BY AGENCY REPORTER
From January to date, investors have earned over N700 billion from dividend payouts by companies listed on Nigerian Exchange Limited.
A statement issued by the NGX, Monday, disclosed that so far, 58 companies across 10 sectors of quoted companies on The Exchange have paid out N732,915,168,509.29.
The companies and sectors are broken down in the following order, 21 companies in the financial services sector; seven companies in the consumer goods sector; six companies in the industrial goods sector; and five companies in the oil & gas sector.
Others are four companies in the healthcare sector; four companies in the services sector; three companies in the ICT sector; two companies in the natural resources sector; and two companies in the construction/real estate sector.
In the same vein, two companies each in the agriculture and conglomerates sectors make the number of the quoted companies that have declared dividends so far this year.
Overall, Dangote Cement has made the highest dividend payout, followed by MTN, GTCO, BUA Cement and Stanbic IBTC as top five highest dividend payment so far.
DANGOTE CEMENT PLC INDUSTRIAL GOODS 272,648,118,480.00
MTN NIGERIA COMMUNICATIONS PLC ICT 92,613,034,377.00
GUARANTY TRUST HOLDING COMPANY PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES 79,464,183,904.00
BUA CEMENT PLC INDUSTRIAL GOODS 69,997,619,842.02
STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES 46,645,189,786.80
The FSI has the highest number of companies who have declared dividends and value of dividends, with GTCO leading the pack at a payout valued at N79.46 billion.
In the CG sector, Nestle leads amongst the seven companies with a payout of N28.12 billion.
Fidson leads in the healthcare sector with a payout of N521.59 million.
Total Nigeria stands out in the Oil & Gas sector with a dividend payout of N2.06 billion; while UACN leads the conglomerates sector with N3.45 billion.
In the industrial good sector, Dangote Cement Plc is the leader with N272.65 billion, while MTN Nigeria takes the stage in the ICT sector with N92.61 billion; and Caverton tops in services with N335.05 million; with Okomu which leads in the agriculture sector with N6.67 billion.
The NGX also stated, “As part of its efforts to spur activity in the market, The Exchange continues to innovate and leverage technology to improve investors’ experience.”
The Point reports that recently the NGX announced the release of its enhanced X-Mobile – a trading app which provides market participants, especially retail investors, with convenient, faster and real-time access to information about NGX, its listed securities and Trading License Holders.
The Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola, CFA said, “The delivery of X-Mobile is in line with NGX’s strategic intent to provide an exchange that is easily accessible to stakeholders leveraging digital technology.”
Popoola hopes that the new app, in addition to ensuring easy access would help the Exchange connect with stakeholders to prompt action.
“X-Mobile, therefore, provides a platform to engage with existing and potential investors who now have an increased appetite for data and detailed disclosure information to aid sound investment decisions.
“We are confident that the app will complement the NGX website and other NGX portals currently being used to provide information to market stakeholders,” he added.
The Divisional Head, Trading Business, NGX, Jude Chiemeka, said, “X-Mobile affirms our commitment to make financial services more inclusive and provide a superior customer experience in the access and use of capital.”
Chiemeka explained that that, “the app has, therefore, been enhanced to ensure that capital market players and potential investors have the requisite resources to make the most out of their engagement with the market.”
The Point reports that the NGX is optimistic that the X-Mobile would become the primary interface for local and international investors to stay abreast of market trends and domestic economic performance.
