Yomi Ajayi
Financial services Analyst
Bio
Yomi is an economist and a former strategy consultant. He analyses the macro economy, monetary policies and financial services for Stears.
premium
22 SEP 2023Unpacking Nigeria’s August inflation report
Nigeria’s inflation outlook: Why rising prices aren’t set to cool yet.
premium
15 SEP 2023Can the CBN clear Nigeria’s FX backlog?
An exploration of feasible short-term strategies the CBN can deploy to clear Nigeria's FX backlog
premium
07 SEP 2023The quiet triumph of Nigeria’s banking sector
We analyse Nigerian banks' stellar H1 2023 performance despite a challenging operating environment.
premium
30 AUG 2023How to interpret Nigeria’s new labour force numbers
We unpack Nigeria’s latest unemployment numbers, highlighting underemployment a more crucial problem
premium
23 AUG 2023Why Nigeria’s inflation calculation needs an upgrade
Nigeria’s inflation calculation doesn't reflect micro economic realities, yet it is a necessary staitistic for accurate economic decisions.
premium
15 AUG 2023US downgrade shakes African economic landscape
US' credit rating downgrade goes beyond American boundaries. African economies could witness increased sovereign risk and exchange rate volatility.
premium
31 JUL 2023CBN July MPC meeting decisions drive yield explosion
We assess financial market reactions from CBN’s July committee meeting.
premium
26 JUL 2023Battle of the billionaires: Fight for Nigeria's oldest bank
Why has FBNH's stock price rallied recently and become attractive to Nigeria's top billionaires?
premium
18 JUL 2023What to expect from the first MPC of President Tinubu’s administration
After hiking rates seven times in a row, here's why the country's monetary policy committee should hike rates again.
premium
12 JUL 2023Nigeria’s cash flow builds to tackle FX backlog
Investors and the global market consider external account balance when making investment decisions; a surplus for Nigeria connotes good news.
premium
27 JUN 2023FX reforms: Will foreign investors eventually return?
Assessing Nigeria's new FX reforms and how juicy they are in whetting foreign investors' appetite back to the capital market.
premium
08 JUN 2023Unilever & PZ: The battle for consumers' wallets
We assess Nigeria's top FMCG companies to show who is better positioned to remain profitable and efficient in 2023.
premium
25 MAY 2023What does the new labour force methodology mean for foreign investment?
With the new labour force methodology reducing the unemployment and increasing underemployment, how will foreign investors respond?
premium
15 MAY 2023Dangote, BUA and Lafarge: Titans of the cement industry in Nigeria
A look into how Nigeria's top cement producers are pioneering Nigeria’s development.
premium
09 MAY 2023Why the incoming government needs to restore foreign direct investment in Nigeria
Nigeria is losing more FDIs yearly, limiting its ability to stimulate foreign exchange, which is necessary for productive activities in the economy.
premium
14 APR 2023Nigeria's stock market in 2023: New variables dictate market direction
A look into how Nigeria's stock market rides the waves of economic uncertainty.
premium
04 APR 2023Currency fluctuations push Unilever Nigeria to a tough decision
An analysis of Unilever's decision to shut off production of selected brands.
premium
27 MAR 2023What does SVB's collapse mean for Nigerian banks?
Rising global interest rates have contributed to the collapse of top banks worldwide. How insulated are Nigerian banks?
premium
03 MAR 2023What’s the impact of a Tinubu Presidency on the financial markets?
We assess the future of Nigeria's financial markets using trends from the past.
premium
17 FEB 2023Why are the new naira notes scarce?
We unpack the impact of Nigeria's scarce new naira notes.
premium
13 FEB 2023Can the CBN's AfriGo fix Nigeria's dollar scarcity?
Nigeria's domestic card scheme for a cashless society aims to reduce forex demand.
premium
30 JAN 2023Rescuing GTCO’s stock price
If GTCO wants to become more valuable, it should consider stock buybacks.
premium
26 JAN 2023How the CBN wipes out investor confidence in Nigeria
Unpacking the CBN's policies and its brutalisation of capital formation through the stock market.
premium
24 JAN 2023CBN raises interest rates to 17.5%, the highest in over two decades
Implications of the CBN's 17.5% MPR hike.
premium
16 JAN 2023Can the Nigerian stock exchange maintain its winning streak in 2023?
Why bullish sentiments in Nigeria's stock market will persist this year.
premium
16 DEC 2022How can Ghana recover from its debt crisis?
We unpack the impact of zero to low interest payments on Ghanaian bonds to investors and Ghanaian banks.
premium
09 DEC 20222023 manifesto explained: political plans for CBN
What is the impact of political influence on monetary policy in Nigeria?
premium
01 DEC 2022How well did Nigerian Breweries do in 2022?
Nigerian Breweries has had a historically resilient financial performance, but 2022 has been a year for the books.
premium
21 NOV 2022Will IHS Holdings ever be profitable?
IHS Holdings, Nigeria's main telco infrastructure provider, has had a rough time operating in the country.
premium
11 NOV 2022Is Nigeria's top telco infrastructure company at risk?
IHS Holdings, the company keeping Nigerian telcos working was recently downgraded. We unpack if we should be worried or not.
premium
31 OCT 2022CBN loans: Why we should call out Nigeria's finance minister, again
Converting the federal government's ₦20 trillion CBN loan to bonds and other reasons to call out Nigeria's finance minister.
premium
20 OCT 2022How will rising costs impact bank profits in H2' 2022?
From higher taxes to more regulatory charges in H1'2022, Nigerian banks are faced with rising costs that put their bottom lines on the line.
premium
14 OCT 2022How have top banks performed in 2022?
An H1'22 financial performance review of top banks in Nigeria.
premium
06 OCT 2022What is causing Nigeria's dollar shortage?
Despite high oil prices in 2022, Nigeria is undergoing an FX shortage.
premium
26 SEP 2022Should we be worried about Kuda bank's financial performance?
Kuda bank is aggressively focused on growth. But this is coming at the expense of profitability.
premium
19 SEP 2022Why do Nigerian companies find foreign exchanges attractive?
There is a growing wave of Nigerian companies deserting the Nigerian exchange (NGX) to go list on foreign stock exchanges.
premium
09 SEP 2022Why won't more companies access the stock market for funding?
Raising capital from anywhere ultimately boils down to what businesses think is best to stimulate growth.
premium
02 SEP 2022Is Nigeria ready for 5G?
Nigeria has seen improvements in broadband penetration, but slow adoption remains and threatens the success of 5G connectivity.
premium
26 AUG 2022What is driving Nigeria's stock exchange's positive performance?
Nigeria remains one of the top-performing stock markets in the world, with prospects for further growth if fx liquidity improves.
premium
18 AUG 2022Will fintechs replace Nigerian banks?
Disruptive fintechs have demonstrated their ability to boost innovation within the financial services sector and threaten traditional banks.
premium
09 AUG 2022Will higher interest rates encourage Nigerians to save more?
With the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) raised to 14%, savings as opposed to spending excess income should be more attractive.
premium
02 AUG 2022Can the CBN’s interest rate hike improve investor confidence?
How the efficacy of interest rates and resultant monetary policy success is threatened.
premium
19 JUL 2022Are banks better off running electricity firms?
Despite chronic debt defaults and huge losses, electricity companies are still essential assets for Nigerian banks.
premium
07 JUL 2022What is the impact of CBN charges on banks' profits?
For the banks, the fear of the CBN is the beginning of wisdom, but are all regulatory policies wise?
premium
24 JUN 2022Will Nigerian banks survive another global recession?
Global shocks such as persistently high inflation negatively impact banks, the businesses they serve, and their ability to remain afloat.