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Naira Redesign: FG Distances Self, Warns CBN Of Consequences

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The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has distanced herself from the planned naira redesign, which was announced by the Central Bank governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, 48 hours ago.

The Minister, who disowned the policy, said it doesn’t receive the blessing of the Ministry of Finance and warned of the dire consequences.

Reacting to questions from Senator Bamidele Opeyemi representing Ekiti Central Senatorial district on Friday at the National Assembly, where she appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance for the 2023 budget defence of the ministry, the minister maintained that the policy may be good, but coming at the wrong time.

Opeyemi said the pronouncement may have triggered a rise in naira to US dollars in terms of value, given that naira has jumped from N740 to N788 to a US dollar due to rush in exchange of stashed funds.

Opeyemi said: “To me, the policy may be well conceived, but the timing going by realities on ground is very wrong as the Naira may fall to as low as N1,000 to a US dollar before January 31, 2023 fixed for full implementation of the policy”, he said.

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Responding, the Minister said, she read the news in the media and has nothing to do with it.

READ ALSO: CBN Re-designed Naira notes, To Launch Legal Tender December

“Distinguished Senators, we were not consulted at the Ministry of Finance by the CBN on the planned Naira redesigning and cannot comment on it as regards merits or otherwise.

“However, as a privileged Nigerian at the top of Nigeria’s fiscal management, the policy as rolled out at this time, portends serious consequences on the value of Naira to other foreign currencies.

“I will, however, appeal to this Committee to invite the CBN governor for required explanations as regards merits of the planned policy and rightness or otherwise of its implementation now,” she said.

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JUST IN: CBN Increases Interest Rate To 24.75%

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The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has today concluded its two-day meeting for March 2024.

This meeting marks the second MPC meeting for the year 2024 and also the 294th meeting of the CBN.

The MPC at the end of today’s meeting elected to hike the MPR by 200 basis points.

The Committee voted as follows: Raise the MPR by 200bps to 24.75 from 22.75 per cent
Increase the asymmetric corridor to +100bps/-300 basic points.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: CBN Sells Forex To BDCs At N1,251/$1

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Retain the Cash Reserve Ratio of Deposit Money Banks at 45 per cent and Adjust the CRR of Merchant banks from 10 per cent to 14 per cent.

The CBN retains a liquidity ratio of 13 per cent.

Details later…

 

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JUST IN: CBN Sells Forex To BDCs At N1,251/$1

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a circular to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators informing them that they sold $10,000 to each BDC at a rate of N1,251 per US dollar.

Nairametrics reports that the CBN, in a circular, instructed each BDC to sell the dollars to eligible customers at a rate not exceeding 1.5% above the purchase price.

READ ALSO:Tips For Online Registration Of Prospective Corps Members

It reads: “We refer to our letter to you referenced TED/DIR/CON/GOM/001/071 in respect of the above subject wherein the CB approved a second tranche of sale of FX to eligible BDCs.

“We write to inform you of the sale of $10,000 to each BDC at the rate of N1,251/$1. The BDCs are to sell to eligible end users at a spread of NOT MORE THAN 1.5 per cent above the purchase price.”

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Financial Institution Launches Indigenous Micro Insurance Software To Boost Customers Confidence

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The acting Managing Director, Prudent Choice Micro Insurance, Mrs. Gloria Onosolease, has said that the launch of its indigenous micro insurance software, named Insuretech, will help boost customers confidence and ensure accountability in the sector.

She disclosed this during the official launch of its Insuretech software in Benin.

Mrs. Onosolease said the achievement will significantly shape the nascent micro insurance landscape in Nigeria and indeed, across the African continent.

Onosolease said the newly developed software heralds a pivotal advancement in enhancing customer interaction and satisfaction, while concurrently optimizing their internal operations to foster efficiency.

She added that in a fiercely competitive industry such as insurance, embracing technology is indispensable to their continuous success and sustainability.

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READ ALSO: Tips For Online Registration Of Prospective Corps Members

She said that the micro insurance sector in Nigeria, particularly in Edo State, is undergoing a phase of unprecedented growth with a population exceeding five million people where a substantial portion of which is engaged in low income and medium sized enterprises spanning rural, urban and semi-urban areas.

She said due to this, there exists an urgent demand for accessible and inclusive insurance solutions but regrettably, this demographic has long been underserved and marginalized in terms of insurance protection.

She further said that with the launch of Insuretech, it will help mitigate the financial risks encountered by low income earners and small to medium scale enterprises.

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