Nigeria’s Commercial Papers Surge to Over N1 Trillion

Commercial Papers (CPs) listed on the FMDQ Exchange in the first 10 months of the year now worth N1 trillion.

This represents a 279.38% increase compared to the same period in 2022, signaling a significant shift in corporate financing strategies.

The financial services sector takes the lead, contributing approximately 55% of the listed CPs while the manufacturing sector closely follows with 37 CPs and the real estate and agriculture record 24 and 19 CPs, respectively.

The trend aligns with the observation of David Adonri, Vice Chairman of Highcap Securities, who notes that the surge in high-interest rates prompts companies to seek more cost-effective funding sources, turning to CPs as a viable solution for short-term capital needs.

Adonri emphasizes the advantage of CPs, especially in financing working capital, as they offer a lower cost compared to traditional bank borrowing.

Echoing similar sentiments, Johnson Chukwu, CEO at Cowry Asset Management Limited, underscores the impact of the high-interest rate environment, driving companies to explore the money market for funding.

The ease of issuing commercial papers adds to their appeal.

Tajudeen Olayinka, CEO of Wyoming Capital and Partners, sheds light on the practicality of CPs for real sector businesses facing prohibitive capital costs.

The surge in CP listings in the fixed-income market reflects the strategic utilization of this short-term funding source.

This financial shift comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s inflation figure at 27.33% and a Monetary Policy Rate of 18.75%.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s recent approval of an explicit inflation-targeting framework further emphasizes the need for adaptive financial strategies in the face of evolving economic conditions.