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CBN bars immediate repatriation of all IOCs forex earnings

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced far-reaching measures to shore up the value of the Naira, with more liquidity in the Foreign Exchange (FX) market as it directed International Oil Companies to henceforth repatriate 50 percent of their revenue to Nigeria.

The bank also announced an end to cash Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance (BTA), as such allowances are henceforth to be obtained in cards.

CBN’s Director of Trade and exchange, Dr. Hassan Mahmud, issued two different circulars on the two measures which were released to Dealer banks Wednesday night.

Until now, IOCs paid their FX earnings 100 percent directly to their parent companies through what is called Subsidiary pools, without the Nigerian FX market benefitting from their export proceeds.

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However, under the new policy, the CBN said IOCs will no longer be allowed to remit 100% of their forex proceeds to their parent company abroad as soon as they are earned.

Instead, they will be allowed to repatriate only 50% of their proceeds immediately while the other 50% must be repatriated to Nigeria and the amount held for at least 90 days in Nigeria from the day of inflow before being allowed to be taken out of the country.

The apex bank therefore directed, “banks to pool cash on behalf of IOCs, subject to a maximum of 50% of the repatriated export proceeds in the first instance, the balance of 50 % may be repatriated after 90 days from the date of inflow of the export proceeds.”

The CBN outlined documentation requirements to include: its approval for the repatriation of funds under the “Cash Pooling” transaction; a “Cash Pooling” agreement with the parent entity of the IOCs operating in Nigeria; Statement of Expenditure incurred in the period prior to the cash polling.

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Others are: Evidence of the source of foreign exchange inflow; and Completion of relevant forex form(s) as required under extant regulations.

The CBN directed all banks to inform their customers and comply with the regulation.

It said that it remained committed to the promotion of transparency in Nigerian FX market and would continue to develop policies to stabilize and deepen the market.

CBN bans PTA/BTA Cash FX

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On FX for PTA and BTA, the CBN said it will longer allow cash for Business Travel Allowance (BTA) and Personal Travel Allowance (PTA).

All such allowances are, henceforth, to be issued in cards, the bank has announced, in a circular to all Authourised dealer banks.

The Circular was referenced: TED/FEB/PUB/FPC/001/006 and titled, “Allowable Channels for payout of Personal Travel Allowance and Business Travel Allowance and dated February 14, 2024.

It said that the new measure was part of efforts towards making such that only genuine travelers obtained BTA and PTA, going forward.

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The circular read in part, “Memorandum 8 of the Foreign Exchange Manual and the circular with reference: FMD/DIR/CIR/GEN/08/003 dated February 20, 2017stipulates the eligibility criteria for accessing Personal and Business Travel Allowances (PTA/BTA).

In line with the bank’s commitment to ensure transparency in the foreign exchange market and avoid foreign exchange malpractices.

All Authorized Dealer Banks shall henceforth effect payout of PTA/BTA through electronic channels only, including debit and credit cards.

For the avoidance of doubt, payment of PTS/BTA by cash is no longer permitted.”

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Economy

SEE Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate In Lagos, FCT, April 7th 2025

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The local currency (abokiFx) opened at ₦1,560.00 per $1 at the parallel market, otherwise known as the black market, today, Monday, 7 April 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, after it closed at ₦1,550.00 per $1 on Sunday, 6 April 2025.

Black market dollar to naira exchange rate today, 7 April 2025, also known as Aboki forex, can be accessed below.

NOTE: The exchange rate changes hourly. It depends on the volume of dollars available and the Demand. What this means is that…you can buy or sell 1 dollar at a certain rate and the price can change (high or low) within hours.

The official naira black market exchange rate in Nigeria today, including the Black Market rates, Bureau De Change (BDC), and CBN rates. Please note that the exchange rate is subject to hourly fluctuations influenced by the supply and demand of dollars in the market. As of now, you can purchase 1 dollar at a certain rate now however, it’s important to remember that the rate can shift (either upwards or downwards) within hours.

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Economy

Crude prices slump to $65 first time since 2021

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Oil prices plunged this week to $65 per barrel as the United States import tariffs and an unexpected OPEC+ supply hike erased $10 per barrel from global benchmarks.

The price appreciated last week when US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on any country that buys crude from Venezuela.

However, oil prices turned around the corner as of Friday, with Brent falling to $65, the first time since 2021.

According to oilprice.com, the combined effect of Trump’s import tariffs, OPEC+’s inopportune decision to speed up the unwinding of production cuts, and China’s retaliatory actions wiped off $10 per barrel from global oil prices, “with ICE Brent falling below $65 per barrel for the first time since August 2021.”

The US West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost $4.96, or 7.4 per cent to end at $61.99.

“Seeing backwardation barely change compared to the beginning of the week, one could assume that US tariffs are the defining factor for the price change. Nevertheless, this week will not go down well in the history of oil markets,” oilprice.com reports.

China’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods have escalated a trade war that has led investors to price in a higher probability of recession.

China, the world’s top oil importer, announced it will impose additional tariffs of 34 per cent on all US goods from April 10.

According to Reuters, nations around the world have readied retaliation after Trump raised tariffs to their highest in more than a century.

Aside from the tariffs, another factor that further pressured oil prices was the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Allies’ decision to advance plans for output increases.

The group now aims to return 411,000 barrels per day to the market in May, up from the previously planned 135,000 bpd.

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Economy

CBN allocates $197.71m into FX market to support naira

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The Central Bank of Nigeria has injected $197.71m into the foreign exchange market on Friday, April 4, 2025, as part of its commitment to ensuring adequate liquidity and maintaining orderly market functioning.

This was disclosed in a statement on Saturday by the Director of the Financial Markets Department, Dr Omolara Omotunde-Duke, reiterating the bank’s stance on maintaining market integrity and operational transparency.

The statement read, “In line with its commitment to ensuring adequate liquidity and supporting orderly market functioning, the CBN facilitated market activity on Friday, April 4, 2025, with the provision of $197.71m through sales to authorised dealers. This measured step aligns with the bank’s broader objective of fostering a stable, transparent, and efficient foreign exchange market.”

The CBN said the intervention was in line with its broader objective of fostering a stable, transparent, and efficient foreign exchange market.

It added that it remained focused on sustaining liquidity levels to support smooth market operations amid ongoing global economic adjustments.

The apex bank said the decision to boost liquidity in the FX market came against the backdrop of significant shifts in the global macroeconomic landscape, which had affected many emerging markets and developing economies, including Nigeria.

It noted that the recent introduction of new import tariffs by the United States on goods from several economies had triggered adjustments across global markets.

It added that crude oil prices—a major revenue source for Nigeria—had dropped by over 12 per cent, settling at approximately $65.50 per barrel.

The CBN said the downturn posed challenges for oil-exporting countries, influencing exchange rate dynamics and market sentiment.

The CBN stressed that it would continue to monitor both global and domestic market conditions. It expressed confidence in the resilience of Nigeria’s foreign exchange framework, which it said was designed to adjust appropriately to changing economic fundamentals.

The bank also urged all authorised dealers to strictly adhere to the principles outlined in the Nigerian FX Market Code, promoting transparency and upholding the highest standards in their transactions with clients and market counterparties.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s official exchange rate fell to N1,600/$1 at the end of trading on April 4, 2025, as the tariffs imposed during the Trump era continued to impact global markets.

Data from the CBN showed that the naira closed at N1,600/$1, marking a 1.9 per cent depreciation compared to the N1,569/$1 recorded the previous day.

The figure also marked the weakest level the naira had reached since December 4, 2024, when it closed at N1,608/$1. The exchange rate has now weakened by 3.9 per cent in the first four days of April, after closing March at N1,537/$1.

According to the CBN, the exchange rate closed at N1,600/$1 on Friday, marking a 1.9 per cent drop from the previous day.

The intra-day highs and lows were reported as N1,625 and N1,519 to the dollar, respectively. The intra-day high of N1,625 is also one of the highest levels recorded this year, indicating that traders priced the naira at significantly weaker levels.

Conversely, the intra-day low of N1,519/$1 suggests that some traders still priced the naira stronger, possibly betting on short-term interventions.

The NFEM rate, which represents the average exchange rate, closed at N1,567, the weakest the naira has traded this year and since December 4, 2024.

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