The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, on Thursday, decried the low literacy level in the North saying that 93 per cent of female children in the region lacked secondary education.

The apex bank boss, who said this at this year’s Isaac Moghalu Foundation Leadership Lecture and Symposium held in Abuja, said the situation, if left unchecked, was detrimental to the economy.

The governor sited Jigawa State, where school completion rate among female is as low as seven per cent as an example.

Net enrolment of girls in schools in the country, according to him, is 22 per cent.

He said, “In the North-West, 70 per cent of women between 20 and 29 are unable to read, compared to 9.7 per cent in the South West.

“Only three per cent of females complete secondary education in the Northern zone. Now how do you build the country when 93 per cent of the girls in the most populous region of the country do not complete secondary schools?

“We are only treating the symptoms and not the ailment. We are spending so much on security compared to education and healthcare services. We cannot succeed in security without fixing the original problems

“If the women are sent to school and they have access to proper healthcare services, there may not be need to spend so much on security.”

He described illiteracy among women in the region as frightening, adding that senior female officials in the country had not done enough to assist the women folk.

Sanusi said, “The problem we have is that women are their own enemies. If you are a female minister or hold an important public position and after four years you cannot say what you did for women, shame on you.

“Many of these women secure these positions on the platform of gender, ethnicity among others and when they get there, they forget the ladder on which they went there.

“They become the queen bee and do not want to share the limelight with other women.”

He charged women to hold their counterparts, in leadership positions to account, adding that such move would help to reduce neglect.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of IMoF, Mrs. Maryanne Moghalu, said the foundation would continue to focus on key areas to assist the society.

The areas, she said, include human capital development through education for under privileged children, strategic learning infrastructure support for educational institutions, vocational skills training, and public policy advocacy.

Moghalu added that the foundation would also examine the success of the country in developing women to leadership positions.

She expressed the need for women to be well trained and prepared for leadership roles in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Moghalu stressed that the absence of women in leadership position had been identified by many countries including Nigeria as a major challenge in the process of economic and social development.

The foundation was founded in 2005 in memory of Mr. Isaac Moghalu, one of Nigeria’s pioneer diplomats and a former permanent secretary.

Source: The Punch

From a distance the Northern Nigeria environment shimmers like brown jewel in the darkness of space, the rich and incomparable enclave has been destroyed by it's political leaders! They remain accountable for turning the enclave into a cirque of emptiness.

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Shehu Sanni have and share things in common! The trio are of Hausa-Fulani ethnic stock of Northern Nigeria, they are diminutive, with courage and boldness implanted in them, they dare, they say as it is, no hods barred! With the demise of Western Nigeria's vociferous and anti-corruption crusader, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the star has now sifted to the Northern axis of Nigeria and the trio could be described as "Aurora Borealis" The Northern Hemisphere light!

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai's 'Accidental Public Servant' explains former president Olusegun Obasanjo's ill fated third term hidden agenda [still no comment from Obasanjo], Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, [Nigeria CBN governor] exposure of National Assembly overhead cost and the resultant effect on Nigeria's economy [still no comment from the National Assembly], Shehu Sanni's exposure of a colossal revenue the Northern governors had collected and still the region remains backward and poorest [still no comment from the Northern States governors].

Sani Shehu (left)    El-Rufai (Right)

Despite some mistakes about Mallam Nasir El-Rufais' handling of restoration of Abuja City master-plan, his tracks remains unique. The ban of commercial motorcyclists from Abuja City center, the unique Abuja Urban Mass Transit, Abuja Geographical Information System [AGIS], and Abuja Environmental Protection Board [AEPB], he indeed tried his best.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Nigeria's GBN Governor, a Kano prince and a seasoned economist, Shehu Sanni and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the trio remains a beacon of hope and a shinning light [Aurora Borealis] to the Northerners who has wallowed [and still wallowing] in poverty, unemployment, and poor health care facilities.

What I want the duo to address now, is how the Northerners rule of Nigeria for about 35 year and had nothing to show for it! From decay of infrastructure to army of jobless youths, poverty, stagnation, destruction of lives ans properties by Africa's second deadliest Islamic fundamentalists [after al-Shabab of Somalia], the Boko Haram, insecurity, dearth of industries in the zone, rusty country side, polio savagery, lead poisoning. And now the Northerners is insisting of coming back to occupy Nigeria's No 1 seat. The Yoruba's will called it 'Agogo Eewo' 'Gong of Taboo', it must not sounded, never to be heard! Are they coming to clear the alluvium of the deluge of these?

With available data at their disposal, the trio will be able to prove that the crop of Northern rulers caused Nigeria's decay and Northern candidates for 2015 Nigeria president will be a hard nut to sell to Nigerians voters [electorates]. Will unbend-able Gen Buhari step down for Alhaji Sule Lamido?

My ink has run dried!

--

Taiwo Lawrence Adeyemi.

Country Representative; Whisper Poetry.

www.whisperpoetry.com.

Alternate Email:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Cells:+234 [0] 812-148-2077.

+234 [0] 816-950-3218.

Lamido Sanusi, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is noticeably extroverted and loquacious. A public intellectual, the hell-raising technocrat would have been in his element in a university department of economics or a right-wing policy research centre where his managerialist and neoliberalist perspectives on the economy would have had full play. As the helmsman of the nation’s apex bank and lender of last resort, Sanusi comes across as frighteningly apolitical and stormy person, in a profession reputed for reticence and deadpan demeanour. His latest intervention, canvassing among others, a 50 per cent cut in the public sector workforce, a drastic pruning down of the legislature, the 36-state structure as well as the number of local government areas have had full play in the media.

In a vigorous reply to the acerbic criticisms, not to say uproar that trailed the publication of his opinion, Sanusi in a discussion with reporters in London argued that his views were sensationalised out of context but nonetheless went on to add that “the Central Bank is not a popularity contest. My job is to give frank and honest opinion as to where I think the economy should go”. Giving policy advice should of course take the form of a formal, or informal behind-the-door briefing to decision makers; the wisdom of giving advice on sensitive national topics on the pages of newspapers where they are in any case subject to trivialisation and the pressures imposed by headlines and deadlines remain extremely debatable. It is possible, however, that Sanusi was trying to raise a debate around matters which he had canvassed in policymaking circles, in which case he should have anticipated much of the spirited and hostile responses to his suggestions, especially from interest groups fingered in his dangling axe thesis. Apart from the extremely controversial dimension of sacking half of the nation’s civil servants, much of what Sanusi had to say concerning the urgency of prunning the political superstructure had been voiced at different times by others, including Prof. Pat Utomi, who tirelessly advocates part-time legislators, as well as Bola Tinubu, who recently called for a unicameral legislature to bring down the ever- rising tide of national expenditure.

These proposals are eminently sensible and should feed into the ongoing constitutional review process. It should be noted, however, that they do not exhaust the problems of our national prodigality and bonanza-spending which have assumed alarming dimensions under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, as illustrated by recent decisions to increase the presidential fleet of jets, as well as construct a banquet hall at the Villa costing N2.2bn. In contemplating the still-raging public storm that greeted Sanusi’s reform proposals, we encounter what this writer has elsewhere described as the ‘tragedy of reforms without reformers’ denoting a mindset which assumes that political leaders can manifest an opulence which will make American billionaires green with envy and yet call on the populace to tighten further their already tight belts beyond their survival margins. Querying Sanusi’s own moral credentials, for example, the National Assembly spokesperson, Victor Ogene, argues that not only has Sanusi jerked up the CBN workforce to 6,000 from 5,000, but that the CBN budget for last year is double that of the National Assembly. Cited, too is the IMF’s statement that for every N100 spent on services and projects in Nigeria, N80 ends up in the private pockets of corrupt officials and their cronies. In other words, Sanusi’s reformism, if it is a genuine one, should have commenced not just at the institution he oversees, but at the entire ensemble of governmental institutions, ethos and racketeering that increasingly define the current administration.

One can further illustrate the contradictory and superficial nature of Sanusi’s panacea with reference to the issue of workforce downsizing which he advocates. Initially downsizing was viewed globally as a quick-fix by distressed corporate and governmental organisations; a lower wage bill was expected to translate to a smarter institution more efficiently run and task-oriented. Study after study has shown, however, that the expected yields from downsizing, construed narrowly as job layoffs, hardly materialise. As one human resources expert once wittingly quipped, “Downsize, Rightsize and Capsize”. For example, a recent survey which appeared in the Wall Street Journal found out that of 1,000 United States firms which downsized, only 46 per cent had reduced expenditure; 32 per cent had a bulge in profit; 22 per cent had increases in productivity; and 22 per cent successfully reduced bureaucracy. Beyond these dismal statistics is the more disturbing fact that downsized organisations often went down with profound human resource ailments arising from survival syndrome and insecurity of those who were untouched by the exercise much less of the deleterious effects of throwing more workers into an economy already reeling from high unemployment. In the case of governmental institutions in Africa, retrenchment, as it is popularly called, is often followed by backdoor swelling of the workforce through several unmanned entry points and is hardly attended by reduction in running cost. Thus, what the right hand surrenders, the left hand retrieves by stealth.

In the same manner as management experts are increasingly emphasising corporate reinvention rather than downsizing, merely calling for a reduction of the workforce addresses only a tip of the iceberg of footloose spending that characterises the Nigerian government. More to the point is the urgency to challenge the way and manner in which governmental businesses are conducted which would include an investigation of the myriad loopholes through which funds meant for development are illegitimately diverted. Such a project which would be a genuine transformation agenda as opposed to an oratorical one will seek to change the ethos of windfall spending and ingrained indolent and unaccountable culture which facilitates the easy looting of the treasury by those at the top as well as the retooling of the workforce and supportive technologies. This, of course, would mean that those championing such reforms will manifest the sacrificial values which would convince the rest of the nation that they mean business. It is only in this context that piecemeal suggestions like reducing the admittedly bloated political superstructure will indeed make sense. Needless to say that initiating and sustaining that limited reform programme would require strong and disciplined leaders who can stay the course. Leaders who advocate one thing and do another are hardly candidates for any such political and economic transformation.

The furore and outburst at Sanusi’s suggestions, one suspects, constitute a referendum of sorts on an administration perennially calling for sacrifices from the hard-pressed citizenry but insists on maintaining for its own members a luxurious and insensitively affluent lifestyle. To sustain such prodigality, the administration, apart from increasing taxes and removing subsidies, has gone wildly aborrowing to the tune of 2.57tn in two years as The PUNCH revealed on Tuesday December 4, 2012. These are the real reasons one fears for the uproar against Sanusinomics.

AYO OLUKOTUN ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Nigeria’s relative macro-economic stability of the past decade has been aided by the groundwork of reforms embarked upon by two-term finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo – Iweala  and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

In 1995, Nigeria’s inflation rate was a vertigo inducing 75 percent, while the naira which was at virtual parity with the dollar in the early eighties had tumbled to N21/ $1 by 1999, a more than 400 percent devaluation, according to a BusinessDay analysis of available CBN data.

This was of course in the official market, which met less than a tenth of dollar demand; in the parallel markets where the naira exchanged for N88/$1(in 1999) the rate of naira devaluation was much higher, at over 640 percent, between 1980 and 1999.

“Macro stability in the past decade has resulted fundamentally from the fiscal reforms put in place by Okonjo-Iweala in her first term (in particular, capping the deficit at 3 percent of GDP), and more recently, from the tighter monetary policy regime put in place by the

CBN,” said Razia Khan, regional Head of Research, Africa, at Standard Chartered Bank, in an email response to questions.

In the 20-year period (1980 – 1999) the CPI averaged 25.8 percent. This compares with the 2000 to 2010 period, when inflation averaged 11.9 percent, while the naira has moved from N110/$1 in 2000 – to N157/$1 in 2012,  a 42 percent devaluation in ten years, and a testament to the relative macro-economic stability in the latter period.

The reforms have aided the development of the domestic bond market as well.

Moribund until 2003, the domestic bond market today finances much of the FG budget deficit, and some long term infrastructure projects.

This has eliminated the so called ‘ways and means’ (money printing) deficit financing, rampant in the eighties and nineties, and a major source of inflation.

Nigeria’s bond market development has benefited from the lifting of the 1 Year holding period restriction on FGN bonds by Sanusi last year, and a hike in interest rates, leading to attractive yields, and ultimately, the addition of Nigerian Bonds to JPMorgan’s GBI-EM and the Barclays EMLC index.

“It is very unlikely that foreigners would be showing the interest they currently show in Nigeria’s bond market, in the absence of reassurance on these reforms,” said Khan.

The size of the domestic bond market in 2011 was N9.5 trillion ($60 billion), made up of AMCON bonds (57.42 percent), FGN bonds (37.21 percent), Sub nationals (3.58 percent) and Corporate bonds (1.79 percent).

The value of transactions in the domestic fixed income market is up four folds since 2006, reaching a value of N14.7 trillion at the end of 2010, from an almost negligible level in 2000 according to data from investment firm, Vetiva Capital.

“The launch of the Primary Dealers Market Makers platform in 2006 ensured some broadly consistent trading activity in on-the-run bonds, and two-way quotes over-the-counter,” said Samir Gadio, an emerging markets strategist at Standard Bank.

Meanwhile, the nation’s yield curve has extended from 3 months to 20 years, with 3year, 5 year, 10 year and 20 year bonds, routinely issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

According to Khan, the important building blocks needed before this could become possible, were put in place by Okonjo-Iweala and Sanusi.

“As a result of the increased flow from offshore investors, the Naira is stable. This has helped too, with macro-economic stability, and acts as a check on policies that should continue to guarantee stability”, he said.

Nigeria last week got an upgrade and new coverage of its sovereign debt, as Standard and Poor’s (S&P) upped it to BB- and Moody’s initiated coverage at the equivalent level, due to progress on reforms.

Key Domestic Macroeconomic and Financial Developments : GDP, Interest Rate  and Unemployment

*Unemployment rises to 23%

*Retains MPR at 12%

*Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 8.68

Output and Prices

Provisional data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 8.68 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011 up from  6.64, 7.72, and  7.40 per cent in the  1st , 2nd and 3rd quarters, respectively.  The overall GDP growth  rate  in  2011 was estimated by the NBS at 7.69 per cent, marginally lower than the 7.87 per cent recorded in 2010.  This projection is based on the  estimated Quarter III and Quarter IV growth rate of  7.40 per cent and 8.68 per cent respectively.  The 2012 Budget proposal assumed a growth rate of 7.2 per cent. This is in line with the latest World Bank forecast of 7.1 per cent growth for Nigeria in 2012.  The Committee noted with satisfaction, the good 4 performance of non-oil activities including agricultural and services sectors as well as the recovery in crude oil output in 2011, particularly in the fourth quarter. In the Committee‟s view, the opportunity to build on the robust non-oil growth with further  investments in infrastructure and manufacturing and processing activities should be utilized  in order to  mitigate  any  negative impacts  from the  likely external shocks during the year.

The Committee also noted  the  NBS survey data on the  rise in the unemployment rate to 23.9 per cent in 2011  from  21.4 per cent in 2010. The latest unemployment rate is considerably higher than the 12.3 per cent  recorded in 2006 by the NBS survey, which suggests that the consistently high output growth during this period had failed to create adequate employment for the growing labour force. In view of this, the Committee recommends that in addition to the structural reforms being currently pursued, emphasis should be placed on technical and vocational education in order to produce a labour force that is compatible with the current stage of the country‟s development.

In 2011, the Inflation rate fluctuated within the lower double-digits range during the early part of the year, but moderated thereafter. The year-on-year headline inflation rate, which was 12.1 per cent in 5 January 2011 rose to 12.8 per cent in March, before moderating to 10.2, 10.3, and 10.3 per cent in June, September, and December, respectively. Similarly, food inflation rose from 10.3 per cent in January 2011 to 12.2 per cent in March and thereafter moderated to 9.2, 9.5, and 11.0 per cent in, June, September, and December, respectively.  Core inflation also  rose from 12.1 per cent in January to 12.8 per cent in March stabilizing at 11.5, 11.6, and 10.8 per cent in June, September and December, respectively.

The headline inflation rate stood at 10.3 per cent in December 2011, by far the lowest since December 2008 and lower than the average of 12.75 per cent during the period 2001-11.  Food inflation, at 11.0 per cent in December 2011, was lower than its level in the preceding three years.   Similarly, the year-on-year core inflation declined  in

2011.  At 10.8 per cent in December 2011, core inflation was marginally lower than the 10.9 per cent in December 2010 and 11.2 per cent in December 2009.  The Committee noted that both food and core inflation have remained high exerting immense pressure on the headline inflation rate. The Committee was therefore of the view

that while the focus on growth continues to be a key imperative, the containment of  inflation equally deserves immediate attention. It noted that the inflation outlook in the short- term will be impacted by the  anticipated fiscal injections in relation to the proposed 2012 budget, the recent partial deregulation of pump price of PMS, and 6 new tariff regimes on certain food imports.   The Committee has also noted comments indicating possible plans by the National Assembly to revise the budget benchmark price of oil from $ 70 per barrel to $75 or even $80 per barrel. Such a measure  would significantly increase expenditures especially given the already high oil output assumptions.

In addition, it would reduce accretion to the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and increase the inflationary pressure already in place on the supply-side.  In the event of this happening, the likelihood of further tightening during 2012 increases.  The Committee would like to  reaffirm its commitment to price and  exchange rate stability and its determination not to pursue an accommodative policy stance.  The Committee therefore, strongly  supports the recommendations of the Executive for a benchmark price of a maximum of $70 per barrel.

External Sector Developments

Foreign exchange reserves amounted to US$ 32.64 billion as at end December 2011, more or less flat relative to the US$32.34 billion as at end December 2010, despite the higher oil price in 2011. Notwithstanding the high prices of  Nigeria’s reference  crude oil (Bonny Light) which averaged US$106.32 per barrel for the year, the

limited accretion to external reserves was due to the high demand for  foreign exchange  in the market.   The Committee noted  that pressure on the exchange rate emanating from the high demand reflected  the import-dependent nature of the economy,  probably compounded by the activities of speculators. The reduction in

arbitrage opportunities in the oil marketing sectors  combined with stronger controls in foreign exchange practices have already led to a noticeable moderation in foreign exchange net demand. The official wDAS rate (inclusive of 1 per cent commission) moved up from N151.62 per US$1 in January 2011 to N154.45/US$1 in June and

further to N158.21/US$1 in December 2011. The volatility in the official rates, however,  was limited with the coefficient of variation being 9 1.28 per cent for the year as a whole compared to 0.32 per cent in 2010.  The Committee  commended the CBN for its efforts at establishing stability in the market. It also urged the CBN to strive to

eliminate speculative demand for foreign exchange.  The Committee  also noted that as at January  24, 2012, the exchange rate was N158.57/US$1, while the foreign exchange reserves amounted to $34.18 billion on January 27, 2012, which could finance over 6 months of imports of goods and services. The outlook for oil prices in the short-term as well as the forecast demand/supply balance, suggest that the current exchange rate band should be retained while still achieving moderate continuous  accretion to reserves

The Committee’s Considerations

The Committee  is pleased that ahead  of  most  African  countries, Nigeria had been proactive by responding to the threats of inflation induced  by fiscal spending and  global food, fuel and other commodity prices as well as to the challenges of financial stability.  The Committee observed tat the mandate of the Bank was largely

achieved, as inflation was contained within tolerable levels and the exchange rate was generally stable throughout 2011. The resolution of the banking crisis during the year was also commended.  Against this background, the Committee welcomed the stated fiscal stance of the Federal Government as part of its programmed  movement 10

towards fiscal  consolidation.  The  increased share of  capital expenditure in the proposed total expenditure in 2012 is an important signal of the commitment of the Federal Government to improve the productive capacity of the economy.  The Committee finds the current environment to be conducive for improved  cooperation and  coordination between fiscal and monetary

authorities.

The Committee acknowledged that the decision to remove the fuel subsidy was a major development that took place since its last meeting in November 2011. It commended the Federal Government on the  partial  removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS),  which it noted will have salutary effects on the external reserves and exchange rate as well as on investment in oil and gas downstream sector.  It further commended the Federal Government for the commitment towards the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which, it believes, would further complement the benefits of the fuel subsidy removal.    On  the other hand, it recognized  the possible

negative impact of the partial removal of fuel subsidy on the general price level and hence inflation  in the short run.   In this regard, it underscored the need for the speedy implementation of the palliative measures and entrenchment of social safety nets for the more vulnerable groups.  However, the long-term benefits far outweigh the likely short term costs as far as inflation is concerned. 11 Furthermore, the Committee commended the fiscal authorities for the benchmark crude oil price of $70 per barrel as proposed in the 2012 budget and advocated for its retention as any upward revision would tend to undermine macroeconomic stability.

The Committee considered the need to sustain the high output growth that the country has seen in recent years partly because of the slowdown in the advanced and other emerging economies and partly because of the need to  generate employment in the economy. However, to help generate new jobs, it would be essential for the Federal Government to move  quickly with the structural reforms  such as (a) power sector reforms, (b) implementing the agricultural sector transformation programmes and the associated value chain, and (c) refocusing attention to  the provision of technical and vocational training to bring about skills development that would match the needs of the economy. The Committee underscored the need for maintaining price stability in a manner conducive to the achievement of  employmentgenerating growth.  In this connection, it observed that the announced increase in import duties on some food items by the end of June 2012 would exert further pressure on food prices which would

compound the effect of  increased transportation costs induced by 12 the partial removal of the fuel subsidy on the general price level and the associated inflation expectation.

The Committee noted that historically, upward adjustments in the price of PMS have tended to have a short-term impact on the rate of inflation.  A review of previous instances of adjustment in fuel prices shows that without exception, each instance is accompanied by an increase in the rate of inflation followed almost immediately

by a moderation in the short - to - medium term.    Staff estimates indicate that inflation  in the  first two quarters of 2012  would range between 11.0 per cent and  14.5 per cent, and then moderate steadily towards the single digit zone by late 2013. Real interest rates are therefore likely to remain positive  on a trend basis, even if the

rate of inflation were to rise briefly above the MPR in the second quarter. Finally, the Committee recognized the current security challenges and Government’s efforts to find a lasting solution through dialogue, economic measures and enhanced intelligence. It  expressed confidence on the ability of Government to resolve the problem.13

Decisions In  the light of the above, and considering the clear impact of previous tightening on the rate of inflation and exchange rates up to December 2011, the Committee unanimously decided as follows:

1. Retain MPR at 12.0 per cent with interest rate corridor of  +/- 200

basis points;

2. Retain CRR at 8.0 per cent;

3. Retain minimum liquidity Ratio of 30.0 per cent; and 4. Retain the Mid-point of  exchange rate at N155/US$1  with a band of +/-3.0 per cent.

The Committee also resolved to watch closely developments with  respect to  the  fiscal stance and to respond appropriately if,  and when, the need arises.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CON

Governor

Central Bank of Nigeria

January 31, 2012

Sanusi's CBN and Naira devaluation: Public Good, Double Talk and Contradictory Policy.  Naira has been devalued up to N160 to $1

It is beginning to look that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the executive governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is stepping into a pathway of perplexing contradictions. At the time that International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended for Nigeria to devalue naira, Sanusi was insisting that there is no need for the devaluation. He did everything he can to make it absolutely certain to every one listening that there is no logical financial reason to devalue the already malleable and soft naira. Most Nigerians were singing his praises that Nigeria has gotten a financial leader that cannot be intimidate by overbearing IMF, a leader that is not willing to be genuflecting to the international financial institutions. But apparently not, the CBN chieftain is doing Texas-Two Step backward dance.

What's up?

Sanusi has begun to sing a new tune; it is no more the IMF asking him to drink the bitter liquid of devaluation. The CBN titan has chose to do it for the public good as it appears to keep the economy floating as the bulwark to the anticipated nosedive of oil price, with subconsequent lower foreign reserve. The reason that is more plausible is to appease the international financial powers who are probably breathing per irately down his neck. The naira has been devalued up to N160 to $1 but the devaluation will not stop there. Go and mark this, it is a slippery slope and the devaluation will continue. But interestingly, Nigeria does not have the requisite dollar reserve to satiate the demand that comes with the devaluation.

Finacial Times of London wrote: “Nigeria devalued the naira on Monday as falling reserves, caused by weak oil revenues, forced its hand. The central bank announced the naira would be pegged to the dollar within a target range of N150 to N160, up from a bracket of N145 to N155 per dollar. The bank wants to converge the official forex rates with the interbank rate and narrow arbitrage trading opportunities – the chance for investors to profit from the two different rates"

David Kahone of Financial Times further reported that, "The main reason for Nigeria’s decision to devalue, according to Renaissance Capital, the Russian investment bank, is a fall in its reserves brought about by lower than expected oil production in 2011 and a low projected oil price in 2012. Africa’s biggest oil producer derives some 75 per cent of its revenues from oil and is revising down its benchmark oil price in the 2012 budget to $70 per barrel from $75 per barrel – not an insignificant shift"

The apparent devaluation will not bring about any affirmative result that compelled CBN in first place to devalue naira. Nigeria had passed through this path before and it did not make a difference nor did it change the economic paradigm of the nation in good trends. The problem with Nigerian economy is beyond the application of monetary policy and in this case the devaluation of naira. Nigeria has major structural problem that cannot be rectify by artificial depreciation of the naira. The problem with country's economy is over reliance on oil and by thinking that the party will last forever. The idea of diversification is a lip service given by policy makers as the country is busy chasing a shadow that is merely a mirage. A nation cannot become economically independent by exporting one commodity with a weak currency which will eventually attract IMF's neo-liberal policies. As the country implement neo-liberal policies, it will not stop with devaluation of naira, the shrinking of spending on social program will follow put including the removal of fuel subsidy and banning of importation of many essential commodities. The government will balance the budget on the back of the poor people of Nigeria and suffering will geometrically increase.

The major contradiction coming form naira's devaluation is threat it posed to stabilizing inflation and the further erosion of domestic value of naira. Devaluation is another method of creating more money in the circulation especially with the weaken naira. With devaluation and subsequent enormous soft naira in circulation the prices of food, goods and services will go up; that will make the ugly hand of inflation to rigidly standout and making it more difficult to rein in inflation. Then CBN will restore to further mopping of the liquidity by tightening monetary tool, thereby jacking up interest rate which will conversely slow down the economic growth. No matter from which perspective or angle one looks at the naira devaluation its benefit is quite limited and there is no optimum quantifiable outcome. One thing it can do is to discourage importation, but Nigerians are already addicted to foreign products and travelling abroad; surely Nigerians will find a way to circumvent it and continue with their addictions.

The price of oil and foreign reserve have the propensity to be gyrating cyclically and using naira's devaluation to stabiles the economy is not logical at long term. It should be a tactical response to a momentarily problem but it is not strategically plausible to become the panacea.  Nigerian economy is standing on a dislocated table that can be easily be pull down by forces of the market. The economy is growing at above 7 percent but without infrastructure and security the growth may not be sustainable.

CBN's chief Lamido Sanusi may do the public good and world economy good by devaluation that will make oil cheaper. It can be accepted for a short time but Nigeria may not necessarily be the beneficiary because Nigeria does not have arrays of commodities and finished products to export. This boils down on the lopsided economy and portrays how weak the manufacturing and agricultural sectors are in the country. The source of country's earning of foreign exchange must be expanded beyond oil export by diversification of the economy. This must be made perfectly clear to the policymakers that Nigeria cannot devalue her currency to a successful economy.

Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol Organization. Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment, human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa. http://afripol.org/     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Central Bank of Nigeria raises benchmark interest rate to 9.25 percent, up from 8.75 percent

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank monetary policy committee on Monday raised its benchmark interest rate for the fifth time this year in anticipation of upward inflationary pressures and to support the weakened local currency. The MPC lifted its benchmark rate to 9.25 percent, up from 8.75 percent, a move at the top end of analysts' expectations. Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi, said although inflation had declined in the last two-months, high government spending, a new minimum wage, the likely removal of fuel subsidies and a flood of expected liquidity from the state "bad bank" were all likely to push prices higher.

"Concerns remain about sustaining the current inflation trend. The anticipated high liquidity in the near future would have a bearing on inflation in the near future," Sanusi told reporters, reading from the MPC communique in Abuja."The fiscal stance continues to be expansionary. In addition there is the weight of structural factors such as the announced hikes in electricity tariffs and the expected removal of the petroleum subsidy."

The committee voted 8-3 to raise rates and they all agreed to maintain a 200 basis point corridor around the MPR, meaning its recommended deposit rate is 7.25 percent and lending rate 11.25 percent. Sanusi said the decision to lift the benchmark rate was also influenced by the need to support the naira, which weakened to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar for four months on Monday.

The central bank has tried to prop up the local currency by selling dollars at a bi-weekly auction and through monetary tightening but without sustained success."It looks as though there is a clear intent to bring real interest rates to positive levels, in order to shore up support for the naira," said Razia Khan, Head of Africa Research at Standard Chartered.

WEAK NAIRA

"With GDP growth between 7-8 percent, and a questionable transmission mechanism of monetary tightening to the real economy in any case, this is something the CBN can afford to do."

Analysts had been divided on the likely outcome prior to the meeting. Seven of the 13 analysts polled by Reuters expected rates to rise by 25-50 basis points, with the rest predicting rates would be unchanged. Nigeria's inflation remained steady within the central bank's notional single-digit target in August, data showed this week. Headline inflation was 9.3 percent year-on-year in August from 9.4 percent in July, while growth in food prices, the largest contributor to the consumer inflation figure, rose to 8.7 percent in August from 7.9 percent in July.

But core inflation, which excludes some volatile components such as food and energy, remained in double digits in August and the central bank remains concerned about continued high government spending, especially recurrent expenditure. Nigeria's new finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, pledged to cut back government spending when she arrived last month but early benchmarks set out for the 2012 budget last week showed few signs of a promised fiscal prudence.

Okonjo-Iweala's cautious plans did not convince Sanusi.

"The government has announced a target of a 1 percent annual reduction in government recurrent spending and when viewed in the context of the anticipated injections associated with the new national minimum wage this reflects that the fiscal retrenchment is likely to be drawn out," he said.

Sanusi said stalling global economic growth was likely to impact Nigeria through a drop in trade and investment, while the recent poor performance of the Nigerian stock market was a reflection of declining risk appetite internationally

Nigeria Likely to Raise Benchmark Interest Rate to 8.5% to Curb Inflation

Nigeria’s central bank may raise its benchmark interest rate tomorrow for the fourth time this year to bring borrowing costs above inflation and slow price-growth to below 10 percent, according to a survey of analysts.

Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi will raise the monetary policy rate to 8.5 percent from 8 percent, said London-based analysts Razia Khan at Standard Chartered Plc, Samir Gadio of Standard Bank Plc and Alan Cameron at CSL Stockbrokers Ltd. He is due to announce the decision in a televised press conference at 2.30 p.m. local time.

"The debate is not about whether the MPR keeps rising - we are convinced it will - but how quickly it will rise," Cameron said in an e-mailed note on July 22. "We are still a long way from positive real interest rates."

Sanusi

Inflation slowed in June to 10.2 percent from 12.4 percent the month before after the naira strengthened against the dollar, easing import costs. The central bank of Africa’s top oil producer has raised rates as it attempts to slow inflation that peaked at 15.6 percent in February of last year and tries to stem a slide in the local currency. The naira has strengthened 2.7 percent against the dollar since June 1.

"Even though the naira has been firmer in recent weeks, demand for foreign exchange remains elevated and foreign capital is unlikely to really start flowing in until positive real rates are achieved," Cameron said.

Plans by President Goodluck Jonathan to end fuel subsidies this year may also push prices higher.

Most members of the monetary policy committee "seem to be keenly aware of the impact that fuel price deregulation could have and for this reason are likely to continue voting for hikes," Cameron said.

Dulue Mbachu in Abuja at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Bloomberg

CBN's Sanusi listed among world’s 100 most influential people

The story of Nigeria's first half-century of Independence is a tale of wasted potential: sub-Saharan Africa's most populous country, home to its biggest oil riches, impoverished by thieving autocrats. A key reason a new Nigeria no longer seems fanciful is Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2066367_2066369_2066445,00.html

Time 100 LIST includes  names  like  President Obama, Oprah Winfrey and others

THE LIST OF TIME 100 INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE

Meet the most influential people in the world. They are artists and activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state and captains of industry. Their ideas spark dialogue and dissent and sometimes even revolution. Welcome to this year's TIME 100

THE FULL LIST OF TIME 100

• Wael Ghonim

• Joseph Stiglitz

• Reed Hastings

• Amy Poehler

• Geoffrey Canada

• Mark Zuckerberg

• Peter Vesterbacka

• Angela Merkel

• Julian Assange

• Ron Bruder

• Lamido Sanusi

• Colin Firth

• Amy Chua

• Joe Biden

• Jennifer Egan

• Kim Clijsters

• Ahmed Shuja Pasha

• Aung San Suu Kyi

• Cory Booker

• Gabrielle Giffords

• Katsunobu Sakurai

• Michelle Obama

• Paul Ryan

• Ai Weiwei

• Rob Bell

• Fathi Terbil

• Dilma Rousseff

• Tom Ford

• Liang Guanglie

• Sue Savage-Rumbaugh

• Takeshi Kanno

• Nicolas Sarkozy

• Michele Bachmann

• Saad Mohseni

• Chris Christie

• Matthew Weiner

• Lisa Jackson

• Jean-Claude Trichet

• Justin Bieber

• Prince William and Kate Middleton

• Joe Scarborough

• Blake Lively

• Hillary Clinton

• Muqtada al-Sadr

• Anwar al-Awlaki

• Kim Jong Un

• Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

• Hassan Nasrallah

• Nathan Wolfe

• Oprah Winfrey

• Sergio Marchionne

• Mahendra Singh Dhoni

• Felisa Wolfe-Simon

• Esther Duflo

• Rain

• Larry Page

• Mia Wasikowska

• David Cameron

• John Lasseter

• Maria Bashir

• Mukesh Ambani

• Chris Colfer

• Major General Margaret Woodward

• Bruno Mars

• David and Charles Koch

• Hung Huang

• General David Petraeus

• Matt Damon and Gary White

• Cecile Richards

• George R.R. Martin

• Marine Le Pen

• Grant Achatz

• Feisal Abdul Rauf

• El Général

• Jamie Dimon

• Heidi Murkoff

• Sting

• Jonathan Franzen

• V.S. Ramachandran

• Michelle Rhee

• Mark Wahlberg

• Rebecca Eaton

• Xi Jinping

• Kathy Giusti

• Arianna Huffington

• Barack Obama

• Lionel Messi

• Azim Premji

• Aruna Roy

• Ray Chambers

• Scott Rudin

• John Boehner

• Derrick Rossi

• Hu Shuli

• Benjamin Netanyahu

• Ayman Mohyeldin

• Charles Chao

• Bineta Diop

• Dharma Master Cheng Yen

• Patti Smith

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi: Afripol Person of the Week

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has been in the position for less than two years but has taken pragmatic steps to reform Nigerian troubling banking system. Since his inception as the head of Nigerian Reserve Bank; the financial and economic experts at Afripol has been monitoring his application of monetary policy to stabilize the banking sector of the economy. We all can agree that he has done his level possible best, with affirmative result.

Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is a free market banker and is dedicated in deepening a disciplined banking system with a well thought monetary policy. He has taken a bold but prudent step to rectify the crumbling Nigerian banking system. He introduced a reformed blueprint grounded in transparency and probity to check profligacy.

Without fear or favor he exposed the lapses in Nigerian banks and took the necessary steps to make things better. The failed banks were bailed-out, rescued and rejuvenated. The culprits in the banking sector especially the managing directors of five banks were sacked and the debtors to the banks were made to pay back the illogical deferred loans.

With quantitative easing he injected liquidity into the monetary base that aided to ease the credit crunch that brought back the availability of credits to the business community.  With the prudent monetary policies, the Nigerian economy was not decelerated and the economic growth appreciated. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2110, the Nigerian economy was cruising at annual rate of 7.8 percent.

Sanusi brought a culture of professionalism and transparency that have been fizzled out for a while in Nigerian banking sector. He did not waited for banking sector to completely fall apart before he commenced with his encompassing and comprehensive banking reform. The good works he did as the chieftain of Nigerian Central bank has brought glowing attributes and accolades to him. Last week a well respected British publication, The Banker conferred to him the World’s Central Bank Governor of the Year for 2011.

Some experts were concerned about the large injection of funds into the banking sector, but this is not a zero-sum game but a win-win exercise for both the taxpayers and the banks. While the banks were rescued, the economic growth was not interrupted and taxpayers in near future will be compensated when the toxic securities are traded.

As a citizen and patriot, Sanusi spoke out on the nation spending one quarter of its generated fund on the business of running the country’s national assembly. This is about 25.4percent of Nigeria’s overhead cost in a country with 70 percent of its citizens living in poverty. Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi never back down and stood up for his principle and freedom of speech.

Sanusi has brought back the respect that the Nigerian banks once enjoyed, and foreign investors are looking favorably to Nigerian banking stocks. The most important accomplishment is bringing back confidence in the banking community. The Governor of Central Bank must be guiding and monitoring the inflationary trend that may be threatening to these great efforts and reforms.

For his hard work, vigilance, pragmatism and patriotism; The Management and Staff of Afripol Organization chose Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the PERSON OF THE WEEK.

Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment, human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   www.afripol.org