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Economy: CBN Directs Banks to Adopt Official FX Rate for Cross-Border Payments

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CBN Headquarters Abuja
CBN Headquarters Abuja
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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

has directed all commercial banks in the Country to adopt the exchange rate in the importer and exporter window (I&E) for cross-border payments through the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS).

PAPSS which is a centralised payment and settlement infrastructure for intra-African trade and commerce payments, was developed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI).

CBN gave the directive in a circular introducing the guidelines on operations of PAPSS in Nigeria, recently signed by Ozoemena Nnaji, CBN’s director of trade and exchange department.

The I&E FX window is the market trading segment for investors, exporters and end-users that allows for FX trades to be made at exchange rates determined based on prevailing market circumstances.

Currently, naira trades between N410 and N411 at the market — which the CBN had adopted as the country’s official rate.

By implication, intra-African businesses will need CBN’s approval for banks to convert rates at the prevailing I&E FX rate for cross border payments and transactions.

The circular reads, “All authorised dealers are required to ensure that prevailing exchange rate at Investors and Exporters Forex Window as advised by Financial Markets Department, FMD, should be used in cross-rates conversion between Naira, United States Dollars and third currencies within Africa, for outbound payments and vice-versa for inflows”.

“For settlement of PAPSS transactions by CBN, authorised dealers shall obtain the approval of CBN for dollar cover before initiating payments on PAPSS.

“The request for approval should be forwarded to the Director, Financial Markets Department, CBN.

“That eligible payment of imports and receipt of export proceeds by the CBN shall be restricted to trade-backed transactions only and that the documentation requirements stipulated in Memorandum 9 and 10 of the Foreign Exchange Manual (2018) and other extant circulars shall apply. Import payments shall also be restricted to goods of African origin.”

According to the circular, all the required documentation should be provided before a transaction is initiated on PAPSS by authorised dealers and their customers.

It further noted that export proceeds repatriated to CBN under PAPSS shall be subject to certification by respective processing banks as being repatriated by the exporter.

The circular added that the provisions of all existing guidelines, circulars, and directives on the operations of foreign exchange market shall apply.

The CBN, however, stated that only eligible transactions as may be determined by the central bank from time to time shall be eligible for payment on PAPSS. “Items classified ‘not valid for Foreign Exchange’ shall remain ineligible,” the circular adds.

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Business & Economy

FAAC: FG, States, LGCs Share N1.35trn July Revenue

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FAAC
FCCA
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Federal Government, States and Local Government Councils – have shared a total sum of N1,358.075 billion as of July 2024 Federation Accounts Revenue.

Of the N1,358.075 billion total distributable revenue, the Federal Government received a total sum of N431.079 billion, and the State Government received a total sum of N473.477 billion.

The Local Government Councils received a total sum of N343.703 billion, and a total sum of N109.816 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared with the benefiting States as derivation revenue.

The N1,358.075 billion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N161.593 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N582.307 billion and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N18.818 billion.

Also included in the total distributable revenue was Exchange Difference revenue of N581.710 billion and Solid Mineral revenue of N13.647 billion.

The revenue distribution was announced at the August 2024 meeting of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja on Friday, August 16, 2024.

A communique issued by FAAC indicated that total revenue of N2,613.791 billion was available in July 2024. The total deduction for the cost of collection was N99.756 billion, while total transfers, interventions and refunds were N1,155.960 billion.

According to the communique, gross statutory revenue of N1,387.150 billion was received for July 2024. This was lower than the sum of N1,432.667 billion received in June 2024 by N45.517 billion.

Gross revenue of N625.329 billion was available from VAT in July 2024. This was higher than the N562.685 billion available in June 2024 by N62.644 billion.

On the N161.593 billion distributable statutory revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N58.545 billion and the State Governments received N29.695 billion.

The Local Government Councils received N22.894 billion, and the sum of N50.459 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared with the benefiting states as derivation revenue.

From the N582.307 billion distributable VAT revenue, the Federal Government received N87.346 billion, the State Governments received N291.154 billion and the Local Government Councils received N203.807 billion

In a statement issued by Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, a total sum of N2.823 billion was received by the Federal Government from the N18.818 billion Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL). The State Governments received N9.409 billion and the Local Government Councils received N6.586 billion.

On the N581.710 billion Exchange Difference revenue, the communique stated that the Federal Government received N276.110 billion and the State Governments received N140.047 billion.

The Local Government Councils received N107.970 billion, while the sum of N57.583 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared with the benefiting States as derivation revenue.

From the N13.647 billion Solid Mineral revenue, the Federal Government received N6.255 billion and the State Governments received N3.172 billion.

The Local Government Councils received N2.446 billion, while the sum of N1.774 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared with the benefiting States as derivation revenue.

As presented in the communiqué, in July 2024, Oil and Gas Royalty, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), VAT, Import Duty, EMTL and CET Levies increased significantly.

Furthermore, Companies Income Tax (CIT) recorded a decrease while Excise Duties increased only marginally.

The balance in the ECA was $473,754.57

 

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Tinubu To Present 2024 Supplementary Budget To NASS

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President Bola Tinubu Presenting 2024 Budget Proposal to the Joint Session of National Assembly
President Bola Tinubu Presenting 2024 Budget Proposal to the Joint Session of National Assembly
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President Bola Tinubu will soon present the 2024 Supplementary Budget to the National Assembly (NASS).

“I submitted the last budget to you,” the President said when he addressed a joint sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“You expeditiously passed it. We are walking the talk. I will soon bring the Year 2024 (Supplementary) Appropriation Bill. That is just for your information,” the President said in his terse speech at the joint sitting to mark the Silver Jubilee Of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.

In his response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said, “Thank you, Mr President, we will be expecting the Supplementary Appropriation Bill of 2024 as soon as possible.”

Also, at the joint sitting which coincided with the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration, the President confirmed ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’ as the “latest national anthem”.

Tinubu said, “You sang out the latest national anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’. This is our diversity, representing all characters and how we blend to be brothers and sisters.”

The President pleaded with both the Senate and the House of Representatives to continue to collaborate and work together with the administration to build the country on the path of sustained progress and development.

“We have no other choice; it is our nation. No other institution or personality will help us unless we do it ourselves. No amount of aid from foreign countries or any other nation (will fix us), they take care of themselves first. Let us work together as we are doing to build our nation, not only for us but for generations unborn,” he said.

 

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We Have No Magic Wand, Tackling Inflation Will Take Time — Cardoso

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Yemi Cardoso,CBN Governor
Yemi Cardoso,CBN Governor
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The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso has urged the citizens to be patient over the fight against current inflation and hike in food items in the country.

Cardoso disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting in Abuja.

The CBN governor mentioned that there was no magic needed to solve inflation in Nigeria but rather patience.

Also, Cardoso noted that despite pressure from food inflation, the general inflation rate was “moderating”, pointing out that “the tools the Central Bank is using are working”.

He stated, “I have several times and I will say again, there is no magic wand. These are things that need to take their time.

“I am pleased and confident that we are beginning to get some relief and in another couple of months we will see the more positive outcomes from the Central Bank have been doing.”

He added, “The committee thus reiterated several challenges confronting the effective moderation of food inflation to include rising costs of transportation of farm produce, infrastructure- related constraints along the line of distribution network, security challenges in some food producing areas, and exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices for imported food items.

“The MPC urged that more be done to address the security of farming communities to guarantee improved food production in these areas.

“Members further observed the recent volatility in the foreign exchange market, attributing this to seasonal demand, a reflection of the interplay between demand and supply in a freely functioning market system.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria has also blamed the recent volatility of the country’s foreign exchange market on seasonal demand for dollars.

“Members further observed the recent volatility in the foreign exchange market, attributing this to seasonal demand, a reflection of the interplay between demand and supply in a freely functioning market system,” a communique issued by the committee on Tuesday stated.

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