Business News
The U.S dollar remains king
A rising American dollar was causing damage in global financial markets, President Donald Trump has decided that a powerful U.S. dollar is a good thing
Several days after the rising American dollar was causing damage in global financial markets, President Donald Trump has decided that a powerful U.S. dollar is a good thing after all.
“The dollar is very strong,” President Trump said at a press conference recently, and global investors seem to agree with him. The quick rise in the dollar in March was a symptom of a global urge for cash by investors seeking a haven from the financial havoc caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Anthony Okafor, PhD, ACCA, Head of Investments & Strategy at Vyne Investment Partners, in an interview with Nairametrics via phone, spoke about the reasons why the dollar remains so powerful. He said:
“Ever since the first U.S dollar was introduced in 1914, the dollar has remained strong, backed by the strength of the U.S economy.
“The strength of the dollar was further reinforced following the Bretton Woods Agreement to recognize the U.S dollar as the reserve currency of the world. More than 65% of foreign bank reserves are denominated in U.S dollars.
According to him, the dollar is the dominant currency, benefitted the U.S economy significantly and helped in stabilizing the currency adding that the economic boom that followed the world war also led to increased trade surpluses between developing nations and U.S, leading to an elevated level of global savings with the U.S. These funds were invested in U.S bonds and stocks.
“Today, foreign investors hold about $31 trillion in dollar-denominated assets. While countries like China and Japan have trillions of dollars in reserves to support their currencies, the U.S has only about $130bn in reserves to support the currency, should there be a need to support the dollar.
“The strength of the dollar has been partly maintained by its historical link to gold prices, goodwill, the stability of the country’s political system and economy.”
(READ MORE: Demand for “Inflow dollars” drive exchange rate to as high as N420/$1 compared to…)
In addition, emerging markets and developing countries like Nigeria have increased their exposure to dollar-denominated debt in recent years. Nigeria faces weak demand for its exports, due to the shutdown of many businesses around the world, and surging costs to service its dollar debts as the greenback increased in value against the naira.
Princejoe Nnaji, a leading financial analyst in a top tier Nigerian bank, buttressed why the dollar plays a key role, in a phone interview with Nairametrics, saying:
“The Dollar is a universally accepted currency for trade throughout the world and holds the title as the world’s reserve currency with over 50% of countries holding their foreign exchange reserves and pegging their currency to the dollar.
“Key indices around the world have its significant portion linked to the dollar including but not limited to: Foreign debt issuance & Foreign exchange trading. The confidence the global community attributes to the currency is closely linked to the trust the world holds in United States’ ability to pay its obligations without default.
He added that for the significant section of the Nigerian populace, noting that the dollar is king because it’s seen as a store of wealth. There is a certainty that over time that it will support its value without depreciating against the naira.
“Despite the ban on the 45 items/products by the central bank governor, Nigeria is still largely import-dependent due to our preference for imported products and this affects domestic prices of goods. They hold dollars to protect themselves against domestic inflation.
“However, another section of the populace sees it as a source for arbitrage opportunities and holds it for speculative purposes. They hoard dollars to make profit when the naira depreciates against the dollar.”
(READ MORE: Naira drops to N387.65 per dollar, as crude oil prices plunge to $27)
As stated by Trump, when pointing to Friday’s stock market advance, “Everybody wants to invest in our country. People want the safety of our country.”
“Cash is coming in even though American interest rates are at record lows…We’re paying almost zero interest, like in some cases zero,” he added
Showing the advantages of a strong dollar, President Trump in a sense went back to the stance of past U.S. administrations that viewed a strong dollar as being in America’s interest.
Business
Lagos Commissioner of Police dismantles road blocks on Lagos-Badagry expressway
The Commissioner warned the concerned Area Commanders to take action on full compliance as any defaulter will be sanctioned accordingly.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the immediate dismantling of all illegal roadblocks by police teams from the command on the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
The directive is to checkmate the illegal activities of the police on that route which have been condemned by the government, some stakeholders and international bodies and also bring sanity and decency to their operations along that axis.
That disclosure is contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Saturday, April 10, 2021.
Adejobi in the statement said that CP Odumosu gave the order on Friday while addressing Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in the command on the general security situation in the state and reviewing the anti-crime strategies of the command in order to sustain its feats on crime control.
What the statement from the Lagos State Police Command is saying
The statement from the Lagos Police Command partly reads, “In his bid to restore sanity and decency to the operations of the police along the ever-busy international route, Lagos/Badargy Expressway, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered for the immediate dismantling of illegal roadblocks by the police teams from the Lagos State Police Command.
The police boss, while reacting to some complaints from the general public and some security reports on the police activities along the international route, ordered the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers whose jurisdictions fall along the Badargy Expressway; Festac and Area K, Marogbo, to withdraw their men from the illegal roadblocks and embark on aggressive motorised patrol and surveillance to police their areas and the route.
The Commissioner of Police confirmed that the illegal police roadblocks along the route have been condemned by the government, international bodies and interest groups and they must be dismantled without delay,” he said.
The Commissioner, however, noted that other police operatives from other police formations, outside the supervision of the Lagos State Police Command who operate along the route, would be contacted to adjust and do the needful to restore sanity to their operations.
The CP Odumosu then warned the concerned Area Commanders to desist and take necessary action on full compliance with his order as any defaulter will be sanctioned accordingly.
REF NO. CZ: 5650/LS/PPRO/VOL.3/85
LAGOS CP DISMANTLES ILLEGAL ROAD BLOCKS ON BADAGRY EXPRESSWAY
*Threatens to Sanction Defaulters*In his bid to restore sanity and decency to the operations of the police along the ever-busy international route, Lagos/Badargy
— Lagos State Police Command (@LagosPoliceng) April 10, 2021
Business News
COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
On the 10th of April 2021, 84 new confirmed cases and death was recorded in Nigeria
The spread of novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria continues to record significant increases as the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reveal Nigeria now has 163,736 confirmed cases.
On the 10th of April 2021, 84 new confirmed cases and 1 death was recorded in Nigeria.
To date, 163,736 cases have been confirmed, 154,098 cases have been discharged and 2,060 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
A total of 1.8 million tests have been carried out as of April 10th, 2021 compared to 1.7 million tests a day earlier.
COVID-19 Case Updates- 10th April 2021,
- Total Number of Cases – 163,736
- Total Number Discharged – 154,098
- Total Deaths – 2,060
- Total Tests Carried out – 1,803,177
According to the NCDC, the 84 new cases are reported from 13 states- Lagos (26), Akwa Ibom (16), Rivers (10), Ebonyi (9), Abia (6), Kano (6), Osun (3), Bauchi (2), Delta (2), Edo (1), Jigawa (1), Kaduna (1), and Ogun (1)
Meanwhile, the latest numbers bring Lagos state total confirmed cases to 57,950, followed by Abuja (19,703), Plateau (9,030), Kaduna (8,984), Rivers (6,986), Oyo (6,838), Edo (4,892), Ogun (4,620), Kano (3,924), Ondo (3,226), Kwara (3,120), Delta (2,615), Osun (2,547), Nasarawa (2,378), Enugu (2,259), Katsina (2,097), Gombe (2,034), Ebonyi (2,008), Anambra (1,909), Akwa Ibom (1,794), and Abia (1,677).
Imo State has recorded 1,655 cases, Bauchi (1,538), Borno (1,337), Benue (1,188), Adamawa (1,051), Niger (930), Taraba (910), Bayelsa (871), Ekiti (868), Sokoto (774), Jigawa (525), Kebbi (450), Cross River (385), Yobe (365), Zamfara (234), while Kogi state has recorded 5 cases only.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Western diplomats warn of disease explosion, poor handling by government
Lock Down and Curfew
In a move to combat the spread of the pandemic disease, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days, which took effect from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.
The movement restriction, which was extended by another two weeks period, has been partially put on hold with some businesses commencing operations from May 4. On April 27th, 2020, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari declared an overnight curfew from 8 pm to 6 am across the country, as part of new measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19. This comes along with the phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in FCT, Lagos, and Ogun States, which took effect from Saturday, 2nd May 2020, at 9 am.
On Monday, 29th June 2020 the federal government extended the second phase of the eased lockdown by 4 weeks and approved interstate movement outside curfew hours with effect from July 1, 2020. Also, on Monday 27th July 2020, the federal government extended the second phase of eased lockdown by an additional one week.
On Thursday, 6th August 2020 the federal government through the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 announced the extension of the second phase of eased lockdown by another four (4) weeks.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State announced the closed down of the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre, with effect from Friday, 31st July 2020. He also mentioned that the Agidingbi Isolation Centre would also be closed and the patients relocated to a large capacity centre.
Due to the increased number of covid-19 cases in Nigeria, the Nigerian government ordered the reopening of Isolation and treatment centres in the country on Thursday, 10th December 2020.
On 26th January 2021, the Federal Government announced the extension of the guidelines of phase 3 of the eased lockdown by one month following the rising cases of the coronavirus disease in the country and the expiration of phase 3 of the eased lockdown.
On 28th February 2021, the federal government confirmed that the first tranche of Covid-19 vaccines will arrive in Nigeria on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021.
On Tuesday, 2nd March 2021, the National Primary health Care Development Agency announced the arrival of the expected COVX Astrazeneca/Oxford covid-19 vaccines.
On Saturday, 6th March 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo received vaccination against the covid-19 as the State House in Abuja.
READ ALSO: Bill Gates says Trump’s WHO funding suspension is dangerous
