Business

No budgetary provision for COVID-19 vaccines – Finance minister

Published

5 years ago

January 13, 2021

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, has said that there is no provision in the 2021 budget to procure COVID-19 vaccines.

She stated this during a virtual presentation of the 2021 budget in Abuja, adding however that the government was working on the type and quantity of COVID-19 vaccines to procure.

Nigeria is expected to receive about 100,000 doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of January.

But the minister said her ministry and the Ministry of Health would meet to finalise the amount to be allocated to vaccine procurement in the next two weeks.

The country, under phase two of its COVID-19 vaccination scheme, will also get 42 million extra doses of vaccines through the COVAX facility.

The government is targeting to vaccinate about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s population in 2021.

Ahmed expressed the hope that the National Assembly would provide a supplementary budget for additional spending on COVID-19 vaccines, when needed.

She said, “We agreed that the effort needed to be done so that we have clarity as to whether the provisions in the budget will be adequate or we have to make additional provisions by way of a special supplementary budget to make more provisions for COVID-19 vaccinations.”

On whether there was a provision for fuel subsidy in the 2021 budget, Ahmed stated that no such provision was made for it.

She also foreclosed subsidy on electricity due to the recent suspension of the hike in electricity tariff.

The minister, however, added that the Finance Act, among others, exempted workers within the N30,000 minimum wage bracket and below from personal income tax deductions.

According to her, another key provision in the Act is the exemption of all micro and small companies earning N25 million or less as annual turnover from paying the Tertiary Education Tax.

The Act also excluded commercial airline tickets, commercial aircraft spare parts and components; interests in land and buildings; animal feed and hire, rental or lease of agriculture equipment for agricultural purposes from 7.5 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) charge.

She said, “The key guiding principle of the Finance Act 2020 is to ensure that there is a balance between broader macroeconomic strategies to attract investment, grow the economy, create jobs as well as provide immediate fiscal strategies for accelerated domestic revenue mobilisation, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the domestic / global economic downturn.

“Specifically, the Finance Act 2020 adopts counter-cyclical fiscal policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing fiscal relief for taxpayers; reforms fiscal incentive policies to prioritise job creation and accelerate economic recovery and growth; and fosters closer coordination of monetary, trade and fiscal policies.”

Ahmed added that the 2020 Finance Act also provided for the establishment of a N500 billion crisis Intervention Fund as well as other sources approved by the National Assembly to fund the Federal Government’s expenditures.

Proceeds from unclaimed dividends of listed companies and unutilised amounts in dormant bank accounts outstanding for six years or more would be channelled to the fund, she stated,

The unclaimed dividends and bank balances are subject to a perpetual trust to be managed by the Debt Management Office (DMO), with governing council to be chaired by the finance minister and co-chaired by a nominee from the organised private sector who is of impeccable integrity and reputation.

Ahmed, however, added that genuine beneficiaries would be able to claim their funds back from the Federal Government at any time.

The minister also spoke on the performance of the revised 2020 budget, noting that the Federal Government expended a total of N1.8 trillion on capital projects.

According to her, the N1.8 trillion represents about 89 per cent of the total provision for capital projects.

She explained that out of the amount spent, N118.37 billion was released for COVID-19-related capital expenditure.

Ahmed said while the Federal Government projected N9.97 trillion for expenditure in 2020, it spent about N10.08 trillion, representing 101 per cent performance.

Debt service, she also stated, gulped N3.27 trillion while personnel cost, including salaries and pensions, accounted for N3.19 trillion.

She noted that the crude oil price benchmark was retained at $40 per barrel although the World Bank forecast $44 per barrel average crude oil price in 2021.

She added that crude oil production was projected to increase from 1.80 million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2020 to 1.86mbpd in 2021, as economies recover from recession, and moderated by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota agreements.

Ahmed stated that the aggregate revenue available to fund the N13.5 trillion 2021 budget was projected at N7.99 trillion (36.9 per cent higher than the 2020 projection of N5.84 trillion).

To promote fiscal transparency, accountability and comprehensiveness, she said the budgets of 60 Government-owned Enterprises (GOEs) were integrated in the Federal Government’s 2021 budget.

“In aggregate, 30 per cent of projected revenues is to come from oil-related sources while 70 per cent is to be earned from non-oil sources. Overall, the size of the budget has been constrained by our relatively low revenues,” she added.

The minister also explained that the deficit of N5.6 trillion will be funded via domestic and external borrowings of N2.34 trillion apiece.

She said N2.5 billion was expected as privatisation proceeds.

The budget also has an aggregate capital expenditure of N4.37 trillion or 32.2 per cent of total expenditure, which is 62.9 per cent higher than the 2020 Revised Budget, inclusive of capital component of statutory transfers and GOEs.

At N3.32 trillion, the provision for debt service for 2021 is 24.5 per cent of total expenditure and 12.6 per cent higher than 2020 revised budget, according to her.

The minister also put the provision to retire maturing bonds to local contractors / suppliers at N200 billion.

Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation (BoF), Mr Ben Akabueze, said the country was expecting donations of COVID-19 vaccines to cover 20 per cent of its population while 50 per cent would be acquired to achieve herd immunity.

Akabueze said, “To have herd immunity, 70 per cent of the population has to be vaccinated. Already, vaccine for 20 per cent of the population will be donated while the balance of 50 per cent will be paid for by the government.”

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Business

Official, Black Market Rates Diverge as Naira Starts Week on Stable Note

Published

5 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Official, Black Market Rates Diverge as Naira Starts Week on Stable Note

The Nigerian Naira began the new trading week on Monday, April 13, 2026, with slight movements against the United States Dollar across both the official and parallel foreign exchange markets, reflecting continued cautious stability in the currency environment.

In the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), the official trading window, the Naira opened at about ₦1,358.84 per $1, before recording mild intraday fluctuations that pushed it briefly to around ₦1,362.08, before easing back toward the opening range.

The performance indicates a relatively stable session, supported by ongoing liquidity management efforts and sustained interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which has continued to monitor dollar supply and demand in the banking system.

Analysts say the official market remains largely driven by inflows from oil exports, non-oil earnings, and diaspora remittances, all of which help moderate volatility in the NFEM window.

Parallel Market Remains Higher Amid Strong Demand

In contrast, the parallel market—commonly referred to as the black market—recorded significantly higher exchange rates as demand for dollars persisted among importers, traders, and individuals outside the official FX window.

Market Outlook and Sentiment

Financial analysts note that market sentiment remains cautious, with traders closely watching upcoming macroeconomic indicators, crude oil price movements, and possible policy signals from monetary authorities.

Experts also point out that the stability in the NFEM suggests that recent reforms and tightening measures in the foreign exchange market may be gradually improving transparency and liquidity management, even though pressure persists in the informal market segment.

For many Nigerians, fluctuations in the exchange rate continue to directly impact the cost of imported goods, fuel-related logistics, and overall inflation expectations, making daily FX movements a key economic indicator.

As of early Monday trading, market activity remained steady, with expectations that the Naira will continue to trade within a relatively narrow range unless triggered by major external shocks or policy adjustments.

Official, Black Market Rates Diverge as Naira Starts Week on Stable Note

Railway

FG pushes high-speed train, expands rail links to seaports

Published

1 day ago

April 12, 2026

Trends Admin

FG pushes high-speed train, expands rail links to seaports

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to modernise Nigeria’s rail system, setting up a high-speed rail committee and approving the expansion of rail connections to key seaports to boost cargo movement and ease logistics bottlenecks.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, disclosed this at the quarterly stakeholders’ engagement of the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council.

In a statement by the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, Opeifa said the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had constituted a committee on high-speed rail development to drive initiative.
He disclosed that the Federal Government was seeking private sector participation in this regard.
The NRC boss also emphasised that seamless rail-port integration remained critical to unlocking the full benefits of ongoing maritime reforms.

Opeifa warned that investments in port infrastructure, including deep seaports, would continue to yield limited returns without efficient rail connectivity to move cargo inland.
He noted that while collaboration between the corporation and port authorities had improved—particularly under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu—significant gaps remain in cargo evacuation from ports, especially in Lagos and along the eastern corridor.

He identified persistent bottlenecks in rail freight operations and called for targeted interventions to improve efficiency, stressing that a shift towards rail-based cargo movement is essential for a more reliable and cost-effective logistics system.

Highlighting ongoing and planned projects, Opeifa said the Federal Government has approved the extension of the Lagos–Ibadan standard gauge rail line to Apapa and Tin Can Island ports. He added that the Warri–Itakpe line would be linked to Warri Port, while the eastern narrow gauge is set to connect the Port Harcourt Port at Onne.

He further disclosed plans to link the Lagos–Kano western line to Baro Port, as part of a broader strategy to integrate all major ports into the national rail network.

On project updates, the NRC boss said the Kaduna–Kano rail corridor is nearing completion, while efforts are underway to connect existing rail lines directly to ports to reduce congestion and improve cargo evacuation.

He also revealed plans for a new rail line to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, expected to pass through Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu to Kajola, where it will link with the Lagos–Ibadan line. The project, he said, is likely to commence this year.

Describing rail connectivity to ports as a key driver of economic growth, Opeifa urged stakeholders, including truck operators, to support the initiative, noting that road transport would continue to play a complementary role in last-mile delivery.

He also called for the expansion of freight yards across both narrow and standard gauge lines to enhance cargo handling capacity and overall efficiency.

The stakeholders’ meeting brought together key players in the maritime and rail sectors to align strategies and strengthen collaboration towards building a more integrated and efficient national transport system.

Business

NNPC Remits N1.804 Trillion to Federation Account in February

Published

2 days ago

April 11, 2026

Trends Admin

Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mr. Bayo Ojulari

NNPC Remits N1.804 Trillion to Federation Account in February

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has remitted N1.804 trillion to the Federation Account in February 2026, marking a significant jump from the N726 billion recorded in January, according to its latest Monthly Financial and Operational Report Summary.

The sharp increase highlights improved oil and gas revenue performance in Nigeria, stronger production output, and ongoing fiscal reforms aimed at boosting transparency and accountability in the petroleum sector.

NNPC Ltd reported that its total revenue increased to N2.68 trillion in February, up from N2.57 trillion in January, driven by higher crude oil sales, improved gas earnings, and operational efficiency gains across its assets. The company also recorded a profit after tax of N136 billion, reflecting improved financial performance despite fluctuations in global crude oil markets and domestic operational challenges.

According to the report, Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production averaged 1.51 million barrels per day (bpd) in February 2026. NNPC attributed the output stability to improved asset reliability, faster resolution of evacuation constraints, and enhanced coordination with upstream operators across key oil fields.