VenturesNow

AfDB demands improved terms, $25 billion to prevent “lost decade”

Published

7 months ago

June 7, 2024

According to the director of the continent’s development bank, Akin Adesina, Africa needs $25 billion, faster debt restructurings, and more favourable financing terms for the Africa Development Fund to prevent a lost decade.

Adesina, the continent was suffering from “long fiscal COVID” and the world was not doing enough to support it in getting past the years of hardship brought on by the pandemic and interest rate spikes, which had forced many countries into default.

“The G20 Common Framework, which is the bilateral and multilateral path to do (debt restructuring), must work faster for Africa,” Adesina said in a speech on Friday at London’s Chatham House, adding: “We can’t afford to have a lost decade.”

He also demanded a $25 billion restocking of the African Development Fund, the African Development Bank’s concessional lending division that provides loans to economically disadvantaged nations. The most ever replenishment committed, at $8.9 billion, during the funding cycle spanning 2023 to 2025.

This week, Zambia became the first nation to complete a debt rework under the Common Framework, a framework created by the G20 to assist developing nations in renegotiating unsustainable debt with all creditors, including China, which has significantly increased its loans to developing nations over the previous ten years.

However, Zambia’s authorities and others have complained that the nearly four gruelling years it took were too long for the procedure. In addition, Adesina reported that 22 African nations are at significant risk of financial trouble and that debt servicing obligations will reach $74 billion this year, up from $17 billion in 2010. Ethiopia and Ghana are also in default.

“This is because concessional financing has declined,” he said, adding: “You can’t do development at commercial rates. We have to make sure that the global financing system delivers more for Africa and avoid economic divergences that are coming about because of slow economic recovery in Africa from COVID.”

Adesina subsequently to journalists that the Paris Club, the established consortium of mostly Western creditor countries, needed to be permanently enlarged and that the Common Framework needed to incorporate quicker credit committee formation.

“The Paris Club was all about concessional lenders. But the world has changed,” he said, adding that expanding it was important “because it will allow you to reach a faster dialogue and a resolution”.

VenturesNow

Moroccan annual inflation rises to 0.8% in November

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s statistics office has confirmed that the country’s annual inflation rate, as determined by the consumer price index, increased from 0.7% in October to 0.8% in November.

Monthly, consumer prices decreased by 0.2% from October.

The primary driver of inflation, food costs, grew by 0.8% compared to the previous year, while non-food inflation climbed by 0.7%. Core inflation, which does not include more erratic items like food, increased 2.6% annually and 0.2% monthly.

According to the central bank, inflation is expected to average 1% this year, down from 6.1% last year.

Despite the Al-Haouz earthquake, a spike in inflation, and worldwide economic challenges, Morocco’s GDP grew by 3.4% in 2023.

A recovery in tourism, robust industrial exports, and rising private consumption—all bolstered by prudent macroeconomic policies—were the main drivers of growth.

VenturesNow

Nigeria’s $42bn foreign reserves enough for 9 months’ imports— Central Bank

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the nation’s $42.01 billion in foreign reserves can cover imports of goods and services for almost nine months.

Cardoso promised Nigerians improved economic fortunes in 2025 while addressing the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions yesterday in Abuja at the presentation of the performance index report.

Cardoso stated: “External Reserves rose from $ 38.35 billion it was on September 30, 2024, to $ 42.01 billion as of December 12, 2024”.

He clarified that third-party receipts in Q3 2024 and revenues from taxes connected to crude oil were the main drivers of the rise in foreign reserves during the specified time.

“We saw remarkable improvements in our trade balance and maintained a current account surplus,” he added.

“Our external reserves level can finance over 9.09 months of import of goods and services or 13.91 months only, higher than the international benchmark of 3.0 months and a robust buffer against shocks”.

On cash shortage, the CBN boss reiterated the N150 million fine against any branch of banks caught illegally distributing new Naira notes to currency hawkers and unscrupulous elements and said the Nigerian economy will improve in 2025 through policies and measures.

He predicted a stronger economic future: “Despite our economy’s challenges, there are clear reasons for optimism.

“The gradual stabilization of the forex market, ongoing banking sector recapitalization, and positive growth trends in key sectors, especially the services sector, indicate a path toward recovery and stability.”