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Naira Steady, Oil Output Slips, Remittances Fall

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By Lukman Otunuga, Senior Research Analyst at FXTM,

After hitting a four year low on Monday, the Naira has staged a minor rebound due to a broadly weaker Dollar.

Nigeria’s central bank weakened the Naira for the third time this year amid Dollar shortages and lower than anticipated foreign currency inflows. Although the local currency weakened to N500 in the parallel markets, prices are trading around 470 and could extend gains in the week ahead if the Dollar extends its steep descent.

However, given the fact that Nigeria has experienced a fall in foreign exchange inflows, this is likely to limit the Naira’s upside.

According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), production of crude and condensates slide m/m in September. Production fell by just over 3% to 1.594m b/d, further clouding the country’s growth prospects.

It must be kept in mind that Nigeria pledged to cut production in August and September to compensate for pumping more than its OPEC+ quota. The drop in production is likely to hit export earnings, government revenues, and the ability for the CBN to continue defending the Naira.

Speaking of Oil, OPEC and Russia have finally struck a cautious deal to boost oil supply from January after the initial disagreements.

Producers agreed to raise output by 500,000 barrels a day in January, far below the 2m b/d initially agreed. Future output levels are set to be decided at monthly ministerial meetings.

Oil prices welcomed the news, with WTI pushing beyond the $46.00 level while Brent approached $50. Positive news on the vaccine front and optimism around the global economy recovering may translate to higher Oil prices in the week ahead.

In other news, diaspora remittances to Nigeria have dropped significantly according to the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. Given how remittances have dropped by about 40% in Q2 to $3.4 billion, this may impact Dollar liquidity and compound to the themes pressuring the country.

Outside of Nigeria, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine. Gold prices staged an incredible rebound this week while the Euro blasted above key resistance to hit levels not seen since April 2018. Despite the surging coronavirus cases in the United States and restrictions in Europe, the mood across markets remains encouraging amid positive vaccine developments. It will be interesting to see whether this positive vibe rolls over into the new trading week.


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E-Financial

SEC Restates Commitment to Transparency in Fintech Regulation

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Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has assured stakeholders in the fintech space it is committed to ensuring transparency and integrity in the regulation of the space.

SEC Restates Commitment to Transparency in Fintech Regulation

Dr. Emomotimi Agama, director general, SEC, said it has provided a level playing field to all applicants.

Agama, stated this during a meeting with Regulatory Incubation and Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Program applicants on Monday.

The SEC DG stated that the commission understands the anxiety and the need to be regulated but added that they have to be very careful even in its desire to be inclusive.

He said, “The process of registration is a very technical process because registration is the hallmark of regulation. It goes beyond onboarding and registering, it requires monitoring, education, and surveillance and all of these are continuous. This journey is a new one that we have not gone through before. As we continue, we will find challenges, which we need to solve because every challenge is solvable.

“I am here to assuage fears being exhibited, we have provided a level playing field but as a government institution we must take things into context while doing this. The groups that were admitted into the ARIP and RI are beginning to see that we have started demanding for some information, operational updates and more regulatory requirements in line with the concept of a Regulation Incubation Programme or a Sandbox as some other institutions call it. In doing this, we are understudying what they are doing and the risk that they pose to investors and to themselves.

“We have not only done that, we have also issued new regulations to the public, which we call an exposure document. If you look at it, it is an upgraded version of our earlier regulations and the regulation making process demands that we get your views as stakeholders before it becomes a regulation.”

Agama stated that the inputs of stakeholders is important as regulators cannot claim to know everything adding that the rules would be amended to include all valid points to make it an all-inclusive document.

He further disclosed that the commission has increased the space to include more regulations to accommodate more individuals, more institutions and more functions because accommodation is the stance of the government regarding the space.

 

 

 


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E-Financial

Ecobank Warns against Fraud during Yuletide

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Ecobank Nigeria has cautioned customers to be vigilant against fraudsters during the Yuletide while promising uninterrupted access to banking services through its digital platforms throughout the holiday season.

Ecobank Warns against Fraud during Yuletide

In a statement on Monday, Adeola Ogunyemi, head, Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, emphasised that customers can continue their shopping and transactions smoothly via the bank’s various digital channels.

Ogunyemi highlighted the Bank’s long-standing commitment to digital transformation, which aims to improve customer experience and provide alternative access to banking services.

Ecobank Nigeria is an affiliate of the Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African banking group.

The bank offers a comprehensive suite of financial services and solutions to consumer, commercial, corporate, and investment banking customers at over 240 branches and 35,000 Xpress Point agencies across Nigeria.


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E-Financial

CBN Permits BDC Operators to Buy FX from NAFEM During Festive Season

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that eligible Bureau de Change (BDC) operators will have temporary access to the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) to purchase $25,000 weekly. This arrangement, aimed at addressing seasonal foreign exchange (FX) demand, will be effective from December 19, 2024, to January 30, 2025.

In a statement signed by T.G. Allu, CBN’s acting director of trade and exchange, the apex bank said BDC operators would buy FX from authorized dealers—banks licensed by the CBN—exclusively to meet retail market demand.

“To meet expected seasonal demand for foreign exchange, the CBN is allowing temporary access for all existing BDCs to the NAFEM for the purchase of FX from Authorized Dealers, subject to a weekly cap of $25,000,” the statement read.

BDC operators must fully fund their accounts before accessing the market at prevailing NAFEM rates, choosing only one authorized dealer for transactions under this arrangement. A maximum price spread of 1% is allowed for retail pricing by BDCs, and all transactions will be reported to the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department.

The CBN reiterated that personal travel allowance (PTA) and business travel allowance (BTA) remain available through banks for legitimate travel needs. The bank emphasized that all FX transactions must be conducted at market-determined exchange rates.

“The CBN remains committed to a fully functional foreign exchange market and will continue to provide liquidity when necessary to manage price volatility,” the statement added.

Earlier in September, the CBN approved FX sales to eligible BDC operators at a rate of N1,590 per dollar to cater to demand for invisible transactions, reflecting ongoing efforts to stabilize the FX market.


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