VenturesNow

Nigeria’s central bank to punish banks for rejecting outdated dollar bills

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2024

The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued a warning to its regulated firms in Nigeria on their continued rejection of older series and lower-value US dollars. Lenders who refused the currencies faced threats from the bank.

This was stated in a June 27 circular that was just posted on the apex bank’s website and was signed by Solaja Olayemi, the acting director of the currency operations department.

The public, Deposit Money Banks, and Bureau De Change operators were all warned not to continue rejecting the older series and smaller denominations of the US dollar in the circular.

The CBN stated that the new circular came about as a result of its consumer market intelligence, which showed that banks and other authorized forex dealers were still refusing to accept older or smaller denominations of dollar bills.

“Kindly be reminded that the Central Bank of Nigeria circular referenced COD/DIR/INT/CIR/001/002 and dated 9th April 2021, which explicitly frowned at this selective acceptance of deposit, is still in force and must be adhered to and complied with by all relevant parties.

“For the avoidance of doubt and further guidance on the circular, the content is hereby reissued as follows for strict compliance: All DMBs /authorized forex dealers should henceforth accept both old series and lower denominations of United States Dollars that are legal tender for deposit from their customers. The CBN will not hesitate to sanction any DMB or authorised forex dealers who refuse to accept old series/lower denominations of US Dollar bills from their customers,” the circular partly read.

Authorized forex dealers were also cautioned in the circular not to tamper with or deface US dollar banknotes because they consistently fail authentication checks when being processed and sorted.

On April 9, 2021, CBN initially sent out the warning in a circular that was signed by Ahmed Umar, the department’s then-director of currency operations.

Click to comment

VenturesNow

Ethiopian PM reveals country could get $10.5 billion if talks with World Bank, IMF succeed

Published

3 hours ago

July 6, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

If lengthy negotiations with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are successful, Ethiopia would get $10.5 billion in support over the next few years, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Friday.

The most populous nation in East Africa had severe inflation and ongoing shortages of foreign currency in December, making it the third country on the continent to experience a debt default in as many years.

If lengthy negotiations with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are successful, Ethiopia will get $10.5 billion in support over the next few years, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Friday.

“We have been having a wide range of talks, negotiations and discussions with the IMF and World Bank. Because we were a bit tough with them and they were also tough with us, the (talks) took five years,” Abiy told lawmakers.

“Now with the support of some friendly countries, it seems like many of our ideas have been accepted. If this succeeds and we can agree on the reforms, Ethiopia will get $10.5 billion in the coming years,” he said.

Without going into further detail, Abiy continued, “There were some reforms the government was unwilling to undertake right away.”

“There are some areas we think should be reformed now, and there are things we think should stay as it is. If all these suggestions get accepted and we agree, there is an opportunity ahead of us. This reform agenda will play a huge impact in alleviating the debt burden,” the prime minister said.

VenturesNow

Nigeria beats competitors to host Africa Energy Bank

Published

1 day ago

July 5, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Nigeria, the continent’s largest oil producer, defeated three rival nations to win the rights to host the newly established Africa Energy Bank (AEB), the country’s oil minister announced on Thursday.

Nigeria will be at the vanguard of Africa’s energy future thanks to a decision made at an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), according to a statement from Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri.

After ratifying the bank’s charter and President Bola Tinubu approved an investment of $100 million, surpassing the needed $83.33 million for member nations, Nigeria’s quest to host the AEB was reinforced in late May.

Funded by Afrexim Bank and APPO, the fossil fuel-focused bank seeks to assist the continent’s energy transformation objectives and finance energy projects across the continent.

“This decision reflects our collective ambition to create African solutions to African energy challenges,” Lokpobiri said.

“The African Energy Bank will be instrumental in providing the financial backbone for energy projects that will drive growth and development across the continent,” he added.

When the AEB launches later this year, its first spending authority is $5 billion. According to analysts, Nigeria, one of Africa’s leading energy producers and an original member of APPO, has expressed a great deal of interest in the bank as it launches a fresh initiative to attract investment into its flagging oil and gas sector.

“Hosting the bank would be a vote of confidence in Nigeria at a time its energy industry badly needs a boost,” Clementine Wallop, director for sub-Saharan Africa at political risk consultancy Horizon Engage, said before the announcement.

After Ivory Coast and South Africa failed to meet the requirements, Algeria, Benin, and Ghana are the three other countries that bid to host the AEB.