Business

CBN’s ‘action’ yields result as Naira appreciates to N1,382 per dollar

Published

9 months ago

March 22, 2024

CBN’s ‘action’ yields result as Naira appreciates to N1,382 per dollar

The local currency continued on a recovery note on Thursday with naira appreciating significantly against the dollar on the strength of recent interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

From N1,536.83 in the previous day, the naira appreciated to N1,382.35/$ at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), the first time in a long while that the local currency would record such a massive gain.

This was coming 24 hours after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced it had cleared $7bn valid foreign exchange claims while increasing the country’s forex reserves.

CBN’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, announced this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement partly reads, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced that all valid foreign exchange backlogs have now been settled, fulfilling a key pledge of the CBN Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso, to process an inherited backlog of $7bn in claims.

“Clearance of the foreign exchange transactions backlog is part of the overall strategy detailed in last month’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting to stabilise the exchange rate and thereby curb imported inflation, spurring confidence in the banking system and the economy.

Apart from the massive gain recorded at the official market, the local currency also stabilised yesterday at the parallel market exchanging at N1,500 to a dollar, according to checks in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

In Lagos, the dollar was traded at N1,500 to N1,520 yesterday with the operators confirming relative stability in the market.

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A BDC operator, Haruna Agege, said the local currency is expected to appreciate against the dollars in days to come.

“So if you have dollars at home, it is advisable to bring it out,” he said.

In Abuja, a cross section of Bureau de Change operators in Wuse stated that the dollar has been falling against the Naira since the beginning of the week.

Gidado Muktar, a BDC operator said, “We have been seeing a lot of changes since Monday when the week started. I can tell you that when we started the week, the dollar was N1,700 to a dollar. By Tuesday it dropped to N1,600 and as we speak today Thursday it is fluctuating between N1,480 to N1,500/$,” he said.

Mukhtar added that he is happy that the Naira is appreciating which vindicates his colleagues that were accused of speculation.

In Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Kura, a BDC operator said operators buy dollar at the rate of N1490 and sell to prospective customers at the rate N1500 . Previously it traded at N1,520, he said.

Controversy over foreign airlines’ funds

Despite CBN claiming it has cleared all verified backlogs, there is controversy over the foreign airlines’ trapped funds as the foreign airlines claimed their funds are still trapped with commercial banks.

It would be recalled that in January when the CBN announced it had cleared all foreign airlines’ trapped funds, the carriers said the bulk of the trapped funds from ticket sales on the billing settlement platform (BSP) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is yet to be cleared.

A foreign airline representative who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “Payments are being made as I write. Only IATA can confirm the value. This is because these monies are tickets sold via BSP. IATA manages the BSP. The bulk of the funds held are in the BSP. BSP sales make up about 70% of airline sales.”

President of the Association of Foreign Airline Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma said foreign airlines’ trapped funds remain uncleared.

FG not owing foreign airlines – Travel agents

President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye in a chat with Daily Trust said as it currently stands the Federal Government is not owing foreign airlines and asked the operators to sort out their issues with their commercial banks.

“The Federal Government is not owing the airlines. If the airlines still have some issues, it is the money with the commercial banks, not with the government and the CBN has also helped them as well by releasing the circular that the banks should sell to the airlines and we had report that the airlines have been getting their money although there is no update on whether the entire $700m has been cleared or not.

CBN’s ‘action’ yields result as Naira appreciates to N1,382 per dollar

(DAILY TRUST)

Related Topics:CBN Dollar Featured Naira

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Railway

Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

Published

12 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has disclosed that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) trains are included in the Federal Government’s free train ride initiative for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The LRMT, which currently includes the Phase 1 Blue Line Rail and the Phase 1 of the Red Line Rail, operates under the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

This announcement was made by Ben Iloanusi, the Acting Managing Director of the NRC, during an interview on NTA News TV on Friday, following the launch of the initiative earlier that day.

While Iloanusi stated that Phase 1 of both the Blue Line and Red Line Rail projects are part of the program, LAMATA has yet to confirm this inclusion.

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Iloanusi outlined the other routes benefiting from the scheme, which include the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, Warri-Itakpe Train Service, Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit in Lagos. Notably, little was previously known about the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit service until this disclosure.

“Let me mention the routes where this free train service is happening. We have the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, we have the Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, we have the Warri-Itakpe Train Service, we have the Lagos Rail Mass Transit trains, we have the Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and we have what we call the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit, which is also in Lagos,” he stated.

Iloanusi provided operational updates, stating that passengers nationwide can access free tickets online or, for those unable to do so, at train stations where they will be profiled and validated.

He noted that passengers using NRC-managed services (excluding the Lagos Rail Mass Transit) should reserve tickets via the official website, www.nrc.gov.ng, with a valid ID required. He also advised travelers to plan, arrive on time, and bring valid identification.

Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

Business

NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown

Published

13 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Port Harcourt refinery

NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied claims in media reports that the newly refurbished Port Harcourt refinery has shut down.

The national oil company denied the claim in a press release issued by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Saturday.

Soneye said the claim was false and urged Nigerians to disregard it. He stressed that the Port-Harcourt Refinery is fully operational.

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The statement read, “The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down.

“We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.”

He noted that preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing, and added that claims of the shutdown are “figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians.”

NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown

Business

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Trends Admin

CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted Bureau de Change (BDC) operators temporary permission to purchase up to $25,000 weekly in foreign exchange (FX) from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).

This move, detailed in a circular dated December 19, 2024, is designed to meet seasonal retail demand for FX during the holiday period.

The circular was signed by T.G. Allu, on behalf of the Acting Director of the Trade and Exchange Department.

The arrangement will be in effect from December 19, 2024, to January 30, 2025.

Under the directive, BDCs may purchase FX from a single Authorized Dealer of their choice, provided they fully fund their accounts before accessing the market.

Transactions to occur at the prevailing NFEM rate

The transactions will occur at the prevailing NFEM rate, and BDCs are required to adhere to a maximum 1% spread when pricing FX for retail end-users.

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All transactions conducted under this scheme must be reported to the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department.

The circular read in part:

“In order to meet expected seasonal demand for foreign exchange, the CBN is allowing a temporary access for all existing BDCs to the NFEM for the purchase of FX from Authorised Dealers, subject to a weekly cap of USD 25,000.00 (Twenty-five thousand dollars only).

This window will be open between December 19, 2024 to January 30, 2025.

“BDC operators can purchase FX under this arrangement from only one Authorized Dealer of their choice and will be required to fully fund their account before accessing the market at the prevailing NFEM rate. All transactions with BDCs should be reported to the Trade and Exchange department, and a maximum spread of 1% is allowed on the pricing offered by BDCs to retail end-users.”

The CBN assured the general public that PTA (Personal Travel Allowance) and BTA (Business Travel Allowance) remain available through banks for legitimate travel and business needs.”

These transactions are to be conducted at “market-determined exchange rates” within the NFEM framework.

This initiative reflects the CBN’s strategy to stabilize the FX market and manage seasonal surges in demand.