The MPC mandated the review of the rules and procedures guiding the forex
market with a view to simplifying and improving upon them;
Observed that the fiscal authorities must make adequate provisions in the
2006 budget for Treasury Instruments for appropriate liquidity management in
2006;
Reiterated the commitment of the CBN to meet its target growth of money
supply for 2005 (that is, 15 per cent). Consequently, the MPC resolved to take
the following additional measures to bring money supply in line with the
target:
Complete the sale of N60 billion of CBN instrument, and
sell more if need be;
Sale of Treasury Bills which will be sterilized for liquidity
management;
Sale of additional foreign exchange to mop up liquidity;
Move all NNPC deposits with commercial banks to the CBN and sterilize
much of it with effect from October 31, 2005. All banks that collect
revenues on behalf of the NNPC are expected to remit all such funds to the
CBN within 48 hours of the collection. Failure to remit such funds will
attract a penal interest charge of MRR plus 5. Any MD of a bank who
misreports NNPC deposits with it or falsifies any returns to the CBN will be
suspended for three months in the first instance;
To ensure effective monitoring and implementation of liquidity
management programme, the MPC set up a Monetary Policy Implementation
Committee which shall meet every two days to review developments and take
necessary actions.
MPC Meeting
of June 15, 2005
The withdrawal of N60 billion public sector deposit from
the banks to the CBN, which should be concluded within a period of 2 months;
The maintenance of the prevailing minimum rediscount rate (MRR) of 13 per
cent. This action would help sustain the prevailing policy measure in
encouraging credit to the growth sectors of the economy;
The upward revision of the cash reserve requirement (CRR) by 50 basis
points from 9.5 to 10 per cent in order to further mop up excess liquidity in
the system. The Committee further agreed that, henceforth, the debiting of
banks accounts with CBN to meet the stipulated CRR should be effected
immediately after the monthly FAAC meetings. This is based on the observation
by the Committee that the FAAC related liquidity, is the major source of
excess liquidity in the economy.
The revision of the definition of Liquid Assets to include 3-year bonds;
That, until the Pension Funds Administrators are appointed, funds realised
from the Pension Fund should not be invested in the Nigerian Treasury Bills
instead they should be invested in long-term securities or sterilized;
The sustenance of the exchange rate band of ± 3 per cent.
MPC Meeting
of January 24 & 25th, 2005
Reduction of the MRR by 200 basis points, in order to reduce the cost of
private sector borrowing for productive investment;
Adoption of two weeks maintenance period for the CRR; and
Adoption of an exchange rate band of plus/minus 3.0 per cent, to sustain
exchange rate stability, anchor expectations and minimize transaction costs.