Wednesday,
March 18, 2020 / 06:14 PM / By CBN / Header Image Credit: EcoGraphics
...Meets with Bank Chiefs on March 21
...Health sector to get additional N100b
loan Boost
Two
days after it unveiled a six-point palliative to ameliorate the continued
impact of the corona virus on the Nigerian economy and supply chains round the
globe, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced its decision to increase
its intervention in boosting local manufacturing and import substitution by
another N1trillion across all critical sectors of the economy.
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This
is in addition to N100 billion in loan in 2020, to support the health
authorities to ensure laboratories, researchers and innovators work with
global scientists to patent and or produce vaccines and test kits In Nigeria to
prepare for any major crises ahead
The
CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, March 18,
2020, disclosing that the management of the CBN will meet with the Bankers' Committee on Saturday, March 21, 2020, to work out the modalities.
Mr.
Emefiele also told newsmen that an Implementation Committee that will action
the private sector contribution of N1.5trillion Infrastructure funding that
will link farming communities to markets as agreed at the recently concluded "Going for Growth" Roundtable last week will be set-up next week.
Given
the plunge in the price of oil, which dropped to $25 per barrel on Wednesday
with its attendant low accretion to oil revenue, the CBN Governor directed all
Deposit Money Banks to increase their support to the pharmaceutical and
healthcare industries to enhance local drug manufacturing, increased bed count
in hospitals across Nigeria, in funding intensive care as well as in training,
laboratory testing, equipment and Research & Development.
In
addition to the N50 billion soft loans to small businesses announced on Monday,
March 16, 2020, Emefiele said the CBN would also increase its intervention by
another N100 billion in loan in 2020, to support the health authorities to
ensure laboratories, researchers and innovators work with global
scientists to patent and or produce vaccines and test kits In Nigeria to
prepare for any major crises ahead.
According
to him, the Bank will release details of how the unveiled facilities would be
accessed and released, adding that the CBN had also set-up the Financial
Markets Situation Room to monitor global markets and advise the Bank on
adequate response.
Meanwhile,
Mr. Emefiele has advised all Deposit Money Banks and other regulated entities
in the banking industry to trigger their business continuity plans to ensure
that their staff and families are protected, and their operations remain
largely undisrupted.
He
further advised the banks to adhere strictly to the directives, advice, and
notices from the Federal Ministry of Health, National Centre for Disease
Control and other relevant government agencies on national response measures to
COVID-19.
Related Links:
- Coronanomics: Figuring Out CBN's Recent Policy Intervention
- CBN Policy Measures In Response to COVID-19 Outbreak and Spillovers
As
a way of checking possible spread of the virus, he urged the institutions to
ensure regular and appropriate sanitization of their premises and make available
in all their locations adequate sanitization materials and also to discourage
large gatherings of staff and customers.
While
pledging that the CBN will continue to monitor all developments on the COVID -
19 infection and design appropriate Monetary response to protect the
people and economy of Nigeria, Emefiele urged that Nigerians take advantage of
turning what appeared to be an adversity in the pandemic into an opportunity.

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