The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced the CBN “Naira 4 Dollar Scheme” as an incentive for senders and recipients of international money transfers.1 More specifically, all recipients of diaspora remittances through CBN licensed International Money Transfers Operators (IMOs) will be paid N5 per $1 received as remittance inflows in addition to the USD sent from abroad. This will however last from March 6, 2021 to May 8, 2021. The Naira 4 Dollar Scheme is being put in place to incentivize foreign exchange inflows into the country and increase foreign reserves. The scheme is likely to deter the CBN from further devaluing the currency following improved foreign exchange inflows. However, the effect of the scheme on Nigeria’s balance of payment account should be seriously considered in order not to push the country into further deficit.
March 24, 2021
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 10)
Related
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 47)
Recent
data by NBS indicates an increase in bank credit to private sector. Specifically,
private sector credit rose (year on year) by 24.4 percent to N16,185.1 billion
in 2016Q3 relative to 2016Q2, with Oil and gas, and Manufacturing
sectors taking the consecutive largest shares of the credit. The rise may be connected
to the need to improve credit availability to critical sectors in order to
hasten the recovery from the ongoing recession. The present rise in bank credit
to the manufacturing sector seems to be a step in the right direction as the
sector is critical to Nigerias industrialization and economic stability.
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 3)
Provisional Monetary
statistics by the CBN show an increase in currency in circulation a portion
of overall money supply. Specifically, currency in circulation rose
(Month-on-Month) by 14.2 percent to N2.2 million in December 2016
the highest Month-on-Month increase recorded for the year 2016. The rise in currency-
outside-bank may be attributed to the growing demand for cash balances for
spending activities during the festive period. This development would largely compound
the liquidity problem associated with TSA implementation and ongoing CBN
monetary tightening as deposit money banks might be cash-strapped. Going
forward, efforts should be geared towards intensifying initiatives that promote
a cashless economy that encourages cashless transactions.