Nairametrics| In a recent publication, titled Nigeria in 2017, SBM an Africa focused market intelligence and communication firm, made some predictions for 2017. While some of the predictions may seem shocking, the current pattern of events seem to back them up. SBM also has a track record of accurate predictions. The most recent being, predicting Donald Trump winning the US presidential elections.
Nairametrics got a copy of the report, and the predictions are as follows.
1. The government will be forced to increase the pump price of petrol in 2017.
2. The FX situation will continue to worsen and the parallel markets will cross N500 to the dollar and close 2017 at a point close to N600 naira to a dollar.
3. The 2017 budget will have a poor execution of capital expenditure as occurred in the 2016 budget.
4. Nigeria will struggle to produce above 2 million barrels of crude oil per day in 2017. The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will not be passed thus hampering investments in the oil sector. Crude oil price gains will be minimal, and the end 2017 about the same levels in 2016.
5. Power tariffs will be increased in 2017, but by a marginal rate to avoid political backlash. The federal government will end up subsidizing the Generating Companies (Gencos). Nigeria will be unable to meet the 10,000 MW mark.
6. The All Share Index will continue to decline in 2017, but a slower rate of about 5%.
7. There will be an increase in foreign investment (Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment) in 2017, but not up to 2015 volumes.
8. Food costs will continue to rise in 2017 and Nigeria may resurrect the 1980s regime of essential commodities. There will be increased scarcity of drugs.
9. The pastoral conflict in the middle belt will intensify. The clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and the government will evolve to a full scale insurgency in 2017. Kidnapping and armed robbery will also increase.