Business
Economist Urges CBN to Release 2023 Financial Statement
Economist Kelvin Emmanuel has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), under the leadership of Governor Olayemi Cardoso, to promptly release its financial statement for the year 2023. Emmanuel made this request through his official X handle on Wednesday.
He highlighted that this call aligns with the CBN Act of 2007, which mandates that the apex bank must submit its annual accounts, certified by an auditor, to both the National Assembly and the President.
Emmanuel emphasized the importance of making these accounts public to assess the improvements in the CBN’s balance sheet. This includes scrutinizing the differences between the gross and net external reserves, as well as the impact of FX swaps and forwards involving external asset managers.
Furthermore, Emmanuel pointed out that it is crucial for Nigerians to have transparency regarding the details of loans related to foreign exchange (FX) currency positions held by banks on behalf of their customers.
Additionally, there should be clarity on the FX non-deliverable forwards that banks have with the CBN for their customers.
He referenced Sections 50(1) and 50(3) of the CBN Act, which stipulate that the bank must submit its annual accounts to the National Assembly and the President within two months after the end of each financial year, and ensure these accounts are published in the Gazette as soon as possible.
It is worth noting that in August 2023, the CBN had released its financial statements for the period 2016-2022, following a probe led by Jim Obazee into the activities of the bank under the former governor, Godwin Emefiele.
This scrutiny had led the Auditor General of the Federation to request an explanation for a missing $4.5 billion in Nigeria’s foreign reserves between 2018 and 2019.
Business
Government Pledges Support for Women in Livestock Development Says Minister Maiha
Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, has revealed the government’s intention of placing women in the livestock transformation agenda that they have in store for Nigeria.
During a recent event, he praised women, describing them as the backbone of the country, and shared that the country will keep on needing their support, hence the inclusion of the agenda team.
He also praised the First Lady for the impact she has made in the country so far and her advocacy for women’s empowerment.
Business
“Minimum Wage Can Buy a Bag Now” — User Claims Rice Price Falling in Nigeria
Nigerians react as a user claims and shares that the price of rice in Nigeria is already reducing.
“Rice prices are finally dropping, minimum wage can buy a bag now. Step by step, we’re getting there. Nigeria will work in our lifetime.”
It can be noted that rice was sold at ₦85k to ₦90k, however, according to a market survey, the price of rice has dropped to ₦56k to ₦62k.
Business
New Telecom that Allows Minutes Instead of Airtime for Calls Launches in Nigeria
Nigerians now have a new choice when it comes to making calls and browsing the internet. A new telecom company called LEBARA has launched in the country with a new idea. Instead of the usual airtime system that most networks use, this company is offering something different, subscribers will now buy call minutes and data directly.
What makes this different is that customers will only pay for what they actually use. If you buy 100 minutes, those minutes are yours until you use them up. If you make a call that lasts only 30 seconds, the rest of your time remains, leaving you with 99 minutes and 30 seconds. Nothing is taken away without your knowledge, and every second is accounted for.
The company is rolling out its services with the new 0724 number series, and it already has connections with all the major networks in Nigeria. This means subscribers will be able to call friends, family, and business contacts across MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile and others without any problems. They have also been licensed as a Tier 5 Mobile Virtual Network Operator, which is the highest category approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Company officials explained that the goal is to give Nigerians more freedom, fairness, and transparency. For years, people have raised concerns about airtime being deducted too quickly or without clear explanation. By introducing a minutes-based model, the new operator wants to end that problem once and for all. Subscribers can clearly see what they paid for, how much they have used, and what is left.
