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Financial Services
Over 1 million people took loans from banks below 20% interest rate in 1 year- CBN
CBN said over one million banks’ customers took loans from their financial institutions in the last one year below 20% interest rate.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has stated that over one million bank customers took loans from their financial institutions in the last one year below 20% interest rate.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability, CBN, Mrs Aisha Ahmad, in her statement at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting.
According to her, the development was an improvement from what was obtainable since July 2019.
READ: A look at how much Nigerian banks paid their staff in 9-month 2020
Ahmad said,
- “The gradual decline reported in lending rates is a positive development that improves access to credit for more households and businesses with a view to stimulating economic activity, creating jobs and driving a more sustainable and inclusive growth. As at October 2020, 86.23% of total loans granted to over one million customers by Deposit Money Banks were at interest rates considerably below 20%; an improvement from 76.43% as at July 2019.”
READ: “No forex” banks tell holidaymakers desperate for travel allowance (PTA)
Banks should be vigilant
Ahmad tasked financial institutions to maintain vigilance in order to ensure optimal liquidity levels to support price stability and sustainable economic growth.
She said the banking industry’s financial soundness indicators strengthened with non-performing loans ratio declining to 5.7% at end-October 2020, from 6.1% (end-August 2020), while capital adequacy improved to 15.5% from 15.3% over the same period.
READ: Naira weakens at black market as external reserves loses $42 million in 1 week
According to her, profitability performance also remained satisfactory, buoyed by improvement in non-interest income.
- “Financial sustainability of banks would be paramount as moratoriums on restructured loans lapse in the near term to strengthen absorptive capacity for any potential losses and maintain lending support to the real economy.”
READ: CBN injected $2.63 billion to defend Naira in one month
What you should know
- Nairametrics reported last week when the CBN stated that the gross credit to the Nigerian economy grew by N290.13 billion in about 6 weeks, between the end of August 2020 and November 13, 2020.
- A total gross credit growth of N3.976 trillion was also recorded, as it grew from N15.567 trillion at the end of May 2019 to N19.544 trillion as at November 13, 2020.
Debt Securities
Interest rates will remain low until the end of H1 2021 – Meristem Securities
Meristem Securities has argued that interest rates will remain low until, at least, the end of H1 2021.
Meristem Securities has asserted that interest rates will remain low until, at least, the end of H1 2021.
This statement was made at the recently held webinar on Global Economy and Outlook, which the company themed: Bracing for a Different Future.
Although the company acknowledged that there is mounting pressure for upward movement in yields from several stakeholders, it appears the company concurs nothing concrete is in sight.
This line of reasoning seems to have influenced their decision to advise investors to move away from Treasury instruments.
What they are saying
Meristem advises that:
- “Buy and hold strategy investors seeking to generate above average returns should move away from risk free Treasury instruments and focus on investment grade commercial papers and bonds which satisfy investment objectives.”
- “Active traders with higher risk appetite are advised to focus on high-yield short duration instruments, which would be re-invested into a higher yield environment should rate reversals occur.”
The advice regarding shunning Treasury instruments appears to be in order, considering that treasury bill rate has been declining, with the latest figure — November 2020 — 0.03% as per the CBN monthly interest rate data.
Further checks from the Debt Management Office website, indicates that the latest figures for Eurobonds and Diaspora bond fall short of the fixed yield at issue for all the different categories of bonds in issue.
What you should know
Latest figures from the CBN’s monthly interest rate indicate that:
- Treasury bill rate has been on a steady decline for six months, down to 0.03% since the last rise (2.47%) in May 2020.
- Fixed deposit rates (one, three, six and twelve months) have also been declining – the latest figures for these indicate that in November 2020, one-month deposit rate was 1.92%, 2.9% for three months, 2.84% for six months, and 4.89% for 12 months.
- Compared with the corresponding period in 2019, the figures indicate that these rates fell by 75%, 66%, 71% and 49% respectively.
Financial Services
CBN issues framework for QR payments
CBN has issued a framework that would guide Quick response (QR) code payments in Nigeria.
The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued the framework that would guide Quick Response (QR) Code Payments in Nigeria.
This is a proactive move by the Apex bank towards ensuring the safety and stability of the Nigerian Financial System, as well as promoting the use and adoption of electronic payments and foster innovation in the payments system.
READ: Over 1 million people took loans from banks below 20% interest rate in 1 year- CBN
Quick Response (QR) Codes are matrix barcodes representing information presented as square grids, made up of black squares against a contrasting background that can be scanned by an imaging device, processed and transmitted by appropriate technology.
The codes are used to present, capture and transmit payments information across payments infrastructure and further enable the mobile channel to facilitate payments and present another avenue for promoting electronic payments for micro and small enterprises.
READ: Binance offers DeFi coders $100,000; DeFi market value hits $8 billion
What you should know
- Quick Response (QR) codes are two-dimensional bar codes. QR code payments allow merchants to receive payments from customers simply by scanning generated QR codes using a smartphone camera. The QR code payments carry the purchase transaction information to the mobile device of the buyer/customer.
- Making payments via QR codes is very secure. It is because the QR code is nothing but just a tool that is used to exchange information. Any data which is transferred via QR codes is encrypted, thus making the payment secure.
- The Participants in QR Code Payment in Nigeria include Merchants, Customers, Issuers (Banks, MMOs and Other Financial Institutions), Acquirers (Banks, MMOs and Other Financial Institutions) and Payments Service Providers.
- QR payments are increasingly becoming a popular means of payments in Nigeria, and some industry players would see the framework as a perfect way of regulating the sector.
- QR codes are capable of storing lots of data. But no matter how much they contain, when scanned, the QR code should allow the user to access information instantly. It can be used for payments, sharing contacts and Wi-Fi passwords and lots more.
- The popular and common argument is that since POS machines are expensive, cheaper options such as QR scanners should be pushed forward to local traders.
READ: Telecoms, FSI to hugely boost Nigerian Economy in 2021 – CWG’s Business Director
Financial Services
CBN unveils framework for regulatory sandbox operations
CBN has issued a regulatory Sandbox framework towards engaging with the operators in the Fintech space.
