Economy
Nigeria’s Forex Reserves Now $49bn on Reforms—Cardoso
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, has disclosed that Nigeria’s external reserves have risen to about $49 billion as of February 5, 2026, describing the development as a clear sign of improving confidence in the country’s economy.
Mr Cardoso spoke on Monday in Abuja at the second edition of the National Economic Council (NEC) conference, where he explained that the growth in reserves represents a 4.93 per cent increase from the last figure of $46.7 billion which marks a major turnaround from what the country faced when the current leadership took over the apex bank.
“This is obviously a very important statistic,” Mr Cardoso said. “When we took over, the net reserve figure was about $3 billion. As at the end of last year, the net reserve figure had gone up strongly into the 30s. And as I said, as of February 5, 2026, it is $49 billion. We are now net buyers.”
He explained that the central bank now allows the foreign exchange market to largely determine prices, while the bank steps in to buy foreign exchange when necessary. According to him, this approach has helped to close the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rates. “The premium between the official and parallel market rates has collapsed to under two per cent,” he said.
Mr Cardoso said remittances from Nigerians living abroad have played a major role in boosting the country’s foreign reserves. He noted that Nigerians in the diaspora come from all parts of the country and are keen to support the economy by sending money home.
“Remittances have made a big difference to how we have grown our reserves,” he said. “The diaspora come from every single state represented here. We have engaged with them and made it easier for them to remit money back to Nigeria.”
He added that the cooperation of state governors and other leaders would be crucial in sustaining this progress in the coming years.
The CBN helmsman said recent reforms have also made foreign exchange more accessible to ordinary Nigerians, especially those travelling abroad.
“When people travel now, you don’t have to look for foreign exchange to travel,” he said. “You use your Naira card and pay for whatever you want. Now the Naira is more competitive and people are not afraid to hold Naira.”
He warned Nigerians who are holding foreign currency without real need that such actions could lead to losses.
“Those holding unnecessary foreign exchange reserves are losing money every day,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The prices of the two major crude oil grades moderated on Friday amid news of an Iranian proposal on negotiations with the United States. However, prices remained on track for weekly gains, with Iran still blocking the Strait of Hormuz and the US Navy blocking exports of Iranian crude.
Brent crude settled at $108.17 per barrel after losing $2.23 or 2.02 per cent, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $101.94 a barrel after giving up $3.13 or 2.98 per cent. Both benchmarks gained 2.9 per cent over the week.
It was reported on Friday that Iran sent its latest proposal for negotiations with the US to Pakistani mediators on Thursday, a move that could improve prospects for breaking an impasse in efforts to end the Iran war.
Oil prices have been on the rise since the US and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February, resulting in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption of shipments of about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
Although a ceasefire has been in place since April 8, the oil market appeared to be accepting the uneasy truce in the conflict since Iran had already said and signalled that it won’t open the chokepoint to free traffic and won’t return to negotiations unless the American blockade is lifted.
There are fears of an escalation amid reports that US President Donald Trump would be briefed on further military options to force Iran’s hand to sign a deal, which could involve a ground operation.
Prices could spike to $140 per barrel, according to the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mr Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, saying the US Administration is getting “junk advice” from people like [Treasury Secretary] Bessent, “who also push the blockade theory and cranked oil up to $120+. Next stop:140.”
The United Arab Emirates’ departure from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) this week may still mean that the market’s most striking feature in the next few years is not too little supply, but too much. It left the cartel to boost production (target ~5 million barrels per day by 2027) and gain full control over its oil strategy and global partnerships.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the federal government to prioritise reforms that address constraints in the manufacturing sector as it tackles broader macroeconomic and fiscal challenges facing the Nigerian economy.
President of LCCI, Mr Leye Kupoluyi, gave the advice on Thursday in Lagos, at the chamber’s quarterly state of the nation’s economy news conference.
He stated that the manufacturing sector remained a critical driver of revenue and industrial growth, citing a strong performance in 2025.
Mr Kupoluyi noted that the sector contributed N1.17 trillion in Value Added Tax (VAT), representing a 45.61 per cent increase from N803.53 billion recorded in 2024, adding that the Company Income Tax (CIT) from the sector rose to N881.29 billion, up by 32.83 per cent from N663.46 billion in the previous year.
“This strong year-on-year growth reinforces the sector’s expanding role in generating government revenue and in Nigeria’s industrial development.
“Following these results, we call on the government to invest more in productive infrastructure and economic policies that drive growth through job creation, lower production costs, and fiscal interventions,” he said.
On the global terrain, the LCCI president noted that the global economy remained unsettled, shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and monetary tightening in advanced economies.
He said these trends had sustained inflationary pressures globally, while exposing emerging markets, including Nigeria, to capital outflows and currency volatility.
Mr Kupoluyi noted that Nigeria had benefited from high crude oil prices, warned against mismanaging the resulting windfall, urging the government to channel oil revenues into the Sovereign Wealth Fund, critical infrastructure and diversification initiatives to reduce import dependence and support long-term growth.
On monetary policy, the chamber’s president commended the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee for reducing the Monetary Policy Rate by 50 basis points to 26.5 per cent at its February meeting.
He described the move as a cautious but important shift, reflecting growing confidence amid improvements in inflation and external sector performance.
Mr Kupoluyi also highlighted improvements in the foreign exchange market, noting that the naira had shown relative stability and appreciated to about N1,350.79 to the Dollar in the official market.
He said the performance reflects improved liquidity, investor confidence and the impact of ongoing reforms, but called for stronger policy coordination, increased FX inflows and fiscal discipline to sustain stability.
On fiscal operations, the LCCI president raised concerns over weak capital budget implementation, citing the rollover of N7.71 trillion in unexecuted 2025 capital projects.
He said delays in fund releases, bureaucratic bottlenecks and inefficiencies had continued to undermine project delivery and strain contractors.
He urged the government to develop a more effective framework for capital budget releases to ensure timely funding and execution of projects.
Addressing the oil and gas sector, Mr Kupoluyi welcomed the ongoing reform efforts aimed at boosting crude oil production and improving regulatory processes.
He called for a fully digital regulatory ecosystem to enhance transparency, accelerate approvals and restore investor confidence.
The official added that high global oil prices presented an opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen its position as a major supplier, provided local production and refining capacities are improved.
The LCCI president, however, expressed concern over high import duties on paper, printing materials and related inputs, noting that the policy had increased production costs across several value chains.
“The situation is worsened by port delays, multiple regulatory checks and inconsistent tariff classifications.
The chamber also called for a review of import duties, integration of regulatory agencies into the National Single Window and measures to reduce cargo clearance timelines.
“A balanced policy mix of moderate tariffs, support for local production and stable macroeconomic conditions would enhance industrial growth and reduce business costs,” he said.
He also reiterated its commitment to continued engagement with government and stakeholders to promote policies that support a thriving business environment.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange rose by 0.16 per cent on Thursday, April 29, with the Unlisted Security Index (NSI) returning above the 4,000-point mark after chalking up 6.55 points to settle at 4,005.78 points compared with the previous day’s 3,999.23 points.
During the trading session, the market capitalisation of the platform went up by N3.92 billion to close at N2.396 trillion, in contrast to the N2.392 trillion it ended on Wednesday.
The upliftment of the alternative stock market was influenced by the gains posted by four securities, which offset the losses printed by two securities.
According to data, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc chalked up N4.03 to close at N76.02 per share versus the preceding session’s N71.99 per share, Food Concepts Plc appreciated by 24 Kobo to N2.67 per unit from N2.43 per unit, UBN Property Plc climbed 20 Kobo to trade at N2.23 per share versus N2.03 per share, and Geo-Fluids Plc improved by 9 Kobo to N3.00 per unit from N2.91 per unit.
On the flip side, MRS Oil Plc lost N17.65 to end at N178.10 per share compared with the previous price of N195.75 per share, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc dipped by N9.76 to N90.24 per unit from N100.00 per unit.
The volume of securities traded during the trading day went up by 184.3 per cent to 877,682 units from 308,698 units, the value of securities jumped 5.7 per cent to N26.7 million from N25.2 million, and the number of deals soared by 100 per cent to 56 deals from 28 deals.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value (year-to-date) with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, followed by CSCS Plc with 60.1 million units exchanged for N4.1 billion, and Okitipupa Plc with 27.8 million units traded for N1.9 billion.
GNI Plc also closed as the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units worth N415.7 million, and Infrastructure Guarantee Credit Plc with 400 million units transacted for N1.2 billion.
The market will be closed on Friday, May 1, for Workers’ Day celebration.
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