Business
CBN To Focus On Gradual Reduction In Interest Rates – Emefiele
President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right) and President Mamnoon Hussain of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (2nd left) at the Nigeria-Pakistan Business Forum in Abuja, yesterday.
The Governor of Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, has assured Nigerians that the apex bank would focus on gradual reduction in interest rates under his leadership.
Emefiele gave the assurance at a news conference to outline his policy focus as the new CBN Governor in Abuja.
The Tide source reports that Emefiele who assumed office last Tuesday is the 11th CBN Governor. He replaced the former Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was suspended from office by the president before the expiration of his tenure.
He said“We shall pursue a gradual reduction in interest rates. “A comparison of selected macro-economic aggregates from some emerging market countries, including South Africa, Brazil, India, China, Turkey and Malaysia indicate that Nigeria has one of the highest Treasury Bill rates.
“Such high rates create preserved incentives for commercial banks to simply buy virtually risk-free government bonds rather than lend to real sector,’’ he said .
He said that to enhance financial access and reduce the cost of borrowing credit, there was the need to pursue policies targeted at making Nigeria’s Treasury Bill rate more comparative to other emerging markets.
Emefiele said that while reduction in both deposit rates would encourage investment attitude in savers, a reduction in lending rates would make credit cheaper for potential investors.
“The bank will also begin to include unemployment rates as one of the key variables considered for its monetary policy decisions.
“In the interim, we will continue to maintain a monetary policy stance, reflecting the liquidity conditions in the economy as well as the potential fiscal expansion in the run-up to the 2015 general elections,’’ he said.
On the exchange rate policy, he said the key goal would be to maintain exchange rate stability in view of the high import dependent nature of the economy and the significant exchange rate it passed through in recent years.
According to him, a systematic depreciation of the Naira would literarily translate to considerable inflationary pressure with attendant effect on macro-economic stability.
“Therefore, under my leadership, the bank will continue to focus on maintaining exchange rate stability and preserve the value of the domestic currency.
“We will sustain the managed float regime in the management of the exchange rate as this will allow the bank to intervene when necessary to offset pressure on the exchange rate.
“To support this strategy, we will strive to build-up and maintain a healthy external reserve position and ensure external balance,’’ Emefiele said.
The new CBN governor explained that there was no doubt that reducing the interest rate and maintaining the exchange rate was a daunting twin goal.
“In this pursuit, the bank will work with all stakeholders to device measures to ensure the goals are achieved.”
On Financial System Stability, he said the bank would continue to sustain the effective management of the potential threats and avoid systemic crisis.
“The core of my vision is to effectively manage potential threats to financial stability and create a strong governance regime that is conducive for financial intermediation, innovative finance and inclusiveness.
“In this regard, we hope to anchor on two pillars of management factors that create liquidity shocks and zero tolerance on practice that undermine the health of financial institutions,’’ he said.
To achieve the goal, Emefiele said the bank would work with stakeholders to aggressively shore up the reserve and also engage both the fiscal and political authorities.
He assured Nigerians of enhanced banking supervisory purview over the banking system and strengthening of risk-based supervision mechanism to ensure overall health and banking system stability.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter