The Developing-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation has pledged to help Nigeria mitigate the health and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Director of D-8 Health and Social Programme, Dr. Ado Muhammad, said the organisation will support Nigeria to establish resilient post-pandemic health system. Muhammad, a former Executive Directive of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said measures had been put in place to develop vaccines and cure for the disease. He said also the D-8 solidarity for COVID-19 would provide support in areas of commodities, technology, equipment, pharmaceuticals and other needed items for member countries. Muhammad said the D-8 plans to reach out to member countries, where some produce PPEs, ventilators, and other pharmaceuticals, also facilitate easy transfer and export at very low cost across member countries.

The D-8 comprises Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia and Turkey.

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An employee of APM Terminals Apapa has tested positive for COVID-19. The company's General Manager of External Relations, Daniel Odibe, made the disclosure in a statement, adding that the last time the worker was at the port was April 16, but his COVID-19 infection was confirmed on April 27. Odibe explained that the case was currently being handled by NCDC, while the company continue with its precautionary and response plans in strict adherence to the COVID19 protocol. The company said the employee’s last day at work was on April 16.

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FMDQ Exchange has announced the approval and admission of the United Capital Plc and Sterling Bank Plc Commercial Paper notes to its trading platform. The company, in a statement, said that it admitted United Capital's ₦1.35 billion Series 1 and ₦3.97bn Series 2 CP under its ₦20 billion CP Issuance Programme.

The statement added that the Sterling Bank ₦6.85 billion Series 1 Tranche A and ₦8.15 billion Series 2 Tranche A CP under its ₦100 billion CP Issuance Programme was also approved and admitted onto the Exchange’s platform.

It noted that the Exchange had continued to avail the necessary support to governments, corporates and individuals through the provision of capital market solutions in spite of the economic headwinds caused by COVID-19 globally.

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The Debt Management Office says the Federal Government has reappraised its Borrowing Plans and decided to raise the 850 billion naira earlier approved as External Borrowing from Domestic Sources. The DMO made this known in a statement by its head of media, Chinenye Onu.

The debt office explained that with the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the world economy, the Federal Government felt it was more expedient to raise the 850 billion naira earlier approved as External Borrowing from Domestic Sources. The DMO boss said the conversion from external to domestic was to ensure that the implementation of the 2020 Appropriation Act was not jeopardised by lack of funds.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has deployed 39 additional vehicles to support the Presidential Task Force on COVlD-19 in contact tracing, surveillance, laboratory and infection prevention in Kano and Plateau. In a statement issued on Wednesday, INEC's Chairman of Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said the vehicles were deployed in response to the request by the PTF to facilitate the movement of medical personnel for massive contact tracing and testing in the two states. Okoye said the Commission would continue to work with all agencies and stakeholders to combat COVlD-19 in the country.

He reiterated INEC’s appeal to all citizens to stay safe by complying with the advise of the medical authorities.

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France will on Tuesday reveal how it plans on May 11 to lift its six-week-old lockdown to combat the coronavirus, with cafes set to stay shut but schools controversially being allowed to reopen.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will unveil the measures in an address to parliament from 1300 GMT, with the government seeking to tread a fine course between the need to kick-start the economy out of crisis while preserving public health.

His announcement will be followed by a debate and a vote, with just 75 of the 577 deputies allowed into the National Assembly in order to respect social distancing, while all others will vote by proxy.

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Nissan Motor Co on Tuesday said it expected to post its first annual operating loss in 11 years as the Japanese automaker struggles to recover from plunging vehicle sales as the coronavirus pandemic has sapped demand for cars.

In a statement, Japan’s No. 2 automaker said that it expected an annual operating loss of as much as 45 billion yen ($419.7 million), down from a previous forecast announced in February for an operating profit of 85 billion yen.

It expects to post a net loss of as much as 95 billion yen, compared with a previous forecast for 65-billion-yen profit.

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BP's first quarter profit has dived by two thirds after the global coronavirus crisis hit demand for oil.

The oil giant warned it was facing an "exceptional level of uncertainty" in the near term after a sharp reduction in need for its products.

New chief executive Bernard Looney said: "Our industry has been hit by supply and demand shocks on a scale never seen before, but that is no excuse to turn inward.

Lockdowns around the world have been keeping people inside, slashing demand for oil. For the first time in history last week US oil prices turned negative before rising again.

BP said that underlying replacement cost profit, its definition of net income, was $800m (£645m) in the first three months of 2020 - down from $2.4bn a year earlier.

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HSBC says its first quarter profits have almost halved due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pre-tax profit for the first three months of the year came in at $3.2bn (£2.6bn), down from $6.2bn a year ago.

The bank increased its expectations of bad loans, which are unlikely to be paid back, to $3bn due to the fallout from Covid-19 and as oil prices slump.

However, it confirmed it would put plans to axe 35,000 jobs on hold to support staff during the outbreak.

The London-headquartered bank warned that the negative effect of the pandemic on the global economy would mean an increase in the number of bad loans.

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The United Nation on Tuesday said as some countries begin to ease their lockdown restrictions, governments and employers must prepare workplaces and ensure people can return safely to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19.

In a new study, the International Labour Organization stressed the importance of ensuring that workplaces meet strict occupational safety and health criteria before allowing people to return to their jobs, in order to minimise their exposure to the novel coronavirus.

The United Nations agency said in a statement that without such controls, countries face the very real risk of a resurgence of the 

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