Central Bank of Nigeria
Nigeria’s central bank took 1.47 trillion naira ($3.8 billion) from lenders as additional cash reserves for failing to meet regulatory targets, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the accounts of almost 30 commercial lenders held with the central bank were debited by the regulator for missing thresholds on cash-reserve and loan-to-deposit ratios, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential. The lenders are appealing the move, they said.
Central Bank of Nigeria spokesman Isaac Okorafor didn’t answer calls to his mobile phone or reply to a text message seeking comment.
Policy makers are swooping on the reserves as the oil-producing nation faces its biggest economic contraction in almost half a century after the Covid-19 outbreak curbed demand for commodities and shut down industries and trade.
Tracking COVID-19 in Nigeria
Total Coronavirus Cases, Apr 25
1,095
Total Coronavirus Deaths, Apr 25
32
Year-to-Date change in NSE ASI
-16
Balance in Excess Crude Account, Dec 2019 (million)
$70
Brent Crude ($ per barrel)
22
It also comes amid a 10% depreciation in the naira against the dollar this year, inflation at a two-year high and after banks agreed to forgo profit to help the economy, preserve confidence in the country and ensure financial stability.
The central bank requires that banks park 27.5% of their deposits with the regulator as cash reserves.
The clampdown comes after the central bank’s campaign last year to force lenders to give out more credit — by twice increasing the minimum loan-to-deposit ratio.
According to a tweet by Paul Wallace it “Seems as if the CBN is prioritising Naira stability over getting banks to boost lending.”
In September, it debited banks’ accounts with 500 billion naira for falling short of the lending targets, refunding most of the reserves the next month.
The move will drain excess liquidity from the market that could’ve been used to buy foreign exchange, helping to support the naira, Michael Famoroti, the chief economist of Stears Data in Lagos, said by phone. It may also pressure bank earnings as the capital could’ve been deployed into other money-making avenues.
“The central bank doesn’t want them to be playing around with exchange rate, so they want liquidity very tight,” he said. An overnight lending rate stuck at below 5% shows there “is a lot of cash in the system and the regulator is concerned about that.”
The central bank’s firepower to defend the naira is diminishing as cratering oil prices dry up dollar supplies and as its foreign-exchange reserves run down.
SOURCE BUSINESS DAY
