Agric, fiscal policy led us out of recession – Finance minister – Newstrends
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Agric, fiscal policy led us out of recession – Finance minister

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The Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, has said a positive growth of over three per cent and fiscal policies of the current administration were largely responsible for quick exit of Nigeria out of recession.

She said the nation’s exit from recession was a key indicator that the country was positioned for stable and consistent growth.

The minister gave the explanation Wednesday while briefing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigeria’s economy unexpectedly came out of a recession in the fourth quarter as growth in agriculture and telecommunications offset a sharp drop in oil production.

Gross domestic product grew 0.11 per cent in the three months through December from a year earlier, compared with a decline of 3.6 per cent in the third quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

The minister said, “This is one of the shortest lived recessions we have witnessed in the country, despite the impact of the COVID-19, but I must say that the result of this exit is as a result of the fiscal policies, the monetary policies and the Economic Sustainability Plan that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been implementing.”

She also said from the 46 sectors of the economy, 17 recorded positive growth and this is higher than the number of sectors that had recorded positive growth in the third quarter.

She also said the agricultural sector posted a strong growth of 3.42 per cent during the last quarter and when you compare to the previous quarter, it’s a much better performance.

“Overall, the non-oil sector grew by 1.69 per cent. This is an indication that the diversification efforts that the economy has been pushing is actually also posting results; while the oil sector is declining, the non-oil sector is growing,” she stated.

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Dangote Refinery can sell petrol to any marketer – NNPC

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Dangote Refinery

Dangote Refinery can sell petrol to any marketer – NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has said it has no desire or intention to be the sole offtaker of petrol produced by the Dangote Refinery Limited, DRL.

NNPC Ltd said this while reacting to claim by the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, which claims that the Dangote Refinery Limited (DRL) is being undermined by actions of the NNPC Ltd.

MURIC had in a statement issued on Friday claimed that recent changes to the pump price of petrol will prevent the Dangote Refinery from selling the product at lower prices to Nigerians.

The group also claimed NNPC Ltd. has become the sole offtaker of all products from the refinery.

However, Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd in a statement on Saturday dismissed the claims of MURIC.

While puncturing the claims of MURIC, NNPC LTD in the statement noted that the pricing of petroleum products from any refinery, including the Dangote Refinery Ltd. (DRL), is determined by global market forces.

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The company thefore noted that recent changes in PMS prices have no impact on the DRL or any other domestic refinery’s access to the Nigerian market.

“In fact, if current prices perceived as high, it presents an ideal opportunity for the refinery to sell its products at lower prices in the Nigerian market.

“Furthermore, we emphasize that there is no guarantee of lower prices associated with domestic refining compared to any global parity pricing framework, as confirmed by the DRL.

“The NNPC Ltd. will only fully offtake PMS from the DRL if the market prices of PMS are higher than the pump prices in Nigeria.

“The DRL and any other domestic refinery are free to sell directly to any marketer on a willing buyer, willing seller basis, which is the current practice for all fully deregulated products.

“NNPC Ltd. has no desire or intention to become the distributor for any entity in a free market environment, and therefore, the notion of becoming a sole offtaker does not arise.

“The NNPC Ltd. cannot undermine a business in which it holds a billion-dollar stake.

“As an advocacy group for fair and just treatment, MURIC should have verified the facts before making statements that are entirely flawed and has the potential to incite ordinary Nigerians against the NNPC Ltd.”

Dangote Refinery can sell petrol to any marketer – NNPC

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Forex: CBN sells $20,000 to each BDC at N1,580/$

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Forex: CBN sells $20,000 to each BDC at N1,580/$

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to inject more liquidity into the foreign exchange market by approving the sale of US$20,000 to each eligible Bureau De Change (BDC) operator.

This move is aimed at meeting the growing demand for foreign exchange in the retail market, particularly for invisible transactions.

In a circular issued on September 6, 2024, and signed by Dr. W.J. Kanya, Acting Director of the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department, the bank stated that eligible BDC operators would purchase the foreign currency at the rate of N1,580 per US dollar.

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The BDCs are permitted to sell the forex to end-users at a margin not exceeding 1% above the purchase rate.

To facilitate the process, the bank said eligible BDCs must make Naira payments into designated CBN deposit accounts and submit the required documentation at the appropriate CBN branches in Abuja, Awka, Kano, and Lagos for the collection of the approved $20,000.

This measure is part of CBN’s ongoing efforts to stabilize the forex market and meet demand for invisible transactions such as payment for personal travel, medical bills, and school fees.

Forex: CBN sells $20,000 to each BDC at N1,580/$

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Naira falls by N34 to dollar in 24hrs

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Naira falls by N34 to dollar in 24hrs

The Nigerian currency, Naira, has plummeted to an unprecedented low, trading at a staggering N1,639.41 per dollar at the official market on Thursday.

This marks a sharp decline from the previous day’s rate of N1,606, reflecting a dramatic loss of N34.

In a parallel trend, the black market also saw the naira fall, with the exchange rate reaching N1,645 per dollar, down from N1,640.

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The worsening exchange rates signal deepening economic challenges and growing concerns over the stability of the national currency.

As the naira continues its downward spiral, analysts and market watchers are closely monitoring the situation, with implications for both the economy and daily lives of Nigerians.

Naira falls by N34 to dollar in 24hrs

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