Business

Experts Divided Over Interest Rate Hike Ahead Of MPC Meeting

Published

3 years ago

January 23, 2023

Ahead of the two-day Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the Central Bank of Nigeria commencing on Monday, financial experts have expressed uncertainties over possible interest rate hike.

As part of its event calendar for 2023, the CBN disclosed that it would hold its 289th meeting in Abuja.

Speaking on the prospective outcome of the MPC meeting, a professor of Capital Market and Chairman of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Abuja Branch, Prof Uche Uwaleke, explained that the Committee would likely keep all the monetary policy parameters.

He said, “Plethora of historical evidence suggests that the MPC rarely adjusts policy rates in January due to the need to allow the markets to stabilise in the New Year.

“Also, inflationary pressure is beginning to reduce, as seen in headline inflation numbers for December 2022.

“I do not advise a further hike in MPR, as doing so beyond the current high rate of 16.5 per cent can jeopardise economic growth.”

However, researchers at Cordros Securities expect a rate hike after the meeting.

In a report, the group of experts explained that MPC might toe the line of their global counterpart to introduce a small interest rate hike.

“Looking elsewhere, the prospect of global Central Banks embarking on smaller interest rate hikes could also influence the MPC’s decision to toe the same line amid concerns about the domestic economy”, they stated.

Business

CBN Sets POS Maximum Transactions In Fresh Guidelines

Published

18 hours ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria has rolled out fresh guidelines for agent banking, known as Point of Sales, across the country.

The apex also in the guidelines pegged daily POS transactions at N1.2 million per agent and N100,000 per individual.

CBN disclosed this in a circular signed by its Director of the Payments System Management Department, Musa Jimoh.

The guidelines further mandate all financial institutions to publish the list of all their POS agents on their website and to display it in their branches.

CBN noted that the guidelines would take effect from April 1, 2026.

“The Guidelines aim to establish minimum standards for operating agent banking in Nigeria, enhancing agent banking to provide financial services and promoting financial inclusion, encouraging responsible market conduct and improving service quality in agent banking operations.

“This circular takes effect from the date of release, while the implementation of agent location and agent exclusivity shall be in effect from April 1, 2026.

“POS agents are restricted to a maximum of N1.2 million per day. Individual customers are limited to N100,000 in daily transactions.

“These limits are intended to curb misuse, enhance financial integrity, and protect consumers within the agent banking framework,” it stated.

Business

Naira Records First Appreciation Against US Dollar At Official Market

Published

19 hours ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

The Naira recorded appreciation on Wednesday against the United States dollar at the official market, the first time in three days this week.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s exchange rate data showed that the Naira strengthened to N 1,470.62 per dollar on Wednesday, up from N1,471.09 traded on Tuesday.

This means that the country’s currency firmed up slightly by N0.47 against the dollar on a day-to-day basis.

Monday and Tuesday, the Naira recorded negative sentiment at the official foreign exchange market.

However, at the black market, the Naira remained unchanged at N1,500 per dollar on Wednesday, the same rate exchanged on Tuesday.

The apex bank data indicated that the country’s external reserves, a determinant of the exchange rates, stood at $42.57 billion as of October 7, 2025.

Business

SEC Warns Nigerians Of AfriQuantumX Ponzi scheme

Published

19 hours ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has named AfriQuatum, with a claimed worth of N76 billion, as a Ponzi scheme.

The regulator also urged the public to be cautious about investing with the firm.

SEC disclosed this in a recent statement.

According to the SEC, any person who places an investment or engages with the entity does so at his or her own risk, adding that its operations exhibit characteristics commonly associated with fraudulent Ponzi schemes.

“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of AfriQuantumX, which holds itself out as an investment platform trading on and selling cryptocurrency and stocks to investors in Nigeria.

“The Commission hereby informs the public that AfriQuantumX is not registered by the Commission either to solicit investments from the public or operate in any capacity within the Nigerian capital market,” SEC stated.