Central banks play a pivotal role in stabilizing a nation’s currency and economy through the implementation of monetary policies. However, their actions are often misunderstood, especially during times of economic challenges. According to PwC, it is crucial for central banks to communicate their objectives clearly and effectively to foster a proper understanding and positive public perception. This becomes even more important during economic stress periods. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been proactively working on various policy options aimed at reviving the economy, despite significant challenges. When the current CBN leadership, under Governor Olayemi Cardoso, assumed office, it inherited an economy grappling with a failed naira redesign policy, rising inflation, and a volatile exchange rate. During his Senate screening, Cardoso acknowledged these issues but expressed optimism in the bank’s ability to implement policies that would stabilize the economy and improve public perception of the CBN. Governor Cardoso, a seasoned banker and public policy expert with a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, has a rich background in the financial sector. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Chairman of Citi Bank Nigeria and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State. Upon taking office, Cardoso was quick to refocus the CBN’s operations, aiming to minimize inefficiencies and enhance its core functions. This included returning to traditional monetary policy tools and separating the blurred lines between monetary and fiscal policies. Under Cardoso’s leadership, the CBN has centered its efforts on its primary responsibilities—setting interest rates, controlling money supply to achieve stability, formulating monetary policy, managing foreign reserves, and advising the government. One key policy carried forward from the previous administration is the unified and free-floating exchange rate regime. While this approach was supported by the World Bank, some experts warned of potential currency crises, especially as the naira depreciated to N945/USD after its implementation. The free-floating exchange rate offers several advantages, such as attracting foreign investments and allowing the currency to adjust naturally to economic changes. However, it also comes with risks, including volatility, speculation, and the possibility of worsening economic conditions in a struggling economy. Exchange rate management is a critical factor in determining trade flows and the overall health of the economy, with imports and exports playing a significant role. Currency speculation poses a serious challenge to the economy, as it is not backed by any real economic activity but driven by the motive to profit from currency fluctuations. Speculators often destabilize the currency by buying when prices are expected to rise or selling when the currency weakens. To combat this, the CBN has introduced several creative policy measures. For example, the Bank has used dollar injections into the foreign exchange market to stabilize the naira and launched the Price Verification System (PVS) portal for importers and exporters. Additionally, the CBN has directed Bureaux de Change (BDC) to align their exchange rates with those in the Importers and Exporters (I&E) Window to enhance the efficiency of the foreign exchange market. In December 2024, the CBN introduced the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS), an online platform designed to match buy and sell orders for foreign exchange transactions. EFEMS aims to reduce speculation and distortions in the market, enabling real-time price discovery. Early reports suggest that EFEMS has helped stabilize the naira’s volatility. On inflation, the CBN has adopted an explicit inflation-targeting framework to improve the effectiveness of its monetary policies. Looking ahead, the CBN is targeting an inflation rate of 15% in 2025 and projects a 4.17% GDP growth, surpassing the 3.2% forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the full impact of these policy measures may take time, the CBN is confident in their ability to bring about the desired economic improvements. READ ALSO: Follow the LMSINT MEDIA channel on WhatsApp: Join Our WhatsApp Group Hear: Chat on WhatsApp Join our Telegram Chanel.
Banks claim that rationing was driven by a limited cash supply and low cash deposits.As economic misery strikes, lawmakers ask the CBN to fix the cash crunch. Customers of Abia Bank in Abia State have complained about several of the state’s banks’ N5,000 cash withdrawal cap. However, one bank’s customers were permitted to take out up to N10,000. Customers of one of the banks may withdraw up to N10,000, but they could also receive up to N40,000.An old-generation bank’s Market branch on Umuwaya Road by Okwulehie Street in Umuahia has a N5,000 withdrawal restriction, but its main branch at Good Shed permits up to N20,000. The largest withdrawal amount in the majority of ATMs N10,000 is the upper limit.Abuja— The serious economic problems that Nigerians are facing, which are exacerbated by high costs for goods and services, have been made worse by banks’ return to widespread and strict cash rationing. However, the Central Bank of Nigeria, or CBN, was urged by the House of Representatives to take immediate action to resolve the issue that has disrupted economic activity and caused great suffering for the populace. According to Vanguard’s study, most bank branches have cash withdrawal restrictions for over-the-counter and automated teller machine (ATM) transactions that range from N5,000 to N10,000. Across the nation, bank clients who spoke with the media described unpleasant encounters when taking out cash. Bank representatives ascribed the decrease in consumer cash deposits and a restricted cash supply from the Central Bank of Nigeria, or CBN. This comes despite a recent warning from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which instructed banks to make sure that clients receive their money efficiently through ATMs and over-the-counter (OTC). The CBN will also step up its supervisory responsibilities to guarantee that banks are following the directive. Furthermore, the CBN encouraged the public who are unable to obtain cash over-the-counter or through ATMs at DMBs to report such instances using the designated reporting channels and format provided in a circular signed by the CBN’s acting Director of Currency Operations, Solaja Olayemi, and its acting Director of Branch Operations, Isa-Olatinwo Aisha. pledged. Customers of several commercial banks in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, voiced their displeasure with internal bank practices that restricted over-the-counter cash withdrawals to a meagre N10,000. They also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that some automated teller machines (ATMs) only dispense cash between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., Monday through Wednesday. Recently, a customer who only went by Craig claimed, “My bank cannot give you more than N10,000 cash across the counter,” at one of the most well-known commercial banks on Port Harcourt/Aba road. The ATM may not always dispense cash. He claimed that a lot of individuals now use POS (point of sale) because of this frustration. operators for their cash transactions (of sale).LagosWhen I visited many banks in Lagos yesterday, they only gave out little amounts of cash, and several of the ATMs weren’t working at all. A N10,000 ATM and N10,000 over-the-counter cash withdrawal restriction were disclosedat the new generation bank in Ikotun. The withdrawal limit for other bank customers was N20,000 for in-person transactions and N20,000 for automated teller machines. The maximum amount that non-bank customers may access was N5,000. A new generation bank’s customers might withdraw up to N20,000 at the ATM and N10,000 in person. Lengthy lines at several banks’ ATMs, which indicated how difficult it was to get cash. The withdrawal limit for other bank customers was N20,000 for in-person transactions and N20,000 for automated teller machines. The maximum amount that non-bank customers may access was N5,000. A new generation bank’s customers might withdraw up to N20,000 at the ATM and N10,000 in person. On the second floor of a modern generation bank Over the counter, the bank at 511 Road paid N100,000 to its customers, while non-customers could withdraw N25,000 at a rate of N5,000 each. However, the ATM has ceased dispensing as of 12:37 p.m. Customers of a new generation bank at Mile 12 were given N40,000 over the counter, but non-customers were only given N10,000. In Ketu, Sterling Bank provided N50,000 via ATMs and N20,000 over the counter. Over-the-counter cash withdrawals were restricted to N10,000 by an older bank, although withdrawals of N1,000 or more might result in up to N50,000. Some customers in the banking hall were asked to fill out another slip with a smaller cash withdrawal request in accordance with the bank’s restriction, which is between N10,000 and N20,000, if their withdrawal slips had requested between N30,000 and N50,000. The majority of banks displayed a N10,000 cash restriction. Bank customers could take out N10,000 all at once, but non-customers might take out N5,000 twice. “I don’t have an ATM card because the ATM terminals in these banks have swallowed three of my cards this year,” bemoaned Mrs. Yetunde Usman, a bank customer. I stopped applying for cards as a result, and I now only take out cash from my bank. “You will have to pay N200 to get N5,000,” added Miss Bamgbose Adura, who also voiced her frustrations. It used to be N100. Many people have visited the banks as a result of this. However, the state of affairs at the bank is concerning. An anonymous bank employee told that: “The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN hasn’t given us any money. Therefore, we must share what little we have. Additionally, as you are aware, a large number of clients do not make deposits at this time. Rather of taking the money to the bank, they give it to operators, PoS, and Points of Sale. Bank employees explain why there is a shortage.The CBN is going through a cash constraint, thus banks don’t have cash on hand for customers, a Festac bank employee informed our correspondent. He claims that things continue to worsen and that as of yesterday, their bank was one of the local financial institutions that paid clients up to N100,000. Abuja Investigations was outlined into many Abuja bank branches paint a
