CBN Stimulates the Economy With N3.5 Trillion as COVID-19 Impact Thickens

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday said it has so far injected N3.5 trillion into the Nigerian economy following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Africa’s largest economy.

Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, disclosed this on Tuesday after the nation’s monetary policy committee meeting.

So far, he said N216.87 billion was injected through the real sector funds; COVID-19 Targeted Credit Facility N73.69 billion; AGSMEIS N54.66 billion; pharmaceutical and healthcare support fund N44.47 billion; and creative industry financing initiative N2.93 billion.

Breaking down expenditure, under the real sector funds, he said 87 projects that comprises of 53 manufacturing, 21 agriculture and 13 services projects were funded.

While in the healthcare sector, 41 projects which include 16 pharmaceuticals and 25 hospitals and health care services were funded.

Under the Targeted Credit Facility, he explained that 120,074 applicants had received financial support for investment capital.

“The Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) intervention has been extended to a total of 14,638 applicants, while 250 SME businesses, predominantly the youths, have benefited from the creative industry financing initiative,” he said.

In addition to these initiatives, he said, the CBN was set to contribute over N1.8 trillion of the total sum of N2.3 trillion needed for the Federal Government’s one-year Economic Sustainability Plan, through its various financing interventions using the channels of Participating Financial Institutions.

Meanwhile, the monetary policy committee lowered interest rate by 100 basis points to stimulate growth and broaden economic productivity. The benchmarkt intrest rate was lowered from 12.5 percent to 11.5 percent.