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Nigeria’s External Debt Rises by $11.77bn in Three Years

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  • Nigeria’s External Debt Rises by $11.77bn in Three Years

Nigeria’s external debt commitment rose by $11.77bn in the last three years, investigation has shown.

According to debt statistics obtained from the Debt Management Office, the country’s external debt rose from $10.32bn in June 30, 2015 to $22.08bn as of June 30 this year.

This means that the country’s external debt commitment has grown by 114.05 per cent in the last three years.

Although multilateral debt made up $10.88bn or 49.28 per cent of the country’s external debt profile, most of the increases in the last three years occurred in the area of commercial loans.

According to the DMO, commercial foreign loans, which stood at $1.5bn as of June 30, 2015, had risen to $8.8bn as of June 30 2018.

This means that in the last three years, the country’s exposure to commercial foreign loans has risen by $7.3bn or 486.67 per cent.

With a commitment of $8.47bn, the World Bank is responsible for 38.36 per cent of the country’s foreign portfolio.

Apart from the World Bank Group, Nigeria is also exposed to some other multilateral organisations such as the African Development Bank with a portfolio of $1.32bn and the African Development Fund with a portfolio of $843.47m.

Others are the International Fund for Agricultural Development with a portfolio of $159.44m; the Arab Bank for Economic Development with a portfolio of $5.88m; the EDF Energy (France) with a portfolio of $64.96m and the Islamic Development Bank with a portfolio of $16.92m.

On the other hand, bilateral debts make up $2.39bn or 10.87 per cent of the country’s external debt exposure.

The bilateral agencies to which the country is indebted are the Export-Import Bank of China with a portfolio of $1.91bn; the Agence Francaise de Development with a portfolio of $274.98m; the Japan International Cooperation Agency with a portfolio of $74.69m; the EXIM Bank of India with a portfolio of $4.76m; and Germany (KFW) with a portfolio of $132.24m.

Unlike the foreign debt, the domestic component of the country’s total public debt decreased marginally recently as a result of moves to rebalance the local/foreign debt ratio.

According to the DMO, a major highlight in the latest public debt data was the decrease in the Federal Government’s domestic debt, which declined from N12.59tn in December 2017 to N12.58tn in March 2017 and N12.15tn in June 2018.

The DMO said the reduction in the FGN’s Domestic Debt Stock arose from the redemption of N198bn Nigerian Treasury Bills in December 2017 and another N639bn between January and June 2018.

A total of $3bn was raised through Eurobonds to refinance maturing domestic debt as part of the implementation of the debt management strategy for the purpose of substituting high cost domestic debt with lower cost external debt to reduce debt service costs for the government, the DMO said.

It also explained that the implementation of the Public Debt Management Strategy, whose overall objective was to ensure that Nigeria’s debt is sustainable, was already yielding positive results.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Economy

Nigeria’s Plan to Review Oil Companies’ Gas Flaring Strategies

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Oil

Nigeria is ramping up its efforts to address environmental concerns in the oil and gas sector with a comprehensive plan to review gas flaring strategies of international and indigenous oil companies.

The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced this initiative during a national stakeholders engagement meeting on methane mitigation and reduction held in Abuja, Investors King reports.

Gas flaring, a common practice in the oil industry, releases methane—a potent greenhouse gas—into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and posing health risks to communities near oil facilities.

Nigeria aims to end routine gas flaring by 2030, aligning with global climate goals and commitments.

Dr. Salako explained the importance of reducing methane emissions and highlighted the detrimental effects on public health, food security, and economic development.

He outlined practical steps being taken to tackle methane emissions, including the development of methane guidelines and the engagement of government institutions.

The ministry, through the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, will conduct periodic reviews of oil companies’ plans to ensure compliance with the gas flaring deadline.

Deloitte management consultants will assist in conducting comprehensive forensic audits to scrutinize the legitimacy of forward-contracted transactions.

President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to environmental sustainability underscores the government’s dedication to addressing climate change and fulfilling its multilateral environmental agreements.

The engagement event served as a platform for stakeholders to discuss methane mitigation strategies, existing policies, and implementation challenges.

Collaboration and dialogue among diverse sectors are crucial in charting a unified course towards sustainable methane reduction in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

As the country navigates its environmental agenda, ensuring accountability and transparency in gas flaring practices remains paramount for achieving a greener and healthier future.

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Economy

Interest Rate Jumps to 24.75% as CBN Takes Aggressive Stance Against Inflation

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Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a significant increase in the monetary policy rate, known as the interest rate, to 24.75%.

This move disclosed by CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso during the 294th Meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee press briefing in Abuja, represents a bold step by the apex bank to address the mounting inflationary pressures faced by the country.

With inflation soaring to 31.70% in February, the CBN aims to moderate this upward trend by tightening its monetary policy stance.

This decision follows the previous hike in the interest rate to 22.75% in February, showcasing the CBN’s commitment to combatting inflationary forces.

While the bank opted to maintain the Cash Reserve Ratio at 45%, the significant increase in the interest rate underscores the urgency of the situation and the need for decisive action.

Governor Cardoso emphasized that these measures are essential to stabilize the economy and safeguard the purchasing power of the Nigerian currency.

The 294th MPC marks the second meeting under Governor Cardoso’s leadership, indicating a proactive approach to addressing economic challenges.

The next MPC meeting is scheduled for May 20th and 21st, 2024, highlighting the ongoing commitment of the CBN to navigate Nigeria’s economic landscape amidst inflationary pressures.

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Economy

Nigeria Braces for 10th Consecutive Interest Rate Hike by Central Bank

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

As Nigeria grapples with persistently high inflation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is gearing up to implement its tenth consecutive interest rate hike in a bid to curb the soaring prices and attract investment.

Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg are anticipating a substantial 125 basis-point increase in the key rate to 24%, marking one of the most significant adjustments in the current tightening cycle.

The decision, expected to be announced by Governor Olayemi Cardoso on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Abuja, comes on the heels of inflation accelerating to 31.7% in February, far surpassing the central bank’s target range of 9%.

This surge has been primarily attributed to the sharp depreciation of the naira, prompting authorities to devalue the currency twice since June to narrow the gap with the unofficial market rate and encourage investor confidence.

While these measures have seen the naira strengthen in recent days and bolstered investment inflows, including a fourfold increase in overseas remittances and significant foreign investor portfolio asset purchases, there remains a palpable need for more decisive action.

Giulia Pellegrini, a senior portfolio manager at Allianz Global Investors, emphasized the necessity for the CBN to intensify its tightening efforts to regain foreign investors’ confidence in the local bond market.

While acknowledging the positive strides made by the central bank, Pellegrini stressed the importance of a more assertive approach to prevent the diversion of investor attention to other frontier markets.

As the Nigerian economy navigates through these challenging times, the impending interest rate hike signals the CBN’s determination to address inflation head-on and foster a more stable economic environment.

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