As Banks Align With CBN Monetary Policies for Economic Recovery

Clement Nwoji 

The partnership between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), under the umbrella of the Bankers’ Committee, could not have been more effective than now when all the key drivers of the economy are being called upon to step up their games towards economic recovery.

Since the inception of the present administration, precisely on 29th May, 2023, there is no doubt that the administration is confronted with the herculean task of economic recovery, having inherited a battered economy from the immediate past administration. In this much needed efforts towards salvaging the economy, the CBN has an indispensable role to play, taking into consideration that no nation thrives well, economically, without sound and focused monetary policies. Though a regulator, the CBN recognizes that it cannot do it alone, and this underscores the collaborative approach which, currently, defines its relationship with the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs).This is in recognition that the Deposit Money Banks, in Nigeria, are at the center of implementing the policies of the CBN across all touch points. Consequently, they bring the ‘cascade effect’ to bear on all policies of the CBN, particularly, in ensuring that the banking publics understand and appreciate the various monetary policy measures being introduced to turnaround the economic fortunes of Nigeria.

In the early stage of this administration, the banks played a major role in the implementation of the continued use of both the redesigned and old naira notes. This was sequel to the Supreme Court ruling of November 29, 2023, which extended, indefinitely, the continuing use of the old naira denominations: N200, N500, and N1, 000 banknotes. The banks’ roles in making these notes available, significantly, moderated the pressures associated with the naira redesign policy.Given the preeminent role of banks in cash management, the CBN, on November 13, 2024 issued a circular on, “Mystery shopping and spot-checks on cash disbursement activities of DMBs.” The circular signed by the Ag. Director,  Currency Operations Department, Solaja Mohammed Olayemi, is intended to achieve two objectives: One, “monitor and prevent practices that facilitate flow of mint notes to ‘hawkers’ of Naira cash, thereby discouraging abuse of Naira and two, to “ensure that DMBs support efficient and responsible cash disbursement to the public”.The  Commercial, Merchant, and Non-Interest Banks (CMNIBs) are  also at the forefront of driving financial inclusion through multiple deployment of Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) at strategic locations including hotels, malls, hospitals, Companies’ premises, among others. This is further reinforced by the introduction of agent banking services, complemented by Point of Sale (POS) devices, in far remote areas difficult to locate traditional bank branches.Before the entry of Fintechs into the payment market, it was the commercial banks that drove the financial inclusion in the undeserved locations through Agency banking. Not a few banks are still showing strong presence in this segment of the market.It is to be noted that most Fintech companies are like ‘supper agents’ for commercial banks where they also operate accounts that are driving their payment businesses. Agent banking, apart from being cost effective, reduces pressure at the banks’ branches, simplifies banking processes, and makes banking services easily accessible. It also worthy to note that the Bankers’ Committee was a major sponsor of the 2nd International Financial Inclusion Conference held on 12-13 November 2024 at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos. The theme of the conference was, “Inclusive Growth: Harnessing Financial Inclusion for Economic Development.” At the conference, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, was said to have stated that among other considerations, deepening financial inclusion was one of the reasons that informed the introduction of new minimum capital thresholds for banks. This, according to the apex bank governor, is to, “ensure that banks are in a position to take on greater risks in the undeserved markets and provide more loans and financial products to MSMEs, rural communities, and other vulnerable segments The Deposit Money Banks are apparently working in sync with the apex bank in its drive to mop up excess liquidity in circulation, control inflation and redirect lending into productive investments and activities.” By this, the banks support the boosting of economic activities while at the same time targeting taming the inflationary trend currently at 33.88 per cent for the month of October, 2024. The banks are upbeat in implementation of CBN Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decisions to see to the realisation of the target objectives. For instance, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Rate (MPR – Interest rate at which CBN lends to Banks) to 27.50 per cent with an increase of 25 basis points from the previous rate of 27.25 per cent. It also retained Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR –  mandatory amount of bank’s cash kept with the with the CBN) for deposit money banks at 50 per cent and for merchant banks at 16 per cent just as it retained the Liquidity Ratio (LR – Bank’s deposit liability that must be kept in liquid assets) at 30 per cent. Mindful of the financial and economic implications being targeted by the monetary policy decisions, the DMBs are ever conscious of complying with these CBN decisions on MPR, CRR and LR to achieve financial system stability and economic recovery. Through compliance with these CBN financial instruments: MPR, CRR and LR, the DMBs assist in controlling inflation, controlling quantity of money in circulation, maintaining financial stability, and influencing the economy positively.The important roles of the DMBs’ was recently acknowledged and commended at November, 2024 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. In a communiqué endorsed and released by Cardoso, at the end of the meeting, he stated that: “Members noted with satisfaction the continued resilience and stability of the banking system despite significant exogenous and endogenous headwinds”.”Key financial soundness indicators such as -the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), Non-Performing Loan ratio (NPL), Liquidity Ratio (LR), amongst others, remain strong.”

In the management of the nation’s foreign exchange and foreign exchange transactions, it is mandatory for banks to promptly report to the CBN once such transaction is concretized for the apex bank’s knowledge and for further monitoring, should the need arise. The directive to this effect is as contained in a “Revised guidelines for the Nigeria Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM)” signed by the Director, Financial Markets Department of CBN, Dr. Omolara Omotunde Duke, released on November 29, 2024. Among other things, it specifically directs that, “All foreign exchange transactions completed by Authorised Dealers must be recorded on a processing system and reported to CBN within 10 minutes of the transaction. This includes all transactions completed with system participants on the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS), trades concluded with market counterparties on telephone and/or chat-based platforms, and customer transactions concluded through other acceptable channels. The details of all foreign exchange transactions concluded by Commercial, Merchant, and Non-Interest-Bearing Banks are required to be reported on a real time basis to CBN via APIs to the FXBRS system for effective monitoring of market activities.”

Another area of collaboration is the recent November 5, 2024 “Guidelines on Implementation of the Foreign Currency Disclosure, Deposit, Repatriation and Investment Scheme to Commercial, Merchant and Non-Interest Banks (CMNIBs).” The guidelines reinforced an earlier  Foreign Currency Disclosure, Deposit, Repatriation, and Investment Scheme Guidelines, 2024 (the “Scheme”), issued by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, on April 8, 2024. It is an upshot of Scheme introduced through Presidential Executive Order No. 15 (Modification Notice), targeted at motivating  voluntary disclosure, deposit, and repatriation of foreign currencies held by Nigerians, whether within or outside the country. CBN guidelines clarifies regulatory expectations from Commercial, Merchant, and Non-Interest Banks (CMNIBs) on their participation in the Foreign Currency Disclosure, Deposit, Repatriation, and Investment Scheme, 2024, thereby enabling banks’ play active roles in managing foreign currencies by acting as participating financial institutions, responsible for processing applications, maintaining designated accounts, and ensuring compliance with the scheme’s guidelines.The banks are, equally, spearheading the control of inflation and mopping up of excess liquidity. For instance, investigations revealed that the prevailing restrictions on amount of cash to be withdrawn either from any bank branches or from ATMs are part of measures to reducing/mopping up excess cash in circulation and encouraging cashless society. Also, the banks are gradually mopping up the old naira notes as most banks often dispense new naira notes to customers.Like in every healthy relationship, the partnership between the apex bank and the Bankers’ Committee remains ‘work in progress’. So far, there is reason to believe that they are not working at cross purposes, but assiduously reinforcing the benefits of collaboration towards the economic development of Nigeria.

.Clement Nwoji is a journalist and public affairs analysts based in Abuja