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New naira scarcity: Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina border residents trade in CFA

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Residents of border communities in states including Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Adamawa and Kwara have opted for the CFA franc following the scarcity of the new naira notes across the country.

The residents, including traders and commercial drivers, are also rejecting the old naira notes, insisting that customers who do not have the new redesigned currency must pay for goods and services with CFAs.

The CFA franc is the legal tender in eight West African countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, which make up the West African Economic and Monetary Union, otherwise known as the Union Économique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine.

Findings by The PUNCH indicated that businessmen and traders in the Zurmi and Shinkafi local government areas of Zamfara State, which border the Niger Republic, prefer the franc to the naira.

Investigation revealed that traders in the two LGAs had been selling their commodities in CFA due to fear that they might not get the new naira notes.

A cattle dealer, Musa Shehu, said he stopped receiving the Nigerian currency since the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the deadline for the swap of the N1,000, N500 and N200 notes.

He stated, “I have since stopped receiving the old naira notes because I don’t have an account and I can’t go to the bank.”

A

trader in Shinkafi town, who shuttles between Nigeria and Niger Republic, explained that most of his customers paid with the CFA.

“I cannot collect old naira notes and give out my commodities to any customer. But I will collect new naira notes and CFA because I am afraid of losing my money if the time for the exchange expires,’’ the trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

A grain seller in Dada village in Zurmi Local Government, Muhammadu Isa, disclosed that he stopped selling grains in the Nigerian currency after the CBN’s policy on new naira notes was unveiled.

He said that he sold only to those who possessed CFAs to avoid losing money as ‘’my father did in 1983 when the naira notes were hurriedly changed by the then Major General Muhammadu Buhari regime.’’

Isa explained that his late father lost all his money when Buhari changed the national currency in 1983.

The grain trader insisted that he would not accept the old naira notes as there was no bank or Point of Service terminal in his community where he could withdraw the new currencies.

“You see since our people and those from the Niger Republic are coming to buy the grains with the CFA, I see no reason why I should collect old naira notes. If anybody wants to buy grains from me, he must pay in CFA or forget it. I will not collect old naira notes because I don’t know what to do with them after the expiration of the deadline,” he noted.

In a related development, commercial drivers who ply the Niger Republic from Zurmi and Shinkafi LGAs have also stopped collecting the old notes.

They justified their decision with the argument that the CFA was the only legal tender accepted by the people along the Nigeria-Niger borders.

A driver, Alhaji Hamisu, stated that passengers had to pay in CFA if they wanted to travel to the Niger Republic or return to Nigeria ‘’because the old naira notes are unacceptable as legal tender.’’

Hamisu said, “I have on several occasions refused to collect the old naira notes from my passengers because I have no time to go to the bank or PoS to get the new notes.

“Another problem is that you can’t buy fuel with the old naira notes in Niger republic; as such, no commercial driver on cross-border journeys will agree to take the old notes from passengers.

“I was almost stranded in Malbaza town in Niger Republic when I wanted to buy fuel with the old naira notes because we have been doing so before the change of the Nigerian currency.

“I went to the filling station as usual and bought 30 litres of fuel and brought out the old notes but the fuel attendant told me that he would not accept the notes.

pleaded with him but he was not ready to collect the money from me. I was lucky as one of the commercial drivers, who is also my friend, came to buy fuel and he had enough CFAs. I bought the CFA from him and settled the fuel attendant.”

Sokoto border traders

Also, our correspondent discovered that border communities in Sokoto State preferred to sell their products in CFA due in part to the non-availability of the new notes and the continuous loss of naira value.

Speaking with The PUNCH, Mallam Sidi Isa, who trades in cattle in Illela, a border community with the Niger Republic, said he preferred the franc because of the introduction of the new naira notes and the cashless policy.

Also speaking, Mr Jamiu Ola, a motor mechanic, argued that the CFA holds more value than the naira.

“I prefer CFA due to the fact that it is hardly devalued unlike our own naira which has been devalued,” he added.

A businessman, Mallam Haruna Abdulazeez, stated, “I shifted my business to the Niger Republic when I realised I can’t cope with the economy of this country anymore.

f I buy goods from Nigeria and take same to Niger Republic, I make profits due to the value after the exchange. Even if you take sachet water there, you will make your profits due to the exchange rate.”

A Sokoto resident, Muhammad Auwal, submitted that the CFA holds more value than the naira, hence his preference for foreign currency.

“I normally exchange my naira for CFA as it is not reasonable for someone to keep naira at home due to loss of value,’’ he declared.

Adamawa cattle dealers

Speaking in an interview, the Chairman of Mubi International Cattle Market in Adamawa State, Jafaru Hamman, lamented the scarcity of newly redesigned naira notes, adding that the difficulties in getting the currency had affected commerce at the border communities.

The problem, according to him, is that most traders in Mubi are accustomed to cash transactions and the cashless policy may take time to get mass support.

Commenting on the decision of Adamawa communities to opt for the franc over the naira, a cattle dealer, Jafaru Hamman, explained that even before the CBN policy, some traders were using the West African CFA in business transactions.

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Business

FAAC shares to FG, states, LGs drop by N27.4bn

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The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared N722.677 billion among the three tiers of government for February 2023.

This is a drop of N27.497 billion compared to January’s allocation of N750.174 billion.

FAAC disclosed this in a communique issued at the end of its meeting for March 2023 in Abuja on Wednesday.

The committee said the N722.677 billion total distributable revenue comprised statutory revenue of N366.800 billion, value-added tax (VAT) revenue of N224.232 billion, electronic money transfer levy (EMTL) of N11.645 billion, and N120 billion augmentation from forex equalisation account.

According to the comminiqué, in February 2023, the total deductions for cost of collection was N27.449 billion, while total deductions for transfers, savings, recoveries and refunds was N109.909 billion.

From the total distributable revenue of N722.677 billion, FAAC said the Federal Government received N269.063 billion, states got N236.464 billion and N173.936 billion went to the local governments.

A total sum of N43.214 billion was also shared with the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

FAAC said a statutory revenue of N487.106 billion was received for the month of February 2023.

This, it said, was lower than the N653.704 billion received in the previous month by N166.598 billion.

From the balance of N366.800 billion distributable statutory revenue, the committee noted that the FG received N178.683 billion, states collected N90.630 billion, and local governments got N69.872 billion.

It added that the sum of N27.614 billion was shared as 13 per cent derivation revenue among the concerned states.

According to FAAC, the gross revenue available from the value-added tax (VAT) for February was N240.799 billion, which is lower than the previous month’s.

The committee said from the N224.232 billion value-added tax (VAT), FG was given N33.635 billion, states received N112.116 billion and local governments were paid N78.481 billion.

 

 

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Auto

Lamborghini to unveil new supercar replacing Aventador March 29

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Lamborghini has announced a new supercar replacing Aventador will be launched March 29, 2023.

Arriving a little over 12 years after the Aventador (LP700-4), the new plug-in hybrid V12 supercar will be known as LB744.

Special features
The announcement on social media is coming only a day after Lamborghini showcased the LB744’s digital instrument cluster and steering wheel.
The new supercar will have an all-wheel-drive electric mode, in which case power will be limited to just 180hp.
To access the full 1,000hp coming from the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 and three electric motors, drivers will have to activate Corsa mode.
Lamborghini introduced the Aventador on February 28, 2011.

Engine
The firm says the 12-cylinder engine won’t be carried over from the Aventador as it will be an all-new development. It will weigh 37 pounds (17 kilogrammes) less than the old V12 by tipping the scales at 481 lbs (218kg). The ICE will be good for 813 horsepower at 9,250 rpm and 535 pound-feet (725 Newton-meters) of torque at 6,750 rpm.
It will send its output to the road via a new eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission Lamborghini will also install in the Huracan’s replacement late next year.
Housed within the centre tunnel will be a 3.8-kWh battery that can be replenished by the V12 in six minutes, or via the charging port in 30 minutes at seven kilowatts.
The LB744 also has regenerative braking to send the energy that would otherwise be lost to the battery.

Performance
Fully charged, Lamborghini says the supercar can do more than six miles (10 kilometres) without sipping any petrol.
The electrified powertrain will cut CO2 emissions by 30 per cent compared to the Aventador Ultimae.
To offset the added weight commanded by the PHEV setup, the new raging bull has a different carbon fibre monocoque (dubbed “monofuselage”) that weighs 10 per cent less than its predecessor. At the same time, it is 25 per cent stiffer. Lamborghini has not announced details about the curb weight, it is distributed 44 per cent front and 56 per cent rear.
Other known facts about the LB744 include a reduced steering ratio (-10 per cent compared to the Aventador Ultimae), rear-wheel steering, and stiffer anti-roll bars (+11 per cent front and +50 per cent rear).
The DCT sits behind the V12 engine to make room in the transmission tunnel for the lithium-ion battery.

Tyres
New bespoke Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres are four per cent wider at the front where Lamborghini will install bigger brakes: 410x38mm discs instead of the Ultimae’s 400x38mm discs, and with ten instead of six pistons.
The rear discs are also bigger, at 390×32 mm vs 380x38mm.
The LB744 will be the first of three PHEVs from Lamborghini as the Urus SUV and Huracan successor will both get a charging port in 2024.

 

 

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Railway

Kano-Maradi rail project gets funds for rolling stock

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The Federal Government has taken a major move to accelerate the construction of the first international rail line in Nigeria, the Kano-Maradi (Niger Republic) line, with funds approval for rolling stock needed for the project.

This came from the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday as it approved N453.90bn, part of which would be used for the procurement of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment for the standard gauge rail line currently under construction.

Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this in Abuja after this week’s FEC meeting chaired by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

The 248km rail line will run from Kano through cities such as Kazaure in Bauchi State, Daura and Mashi in Katsina State; Dutse in Jigawa State, the border town of Jibia, before terminating in Niger Republic’s trade and agricultural hub of Maradi.

The line has 15 stations along its path with an expected daily traffic of 9,364 passengers and about 3,000 metric tonnes of cargo.

Sambo said, “The memorandum sought council’s consideration and approval for the award of contract for the procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently under construction.

“The contract was awarded to MSSRs Mota-Engil Nigeria Limited, who are the contractors handling this particular project in the sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years.”

The minister also disclosed that the Transport ministry presented another memo on behalf of the Nigerian Ports Authority “for the award of contract for the construction and supply of four customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers Ports in Port Harcourt, Lagos Port complex, Tincan Island Port and the Marina headquarters of the NPA, all in Lagos.

“Council considered the memorandum and approved the award of the contract as recommended and reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement in the sum of N510,934,600 inclusive of seven and a half percent VAT with a completion period of nine months in favour of Messrs All Works Commercial Company Limited.”

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