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Economy

Why CBN Can’t Cut Interest Rate Now – Emefiele

Published

7 years ago

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Emefiele
  • Why CBN Can’t Cut Interest Rate Now

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has said the high inflation rate and rising operating costs in the banking sector are some of the major reasons for the high interest rate in the country.

He said this in a lecture titled: ‘The dilemma of monetary policy and exchange rate management in a recession: Potential options for Nigeria’ at the second homecoming series of the Economics Department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Emefiele, according to a statement, said with inflation rate still hovering above 16 per cent, the apex bank would be failing in one of its key mandates if it reduced interest rates at this time.

The Monetary Policy Rate of the CBN is currently 14 per cent, higher than Kenya’s 10 per cent, South Africa’s seven per cent, Rwanda’s 6.25 per cent, Ghana’s 6.75 per cent, and Cameron’s 2.95 per cent.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had asked the apex bank to reduce the interest rate as it was affecting the growth and survival of businesses.

But Emefiele disagreed with those pushing for a rate cut as a path to growth, noting that the high inflation rate was inimical to economic growth.

He stated, “Interest rates reflect not just the cost of capital, but also the cost of doing business, and so, we need to also look at interest rates from the perspective of the lender.

“Given that most banks have to individually provide security, power and other infrastructure, it is not surprising that some of these costs are passed on to customers in the form of high interest rates.”

He explained that the CBN would continue to rely on moral suasion to encourage Deposit Money Banks in the country to be more considerate in interest charges on customers.

The CBN boss stressed the need for fiscal policy to target improved productivity of labour and increase disposal incomes for workers.

He said that fiscal policy should consider ways of stimulating household consumption and business investments.

According to him, the CBN, working with relevant government agencies, will continue to stimulate the agricultural sector through its Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and other agricultural interventions.

Specifically, he said the bank had committed about N29bn to the ABP with the active participation of 24 states of the federation.

Emefiele challenged tertiary institutions in the country to focus on research that would boost economic development, just as he gave an assurance that the apex bank would work with relevant stakeholders in the educational sector to stimulate research for the overall good of Nigeria.

He frowned on the consumption preference of many Nigerians, cautioning that the nation could not continue to rely on other countries for products that could be produced locally.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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Economy

BOI Outlines Path to Achieving $1 Trillion Nigerian Economy by 2026

Published

21 hours ago

on

September 30, 2024

By

Trade - Investors King

The Bank of Industry (BOI) has outlined steps Nigeria must take to realize its ambition of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2026.

This was disclosed by the bank’s Divisional Head of Services, Isa Omagu, on Saturday at the 2024 annual conference of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Lagos.

At the conference, themed Nigeria’s Journey Towards a $1 Trillion Economy: Impact of Banks’ Re-capitalisation, Opportunities for Fintechs and the Real Sector, Omagu said it is important Nigeria prioritize enhancing its production capacity.

“The economy relies on both the monetary and fiscal sides; we need both to work together. While the monetary side is trying to stabilize prices, which is its primary mandate, we also need the fiscal side, particularly governance, to come in,” Omagu said.

“We are not producing enough, and we cannot continue consuming imported goods while expecting the economy to be robust.”

He further called for continued investment in agriculture, infrastructure, and services, stating that these sectors will drive production.

According to Omagu, this approach will reduce import dependency and ease the pressure on foreign exchange.

“If we continue to invest in agriculture, infrastructure, and services to a reasonable extent, this will drive production, reduce imports, and alleviate the pressure on our forex,” he noted.

Omagu stressed that boosting production capacity is essential for achieving a $1 trillion economy.

“There’s no way to achieve a $1 trillion economy without focusing on boosting our production capacity,” he said.

He also highlighted several funding initiatives aimed at supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises.

“There is a N200 billion integration fund and a N50 billion grant for SMEs in rural areas. So far, we have disbursed up to 98 percent of the money, with N50,000 allocated per beneficiary. Additionally, there’s N5 billion for SMEs, available as a long-term loan at a single-digit interest rate, designed to help SMEs access crucial funding for their businesses,” he explained.

Omagu also revealed a fund for one million start-ups and large enterprises involved in production, which he said will promote job creation and increase exports.

“There is a fund for one million SMEs and another for large enterprises in manufacturing. These funds are offered at a single-digit interest rate, repayable over seven years, enabling businesses to acquire the necessary equipment for production.”

He concluded by expressing optimism that these initiatives would reduce import dependency, grow employment, and help Nigeria produce for export, thereby increasing non-oil foreign exchange inflows into the country.

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Economy

Piracy and Illegal Fishing Threaten Nigeria’s $2.5tn Ocean Economy, Maritime Experts Warn

Published

22 hours ago

on

September 30, 2024

By

NIMASA

Maritime stakeholders have identified piracy, illegal fishing, interstate disputes, and transnational crime as some of the factors hindering the country from achieving the $2.5tn ocean economy.

Speaking at the 2024 International Maritime Organisation World Maritime Day held in Lagos State, the Chairman of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, Prof Larry Awosika, echoed the need for the Nigerian government to tackle these issues.

The stakeholders also outlined other challenges that demand urgent attention, particularly the smuggling of arms and narcotics.

Awosika further warned that failure to tackle these issues, which he described as security threats, could affect investment in marine exploration and tourism.

According to him, ensuring safe, secure, energy-efficient, and low-carbon maritime transport in the country is essential for the sustainable exploitation of marine resources in the country.

“Unsustainable maritime practices, including security and environmental degradation, pose significant threats to marine-based industries,” he stated.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritise safety at sea through new investments in infrastructure, science, data, and technology.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olufemi Oloruntola, called on the Federal Government to invest in upgrading facilities and building capacity to keep Nigeria competitive in global seaborne trade.

He emphasised the importance of the support of the private sector which according to him, will help elevate the country’s maritime industry.

“To ensure both shipping safety and operational efficiency, the government must invest in upgrading facilities and building capacity to keep Nigeria competitive in global seaborne trade,” Oyetola stated.

“Achieving world-class standards would require continued support from the private sector, whose collaboration is crucial in providing the resources and state-of-the-art facilities necessary to elevate Nigeria’s maritime industry,” the minister said.

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Economy

FG Moves to Reduce Transportation Fares by 40%, Says CNG is Great Alternative to Petrol Crisis 

Published

3 days ago

on

September 28, 2024

By

ABC Transport Plc

If commercial transporters across Nigeria can buy into the Compressed Natural Gas, the Federal Government has said the hike in transportation fares will be drastically reduced.

According to the Programme Director of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, the Federal Government hopes there will be over 40 per cent reduction in transportation fares through adopting CNG for commercial vehicles.

Speaking during a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony held in Abuja on Friday, where key stakeholders, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers from Itakpe, Adavi and Ajaokuta train station units gathered to formalise the agreement, Oluwagbemi emphasised the government’s commitment to affordable transportation amidst rising fuel costs.

Explaining how President Bola Tinubu led administration plans to tackle hike in transportation fare, Oluwagbemi said the Federal Government is working hard to bring transportation prices down, especially during these challenging times.

Describing CNG introduced by the president as a great alternative to the petrol problem, he said under the new plan, fares for six eight-passenger ger vehicles will be slashed from N12,000 to N7,,000 while fares for four-passenger ger vehicles will drop from N13,000 to N8,000 from Abuja to Ajaokuta train station.

According to him, the trip from Itakpe Station to Warri costs N5,000, showcasing the benefits of the Federal Government’s infrastructure investments over the past five years.

He said the progress represents a significant savings of over 40%, adding that passengers travelling from Abuja to Ajaokuta Station will greatly benefit from Tinubu’s intervention.

The Director of the CNG initiative noted that it is designed to encourage the conversion of existing commercial vehicles to CNG, which is sold at a discount of up to 60 per cent compared to petrol prices.

Oluwagbemi stated that the converted vehicles will operate at a significant discount, remain flexible, and run cleaner, cheaper, safer, and more reliably.

A total of ten CNG fuel conversion centres have already been established across Abuja, Itakpe, and Ajaokuta, including six NNPC stations and two NIPCO stations.

More stations are in the pipeline, with collaborations with Bovas to introduce additional facilities in Abuja.

The timeline for implementation is ambitious, with inspections of vehicles expected to conclude next week and conversions commencing shortly thereafter.

At the event, the Secretary of the NURTW’s Ajaokuta unit, Adeyemo Teslim, expressed gratitude for the collaboration.

Teslim revealed that joining forces will yield multifaceted benefits, which Nigerian transporters are eager to support.

The transporter highlighted the need for expanded coverage to enhance accessibility across various regions, adding that the agreement also includes an enforcement mechanism to ensure compliance with the new fare structure.

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