Business
OIL & GAS SECTOR Remains sluggish
Okey Onyenweaku
To discerning watchers, it is not surprising that the Nigerian equities market has been drifting southwards recently. From Business Hallmark checks, it in fact lost 7.41 per cent as the All share index fell from 54,085.30 points in May 27, 2022 to 50,075.47 points on Wednesday August 10, 2022.
This is not unexpected, after all, economies all over the world, Nigeria not an exception, appear troubled. But more surprising is that the oil and gas sector of the market which is supposed to be enjoying its boom time given current Crude price at $100.8 pbd has also been very sluggish.
Unlike what obtains in other economies like Saudi Arabia whose state-owned oil corporation, ARAMCO posted a staggering 90 percent second quarter profit surge, the oil and gas sector in Nigeria has only struggled to gain 1.2 per cent as the NGXOILGAS index rose from 551.49 per cent in May 27, 2022 to 558.42 per cent in August 10, 2022. This growth is feeble and too marginal given that crude price remains high and trades at over $100pbd.
Looking at the individual stocks Oil & Gas companies, it is clear that most of them have dropped in prices. For instance, ARDOVA Plc price dropped 13.9 per cent from N15.10 per share in May 27, 2022 to August 10, 2022.
Conoil Plc also fell 24.2 per cent from N34.25 per share in May 27, 2022 to N25.95 per share on August 10, 2022. While Eterna oil rose by 8.5 per cent from N6.77 per share, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc slid 11.8 per cent respectively in the review period. In the same vein, the share price of Oando Plc also depreciated 13.58 per cent from N5.67 in May 27, 2022 to N4.90 per share in August 10, 2022. Seplat Petroleum shares gained 10 per cent from N1,300.00 to N1, 430.50 per share.
OIL COMPANIES
Ardova grew its revenue by 45.9 per cent to N126.6billion in the second quarter as against N86.77billion it achieved in the corresponding period of 2021. However, the company posted a huge loss of +N1.148billion in profit before tax from N2.614billion it raked in in 2021 as profit before tax. Analysts have blamed the losses to high cost of sales which rose by 49.8 per cent to N119billion from N79.4billion of the previous year.
Conoil Plc in its second quarter 2022 unaudited financial statement posted 70.5% jump in profit to N1.812 billion from N1.063 billion in H1 2021.
The profit growth was in spite of 16.8% decline in revenue to N56.248 billion from N67.638 billion in H1 2021.
Integrated energy provider firm, Eterna Plc, says it recorded a N4.1 billion gross profit in the first half of 2022 and an operating profit of N1.9bn in the same period.
The gross profit recorded represents a 57.9 per cent increase when compared to N2.6 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2021.
According to the half-year financial statements released on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) floor, the group said its Profit Before Tax (PBT) increased by 200 per cent from N525 million recorded in 2021 to N1.5 billion.
The Group’s total assets for the period under review stood at N58 billion while the total liabilities stood at N45 billion.
Eterna Plc manufactures, markets and distributes lubricants and chemicals and operates a network of filling stations. Its plan is to further increase its retail network across the country.
The company said it plans to actively play across the energy value chain covering the production, transportation and distribution of energy solutions vital for economic growth and development.
It hopes to be the first choice for its customers as it seeks to dominate the African Energy industry by strategically expanding operations and growing market share.
On its part, MRS OIL posted revenue decline of 41.8 per cent in the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 from N42.660billion in 2021 to N24.809billion in 2022. Its profit before taxation also rose ——-from N484.7million to N679.7million in the review period.
MRS Oil Nig. Plc is a fully integrated and efficient downstream player with leading positions in the Nigeria Oil Industry. We are an organization focused on improving our operating efficiencies in all areas of the downstream sector where we currently operate.
Our Vision is “To Be The Leading Integrated African Energy Company, recognized by its People, Excellence and Values”
Oando Plc has finally released its results for the period ended December 31, 2022 after fours years of delay, admitting in the process that it has indeed been engaged in a fight for life.
The results which was made public recently on NGX platform is painted in the red showing a generally negative performance. Details reveal that the Company posted a loss before tax of -N133.42billion in 2020 as against the deeper negative (loss) figure of -N377.41billion in the corresponding period of 2019.
Continuing, the company disclosed that it recorded a 5 per cent production increase, 44,550boe/day compared to 42,492boe/day in 2019; Oil production of 15,912bbls/day ( vs 17,969bbls/day in 2019; Natural Gas Production of 26,881boe/day (vs 22,047boe/day in in 2019;NGL production of 1,757bbls/day (vs 2,476bbls/day in 2019.
The company also recorded 13% increase in traded crude oil volumes of 16.1 million (vs 14.2 million in 2019; 53% increase in traded refined petroleum products( 694,653 MT compared to 452,919 MT in 2019.
It also recorded 15% decrease in turnover,N490.0 billion compared to N576.6 billion in 2019.Total group Borrowings increased 16% from N362.2 billion in 2019 to N419.6billion in 2020.
Commenting on the results Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC said: “2020 proved to be an unprecedented year for the global economy due to the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic. The Oil & Gas industry was no exception as the year turned out to be one of the most challenging years in its history as we witnessed the lowest oil prices since our sojourn into Nigeria’s upstream sector in 2008, thus negatively impacting our revenue during the period. This resulted in us having to impair a portion of the goodwill on our balance sheet to ensure the carrying value of our assets was a true reflection of the environment we were operating in.
Seplat Energy Plc, a Nigerian independent energy company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange, has reported a profit before tax (PBT) of $209.9 million in its half year 2022, a 238 per cent year-on-year rise from $62.1 million.
In the company’s unaudited results for the six months ended June 30, 2022, revenue for the period under review also increased by 71 per cent to $527 million from $308.8 million year-on-year, with a dividend of US$2.5 cents per share declared.
Commenting on the results, which were released to the NSE and LSE on Thursday, Roger Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy Plc stated: “Production increased strongly in the second quarter, achieving 52.4 kboepd across our operations, and we expect to maintain higher volumes for the rest of the year now that we plan to export liquids through the more secure Amukpe-Escravos Pipeline.”
Seplat paid interim Dividend of US2.5cents(United States Two Point Five Cents) per Ordinary Share of N0.50k each, (subject to appropriate withholding tax) will be paid to shareholders whose names appear in the Register of Members as at the close of business on 12 th August 2022. Closure of Register To enable Seplat Energy’s Registrar.
Challenges
Not many Nigerians are optimistic that the economy of the country has much to offer them given the excruciating pains pervading the environment and general state of affairs. While many believe that the politics of the country is incapable of creating enabling atmosphere to nudge the economy forward, others have listed mis-governance, high insecurity, lack of productivity among others for losing hope in the growth trajectory of the economy.
The challenges are numerous, a former managing Director of one of the big banks who would not want to be mentioned in print told Business Hallmark.
Going to deeper grounds, recent statistics reveal that the rate of unemployment, the second highest in the world is 33%. At the same time, the underemployment rate stood at 22%; even as inflation, which has hit above 18.6 per cent. Nigeria has accumulated a total debt stock of N43trillion which is still growing.
Unfortunately, the more dreadful aspect of it is that the federal government spends 90 per cent to service the loans.
Oil spills in Niger Delta. Reports on the extent of the oil spills vary. …
· Pollution. …
· Kidnapping. …
· Fuel Pricing. …
· Inadequate pipeline Infrastructure. …
· Fire outbreak. …
· Unreliable gas supply.
· Poor gas funding.