Interbank rate drops to 3.5 percent

Nigeria’s overnight interbank rate eased on Friday to around 3.5 percent from 5 percent last week, even though liquidity in the system fell as banks set aside cash for reserves and to pay interest on deposits.

 

Traders said liquidity dropped from around 564.35 billion naira ($2.84 billion) last week to about 401.7 billion naira on Friday due to premium payments to the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and cash reserves ratio (CRR) debits on Thursday.

 

This is the second consecutive week that the interbank rate has dropped, even though the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate from 11 to 12 percent last month, and the cash reserve ratio for commercial banks to 22.5 percent from 20 percent, to try to curb inflation.

 

Traders said rates are seen at the same level next week because treasury bills worth about 91 billion naira are due to mature on Thursday and unused cash deposited for foreign exchange purchases will be refunded.

Credit: Reuters.com

Ripples Nigeria…without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now