Macroeconomic Report & Economic Updates
November 6, 2017
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 42)
Recently
released survey report by the CBN shows an improvement in the availability of
secured and unsecured banks credit and loans to
households, corporate and small businesses in 2017Q3, and an optimistic outlook
in 2017Q4. Among other indices, availability of overall secured and
unsecured lending to households improved from -6.2 and -19.2 to -0.9 and -15.0
index points respectively; although still in the negative territory. Index for
availability of credit to small businesses improved from -20.1 to -6.7. Lenders
and respondents noted that anticipation of a brighter economic outlook,
favorable liquidity positions, market share objectives and higher appetite for
risk were major factors behind the increase.
Related
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 41)
The
naira continued its downward trajectory in the review week. Specifically, naira
depreciated significantly at the parallel segment by 3.5 percent to a record
low of N440/$ on September 23, 2016. Notably, this was driven by
the worsening liquidity constraints at the interbank market which left the
excess forex demand to be sourced at the parallel market, and thus exerted
downward pressure on the naira. The naira is likely to further
weaken given that most of the liquidity constraints are exogenously determined
and thus forex supply will likely remain subdued by its demand.