The Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) has introduced a WhatsApp subscription channel on its NGX Invest platform to expand access to public offers.

The group in a statement on Wednesday, said investors could initiate subscriptions by sending “Invest” to the official NGX Invest WhatsApp number, +234 812 731 9521.

According to the group, investors will be able to view eligible offers and complete the required subscription process without downloading a separate application.

It said investors would select a stockbroker through whom their applications will be processed.

It noted that the development would retain the role of stockbrokers in the investment process while offering investors an additional digital channel.

The group said NGX Invest currently connects issuers with investors through more than 100 distribution channels.

It said the channels include stockbrokers, banks, fintech companies, mobile network operators and other financial institutions through Application Programming Interface connectivity.

NGX Group said integrating WhatsApp into NGX Invest was aimed at reducing barriers to participation in Nigeria’s primary market.

It said the initiative would also provide issuers with another avenue to reach potential investors and support capital raising.

The group said the initiative formed part of its broader strategy to use technology and partnerships to widen participation in the Nigerian capital market.

“Subscriptions through WhatsApp would be processed through NGX Invest’s regulated infrastructure.”

The group advised investors to interact only with the official NGX Invest WhatsApp number and avoid sharing passwords, Personal Identification Numbers, One-Time Passwords or other sensitive credentials with third parties.

It said its API connectivity with more than 100 distribution channels had helped connect issuers with a broader pool of investors and simplify participation in public offers.

NGX Invest is a Securities and Exchange Commission-approved electronic offering platform for public offers, rights issues and initial public offerings.

Since its launch in 2024, the platform has facilitated more than 23 primary-market transactions and supported capital raising of more than N3 trillion. (NAN)

Afrobeats artiste, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has joined business mogul, Aliko Dangote, at New York’s Times Square, where a digital billboard showcased the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Davido shared a video on social media, showing him standing beside Dangote beneath a billboard displaying the message: “Made in Nigeria.

The display highlighted the refinery, located in Lagos, and formed part of publicity for its public offer.

The appearance brought together two prominent symbols of Nigeria’s global influence: the international reach of Afrobeats and the country’s growing industrial capacity.

Davido’s presence also drew attention to the role of Nigerian artistes in promoting the country’s image and creative influence before international audiences.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, with a stated nameplate capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, is one of the country’s major industrial investments.

Its appearance at Times Square projected a Nigerian-built enterprise at one of the world’s most recognised commercial locations.

The refinery’s public offer website describes the exercise as “The IPO for the People” and provides information on the offer, including the prospectus, eligibility requirements, subscription process and approved channels for participation.

According to the website, the refinery describes the exercise as “The IPO for the People” and provides information on the offer prospective, investors are advised to read the prospectus and obtain independent professional advice before making any investment decision.

The website also states that subscriptions should be made only through the approved channels listed on the platform.

The Times Square display has generated public interest online, with many Nigerians viewing the encounter between Davido and Dangote as a representation of the country’s creative and industrial ambitions.

The moment further underscored the growing visibility of Nigerian businesses, products and talents in international markets. (NAN)

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has called on the international community to scale up the availability of affordable capital to finance infrastructure and development across Africa.

Oyedele made the call while addressing the United Nations Dialogue on Solutions to Climate Finance on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said Africa’s development ambitions, particularly its energy needs, continue to be constrained by high financing costs, currency risks and limited access to affordable long-term capital.

The Minister explained that despite Africa’s relatively low contribution to global carbon emissions, the continent continues to face what he described as a “prejudice premium” and “narrative cost” in its efforts to mobilise financing for critical infrastructure.

He also identified currency risk and what he termed “stereotype tax” as additional burdens confronting African countries as they seek to raise capital for critical energy and other development assets.

Oyedele therefore called for a strategic shift in the approach to climate finance, with simpler access to affordable capital for developing countries and financing arrangements that better reflect their development realities.

He also urged the international community to scale up investment in gas and other transition energy sources, particularly in Africa, to expand access to reliable and affordable energy and help address global energy poverty.

According to him, greater investment in Africa’s energy sector would also help diversify global energy supply and reduce concentration risks, particularly amid disruptions affecting the Gulf region.

The Minister stressed that Africa’s energy transition must take account of the continent’s significant energy-access deficit, noting the need for greater investment to enable countries to meet their development needs while pursuing a practical transition to cleaner energy sources.

For Nigeria, Oyedele said the immediate priority was to structure and implement policies and programmes that would reduce poverty, expand economic opportunities and accelerate the distribution of shared prosperity.

He said achieving these objectives would require stronger international cooperation and a financing framework that enables developing countries to mobilise the capital required to invest in infrastructure and improve the lives of their people.