The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to implement a new round of banking recapitalisation for the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the country.

The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, announced this at the 58th Annual Bankers’ Dinner organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos on Friday night.

The planned recapitalisation means that DMBs will be required to raise additional capital to meet the demands of Nigeria’s economy.

Cardoso noted that President Bola Tinubu, in his Policy Advisory Council report on the national economy, set an ambitious goal of achieving a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $1 trillion by 2030, with clearly defined priority areas and strategies.

The CBN Governor said it is important that banks have a role to play in the anticipated $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Cardoso said going by the huge developmental role the apex bank would want the banks to play in the next seven years, it has become imperative to demand their recapitalisation.

To achieve the target, he said Nigeria needed to experience a more rapid and inclusive economic expansion.

He said: “The administration has already commenced this journey through fiscal reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market rate.

“Considering the policy imperatives and the projected economic growth, it is crucial for us to evaluate the adequacy of our banking industry to serve the envisioned larger economy.

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“It is not just about the stability of the financial system in the present moment, as we have already established that the current assessment shows stability.

“However, we need to ask ourselves: Will Nigerian banks have sufficient capital relative to the financial system’s needs in servicing a $1 trillion economy in the near future? In my opinion, the answer is ‘No!’ unless we take action.

“Therefore, we must make difficult decisions regarding capital adequacy. As a first step, we will be directing banks to increase their capital.”

The CBN boss also announced the approval of another round of Open Market Operations (OMOs) to mop up excess liquidity from the banking system.

OMOs are the main monetary policy instrument, through which the Central Bank buys or sells securities with financial institutions in the open markets, thereby influencing the amount of money in circulation and/or interest rates.

Cardoso said: “An OMO auction was recently held with a stop rate of 17.5 per cent for the one-year tenor, attracting oversubscription of N350 billion.

“Another round of OMO has been approved to further reduce excess liquidity.

“Offering N108.1 billion worth of Treasury Bills with three tenors to the investing public, which can help reduce liquidity in the banking system and support government fundraising.”

The CBN Governor added that the apex bank would use its monetary policy tools to keep inflation low and stable.

He further stated that the apex bank would make changes to the country’s foreign exchange regulations by developing new guidelines and legislation.

Cardoso said banks and foreign exchange operators would be consulted before making any final decisions.

The Star