allows workers to find new employment, change status, or prepare for departure. If finalized, the removal would force workers to secure new status or leave the country immediately upon job termination, significantly impacting technology and research sectors. The proposal is currently awaiting publication in the Federal Register for public comment.

PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc has reported a strong financial performance for the 2026 fiscal year, with revenue rising 22% to N260.46 billion from N212.63 billion in 2025. Profit after tax surged by 349% to N45.2 billion, supported by operational improvements, non-core asset disposals, and effective foreign exchange management. Reflecting this growth, the company transitioned from a negative equity position of N17.3 billion to a positive equity of N66.6 billion. The Board has proposed a dividend of N2.50 per share for shareholders.

African fintechs are facing a challenging phase as rising cloud infrastructure costs, cybersecurity demands, and tightening data localization regulations threaten profit margins. With 60 percent of industry leaders citing cloud expenses as their primary operational hurdle, companies are grappling with the need to maintain resilience while navigating foreign exchange exposure and new mandates, such as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2027 local data residency requirement. This shift forces a transition from prioritizing rapid growth to focusing on operational discipline and cost-efficient infrastructure architecture.

Abu Dhabi-based energy infrastructure platform, ePointZero, has agreed to acquire a 90 percent stake in Azura Power Holdings Ltd. The deal sees the firm buying out holdings from private equity firm Actis and infrastructure investor Africa50. Amaya Capital, which co-founded Azura in 2010, will retain a 10 percent stake. Azura Power currently operates over 750 megawatts of generating capacity across Nigeria, Senegal, and Mozambique, with a development pipeline exceeding 1.5 gigawatts. This acquisition is part of a broader strategy by Gulf investors to deepen commercial ties in African infrastructure. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.