Economy
CBN, FMDQ Float 5-Year FX Futures Contracts for FPIs, FDIs
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
As part of its efforts to attract foreign capital into the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has further worked with the FMDQ Holdings Plc to introduce a 5-year foreign exchange (FX) futures contracts.
According to the apex bank, FX futures contracts, which would be traded over-the-counter (OTC), were to show its commitment towards the development of the local currency market.
With this latest development, the total number of open OTC FX Futures contracts at the market at any point has risen to 60. Before now, there were 13 contracts, but on Thursday, February 13, 2020, the central bank introduced 47 new monthly OTC FX Futures contracts.
Under the erstwhile OTC FX Futures market structure, the CBN offered 13 monthly contracts allowing market participants hedge FX exposures for up to a one-year period.
Whilst this was a welcome development, a gap was identified where investors seeking to hedge FX risk longer than a year were unable to achieve a perfect hedge using the FX Futures product due to the maturity mismatch.
The resultant risk of unwanted variability in the product deterred investors from using OTC FX Futures market for long-term capital hedging as this was considered unsuitable for long-term investment and capital budgeting purposes, leaving the Nigerian financial markets struggling to attract much-needed FPIs/FDIs and long-term foreign currency (FCY) denominated borrowings for sustainable development and economic growth.
But the impact of the extension of the hedge curve by the CBN to up to 60 months will greatly reduce potential FX exposures, encourage long-term planning and increase investments in the Nigerian financial markets.
In the global financial system, hedging products are market enablers, allowing businesses and investors around the world to invest freely across borders, effectively hedge their risks and invariably contributing to economic growth.
With the FX Futures contracts, the effective rate at which a counterparty will purchase (or sell) FX at any given time in the future is predetermined and fixed; essentially obligating the parties to the transaction which is consummated on FMDQ Exchange, to purchase or sell a currency (in this case, US Dollar) on a predetermined future date (the settlement date) for a fixed rate agreed on the date a contract is entered (trade date).
No obligation exists for the physical delivery of the currency and at maturity, clearing and net settlement which is effected by FMDQ Clear, is made in Naira based on the US Dollar notional amount, and determined by the difference between the agreed rate (on trade date) and the rate on maturity (on settlement date) as determined by FMDQ’s FX reference rate, the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Fixing (NAFEX).
Commenting on the development, the CEO of FMDQ Group, Mr Bola Onadele, stated that, “We are excited that the CBN has yet again introduced this revolutionary initiative which will minimise the funding liquidity risk of CBN’s FX Management Blotter and significantly attract capital, incentivise domestic corporates to avail on low interest rate FCY loans, as well as encourage FPIs/FDIs seeking to make medium-to-long-term investments in our economy.”
He said, “This product innovation, which will continue to provide opportunities for the government, businesses, fund managers investors, individuals etc. to hedge to manage exchange rate risk, thus achieving greater market confidence, liquidity, improvement in business planning, better allocation of resources, global competitiveness of the Nigerian financial markets, and in all, a thriving economy.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange weakened by 0.22 per cent on Tuesday, April 28, with the market capitalisation down by N4.8 billion to N2.420 trillion from N2.425 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) down by 9.01 points to 4,044.96 points from 4,053.97 points.
During the session, the price of Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc went down by N1.82 to N767.05 per share from N78.87 per share, while FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc appreciated by N1.90 to N100.00 per unit from N98.10 per unit.
According to data, the value of trades increased by 265.7 per cent to N27.1 million from N7.4 million units, and the volume of transactions surged by 305.2 per cent to 1.3 million units from 319,831 units, while the number of deals decreased by 6.9 per cent to 27 deals from 29 deals.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with the sale of 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by CSCS Plc with 59.8 million units exchanged for N4.0 billion, and Okitipupa Plc with 27.8 million units traded for N1.9 billion.
GNI Plc also finished as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with a turnover of 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, trailed by Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million, and Infrastructure Guarantee Credit Plc with 400 million units sold for N1.2 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Pressure is beginning to mount on the Nigerian Naira in the different segments of the foreign exchange (FX) market despite an oil windfall triggered by the Middle East crisis.
On Monday, April 27, the domestic currency further weakened against the United States Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) by N16.47 or 1.2 per cent to N1,380.71/$1 from the previous day’s N1,364.24/$1.
It was not different against the Pound Sterling in the same market window, as it lost N16.04 to trade at N1,863.76/£1 versus Monday’s closing rate of N1,847.72/£1, and against the Euro, it slipped by N12.72 to close at N1,615.01/€1 versus N1,602.29/€1.
The Naira also depreciated against the Dollar at the black market yesterday by N5 to quote at N1,390/$1 compared with the previous price of N1,385, and at the GTBank forex counter, it further crashed by N9 to settle at N1,379/$1 compared with the preceding session’s N1,370/$1.
The continued decline of the Naira comes as traders increasingly seek other safe-haven currencies amid continued global disruptions.
The benefit awash in the global market is making foreign portfolio investors stay short in Nigerian markets. Despite this, the daily FX publication released showed that interbank turnover rose to $98.829 million across 78 deals, up from $76.65 million.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market remained cautious, with Bitcoin (BTC) trading at $77,216.66 despite surging oil prices and geopolitical tensions over a potential extended US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Analysts say the supply overhang has finally dried up, and the sellers who were spooked by macro shifts or quantum fears have already exited, leaving the market much thinner on the sell-side.
Investors will await decisions made by central banks this week. The US Federal Reserve will announce its rate decision later on Wednesday, while the European Central Bank (ECB) follows on Thursday.
Ethereum (ETH) gained 1.5 per cent to trade at $2,324.59, Dogecoin (DOGE) chalked up 1.4 per cent to sell for $0.1016, Solana (SOL) appreciated by 0.6 per cent to $84.85, Cardano (ADA) grew by 0.5 per cent to $0.2483, and Binance Coin (BNB) advanced by 0.2 per cent to $627.15.
However, TRON (TRX) depreciated by 0.6 per cent to $0.3224, and Ripple (XRP) lost 0.03 per cent to sell at $1.39, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) were unchanged at $1.00 each.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil was up by nearly 3 per cent on Tuesday as persistent worries about supply constraints from the closed Strait of Hormuz continued, with Brent futures for June rising by $3.03 or 2.8 per cent to $111.26 a barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures growing by $3.56 or 3.7 per cent to $99.93 a barrel.
An earlier round of negotiations between the United States and Iran collapsed last week after face-to-face talks failed.
Ship-tracking data showed significant disruptions in the region, with six Iranian oil tankers forced to turn back due to the US blockade, but some traffic is still moving.
Prices trimmed some of the advances after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the fourth-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said on Tuesday it would exit the group on this Friday, May 1, 2026.
This dealt a blow to the oil-exporting group and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia.
The UAE could quickly add between 1 million and 1.5 million barrels per day of output. However, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, analysts said that there’s nowhere for that supply to go.
The UAE joined OPEC in 1967, but tension with Saudi Arabia over production quotas has been building for years.
Under the OPEC+ deal, the country has been held to roughly 3 million barrels per day while sitting on capacity above 4 million. It has been pushing toward 5 million barrels per day by 2027, and that target is hard to achieve with quotas built around someone else’s view of the market.
The war in Yemen broke whatever was left of diplomatic patience.
President Donald Trump said he was unhappy with the latest Iranian proposal to end the war. The proposal would avoid addressing the nuclear programme until hostilities cease and Gulf shipping disputes are resolved.
The Idemitsu Maru, a Panama-flagged tanker carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi oil, and an LNG tanker managed by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) crossed the Strait on Tuesday, shipping data showed.
Vortexa data showed that the amount of crude oil held around the world on tankers that have been stationary for at least seven days rose to 153.11 million barrels as of April 24.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States fell by 1.79 million barrels in the week ending April 24. The official data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will be released later on Wednesday.
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