Central Bank of Nigeria Communiqué No. 70 of the Monetary Policy
Committee Meeting, May 10-11, 2010

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on 10th and 11th May, 2010 to
review domestic economic conditions during the first four months of 2010
and the challenges facing the Nigerian economy against the backdrop of
developments in the international economic and financial environments in
order to reassess the course for monetary policy for the remainder of the
year.

On the global scene, the Committee noted that the recovery in global
economic activity, which started in the second half of 2009, has evolved
better than expected although large fiscal deficits continue to pose a threat.
The recovery, which was driven largely by the unprecedented fiscal and
monetary policy stimuli undertaken in both the developed and emerging
market economies in response to the global economic slowdown, was
progressing at varying degrees across the different regions. In the advanced
economies, recovery is progressing. Among emerging and developing
economies, Asia is taking the lead although growth is solidifying in key
Latin American countries. Sub-Saharan African countries have thus far,
weathered the global crisis well, and their recoveries are expected to be
stronger than in previous global downturns.

Across the globe, real and financial activities have been mutually supportive
in their recovery. Although the money markets have stabilized, and
corporate bond and equity markets have rebounded, access to credit
remained difficult for some sectors, especially small firms and households

that lack access to the capital markets. Although, the tightening of bank
lending standards and the credit crisis appear to be bottoming out, the
resumption of credit growth in many emerging and developing countries has
been weak. In the advanced economies, eroded bank capital is likely to
remain a constraint on growth as banks continue to repair their balance
sheets. In a few advanced economies, particularly the Euro area, rising
public sector deficits and debts accumulated in the wake of the crises as part
of measures to stimulate growth, have heightened sovereign risk premia,
thereby posing additional risks to the recovery process.

The MPC observed that the domestic financial markets have recovered
remarkably faster than expected, though still fragile, and urged greater
efforts in accelerating the reforms in the different segments of the financial
system to promote financial sector stability which is critical to economic
growth. In particular, deep and liquid capital markets and strong and
effective insurance companies, pension funds and other institutional
investors are critical for establishing the balance required for the attainment
of financial system stability. While noting that financial market
inefficiencies and supervisory and regulatory failures were at the root of the
current crisis, it welcomed the relative stability that has been achieved in
most segments of the market in response to the various measures taken by
the regulatory authorities and emphasized the need for its sustenance.

The MPC also noted the continuing rebound in commodity prices,
particularly crude oil prices, which is helping to support growth in
commodity producing regions, including Nigeria. However, the inflation risk
of the rebound in energy prices appears to be mitigated by the subsisting low

levels of capacity utilization, weak private demand and well-anchored
inflation expectations.
Key Domestic Macroeconomic and Financial Developments

Output and Prices:
The Committee observed that the robust output growth recorded in 2009
continued in 2010. Provisional data from the National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS) indicates that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.68 per
cent in the first quarter of 2010, down from 7.44 per cent in the fourth
quarter of 2009, but up from the 4.50 per cent recorded in the first quarter of
2009. NBS also projected that the GDP is expected to grow by 7.24, 7.36
and 8.51 per cent in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2010,
respectively. Overall GDP growth for 2010 was projected at 7.53 per cent
which is higher than the revised estimate of 6.66 per cent recorded in 2009.
The non-oil sector is expected to remain the main driver of overall growth,
with agriculture, wholesale and retail trade, and services contributing 2.61,
2.09 and 2.14 per cent, respectively. The Committee noted that the
impressive growth forecasts reflect prospects for moderate rainfall in 2010,
which is expected to support the production of major crops across the
country, and the sustained peace in the Niger-Delta, which would boost
crude oil and natural gas production. The MPC, however, noted that at a
mere 4 percent share of GDP, the manufacturing sector needed revamping to
enhance its role in boosting growth and employment generation. In this
context, it called for appropriate sector-specific policies to drive
manufacturing growth.

The year-on-year headline inflation rose from 12.0 per cent in the last
quarter of 2009 to stabilize at 12.3 per cent in January and February 2010
and declined to 11.8 per cent in March 2010. Similarly, core inflation rose
from 9.7 percent in the last quarter of 2009 to stabilize at 10.1 per cent in
January and February 2010, before declining to 9.5 per cent in March 2010.
The downward trend in the domestic price level could be attributed to a
number of factors, including the continuing underperformance of monetary
aggregates, with the associated constrained demand, availability of food
stuff, and improvement in the supply of petroleum products, amongst others.
Notwithstanding these developments, the Committee restated its earlier
position that the threat of inflationary pressure in the near-to-medium term
remains real given the expansionary stance of the 2010 Federal Government
budget and the anticipated increase in spending usually associated with the
run-up to election across the country. In this regard, the MPC confirmed that
it will continue to monitor price developments in the months ahead with a
view to ensuring that the downside risk of inflation to growth is minimized.

Monetary, Credit and Financial Market Developments:
Provisional data showed that relative to end-December 2009, broad money
(M2) grew by 2.3 per cent at end-March 2010, which, when annualized
represented a growth of 9.02 per cent, compared to the indicative growth
target of 29.26 per cent for 2010. Reserve money (RM), which stood at
N1,668.50 billion at end-December 2009, declined to N1,574.33 billion and
N 1,636.60 billion in January and February 2010, respectively, but rose to N
1, 782.21 billion in March 2010. As at April 27, 2010, the RM level of N1,
497.1 billion was below the provisional 2010 second quarter indicative
benchmark of N1, 872.80 billion by N375.52 billion or 20.06 per cent.

Available data showed that in March 2010, aggregate domestic credit (net)
grew by 6.1 per cent over the December 2009 level, and by 24.5 per cent
when annualized, which is far below the 2010 indicative target of 55.54 per
cent. Credit to government (net), which grew by 28.4 per cent (or 113.6 per
cent on annualized basis), was the major contributor to the growth in
aggregate credit (net) in March 2010, as credit to the private sector declined,
by 1.7 per cent ( or 6.8 per cent on annualized basis). The annualized
growth rate of credit to the private sector of -6.8 per cent was far below the
provisional growth benchmark of 31.54 per cent for 2010. The substantial
growth of credit to government (net) reflects the risk aversion of the DMBs
to lending to non-government borrowers, implying the crowding out of
private sector credit.

During the first four months of 2010, the downward trend in interest rates in
the domestic money market, which began in July 2009, following the Bank’s
decision to guarantee interbank transactions, continued. The low rates
provide ample evidence of sufficient liquidity and restored confidence in the
money market. The weighted average interbank call rate, which was 2.89 per
cent as at end-December 2009, declined to 2.48, 2.17, and 1.50 per cent in
January, February and March 2010, respectively. The downward trend
continued to 1.27 per cent on April 30, 2010. Similarly, the securitized
open-buy-back (OBB) rate, which was 2.64 per cent at end-December 2009,
declined to 2.46, 2.20, and 1.31 per cent in January, February and March
2010, respectively. The rate further declined to 1.11 per cent on April 30,
2010, compared with the monetary policy rate (MPR) of 6.00 per cent and
Standing Deposit Facility rate of 1.0 per cent.

The falling interbank rates appear to reflect marginally on the DMBs’
lending rates. The retail lending rates have started declining albeit by far
lower magnitudes than the decline in inter bank rates. The average
maximum lending rate dropped to 22.88 percent in March 2010 from 23.32
and 23.18 per cent in February and January 2010, respectively. The rate was
23.45 per cent in December 2009. Also, the average prime lending rate
dropped to 18.06 per cent in March 2010 from 18.28 and 18.38 per cent in
February and January 2010, respectively. In December 2009 the rate was
19.03 per cent. Similarly, the weighted average savings rate dropped to 3.20
per cent in March 2010, from 3.33 per cent in January 2010 and 3.38 percent
in February. As at end-December 2009, the average savings rate stood at
3.36 per cent. The consolidated deposit rates declined to 3.88 percent in
March 2010, down from 5.44 per cent in February and 6.13 percent in
January 2010. As at end-December 2009, the consolidated rate was 6.13 per
cent. Despite the decline in deposit rates, the spread between the average
maximum lending rate and the consolidated deposit rate widened to 18.99
percentage points in March 2010, up from 17.88, 17.05 and 17.34
percentage points in February and January, 2010, and December 2009,
respectively. The Committee noted that the key policy challenges remain the
negative growth in credit to the private sector, and subsisting high lending
rates in the face of declining inter-bank rates and relative liquidity surfeit in
the banking system.

Compared to the last quarter of 2009, the Nigerian capital market is
recovering. The All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 27.0 per cent from
20,827.17 as at end-December 2009 to 26,453.20 on 30th April, 2010.

Market Capitalization (MC) also increased, by 28.3 per cent, from N4.98
trillion at end-December 2009 to N6.39 trillion over the same period. The
number of deals, volume and value of shares traded increased by 58.1, 87.7
and 216.0 per cent, respectively, during the review period. The increase in
ASI and MC was partly due to share price increases in the Banking, Food &
Beverage and Oil/Gas sectors.

The Committee welcomed the continuing improvement in the stock market,
and noted the potentials for further recovery with the passage of the Asset
Management Corporation (AMCON) Bill. It, however, emphasized that the
recovery of the capital market does not necessarily translate to economic
recovery as the reforms initiated in other sectors of the economy needed to
be carried through to complement financial sector reforms in order to grow
the economy. The Committee would, however, continue to monitor the
recovery of the capital market to ensure that a bubble is not once again being
formed.

External Sector Developments:
The foreign exchange market remained relatively stable in the first four
months of 2010. At the WDAS, the review period opened with an exchange
rate of N149.08/US$1 and closed at N150.10/US$1, with an average closing
rate of N149.92/US$1 for the period. When compared with the average
closing rate of N147.36/US$1 recorded in April 2009, this represented a
depreciation of N2.56 (0.017 per cent). The average exchange rate
depreciated at the inter-bank market from N150.35/$ in the fourth quarter of
2009 to N150.80/$ in April 2010. The premium between the average WDAS
closing rate of N149.94/US$1 and the average selling rate of N150.80/US$1

at the inter-bank foreign exchange market widened to N0.86/US$1 (0.57 per
cent), from N0.51/US$1 (0.35 per cent) recorded in the first quarter of 2009,
while that between the WDAS average exchange rate and the BDCs rate
narrowed to N2.53/US$1 (1.69 per cent), from N13.61/US$1 (9.27 per cent)
in the first four months of 2009.

The Committee observed that the naira exchange rate has remained stable in
all segments of the market during the review period, reflecting increased
confidence in the Naira and the efficacy of the current exchange rate policy
stance of liberalizing the foreign exchange market which has enhanced
foreign exchange supply from autonomous sources. It believes that the
relative stability in the foreign exchange market is likely to be sustained in
the near term. The Committee will, however, continue to monitor
developments in the market to ensure that measures are taken to eliminate
speculative demand and volatility in the market.

The gross external reserves stood at US$40.31 billion as at 30th April, 2010,
representing a marginal decrease of US$0.37 billion or 0.91 per cent relative
to the level of US$40.68 billion as at 31st March 2010. The MPC noted that
although the level of external reserves were sufficient to finance 17 months
of current imports, which is well above the internationally recommended
benchmark of 3-months import cover, it believed that with the rising price of
crude oil in the international market in recent months, coupled with the
improvement in output with peace in the Niger Delta, there is likely to be an
accretion in the level of foreign exchange reserves in the near term.

The Committee’s Considerations
The key concerns for policy in this era of global recovery were identified as
follows:
1. Ensuring that the growing risk of fiscal deficit accumulated in the
wake of the abating global financial and economic crises does not
endanger the stability of financial markets. In most of the affected
countries, the huge fiscal deficits arose not only from increased
spending but also from reduced revenues, thus suggesting the need for
greater focus on revenue generation in the finances of government.

2. Monitoring imbalances in capital flows across industrial and emerging
markets resulting in different rates of recovery. This is to ensure that
inflows of capital into the country are sustainable and thus avoid
formation of asset price bubbles.
3. The continuing global credit crunch despite unprecedented measures
taken by central banks to inject liquidity in troubled financial
institutions/markets. This underscores the need for focus on both
supply side (monetary) and demand side (fiscal factors) in unlocking
the credit markets.

With regards to the continuing credit crunch, the MPC reemphasized that
credit growth is a function of demand and supply factors. As the Central
Bank is working to improve the supply side through the various reform
measures to strengthen the DMBs’ balance sheets, remove toxic assets, and
generally repair the banking system to promote the flow of credit, the
demand side would necessarily require critical reforms in the real sector,
particularly power, energy, and key infrastructure to reduce the cost of doing
business and improve investment climate to generate bankable projects.
The MPC noted with satisfaction that, overall, the Bank has achieved its
mandate of price and financial stability, as reflected in relatively stable
exchange rates, interest rates and moderating inflation. By the time the

AMCON Bill is harmonized and finally passed by the National Assembly
and implemented, the repair of banks’ balance sheets would unlock the flow
of credits to the real economy. In this regard, the MPC enjoins other
stakeholders in government to undertake complementary measures to enable
economic agents translate the stable macroeconomic environment into
economic growth and development.
Overall, the Committee decided that there is a need to maintain and extend
the focus on stability and avoid decision that may cause disruption. In view
of the inflation outlook in the short-term, it was felt that the reversal of
accommodative monetary stance at this time would be premature.
The Committee however, noted that in the next quarter monetary expansion
may be driven by increased government spending, the purchase of toxic
assets by the AMCON and recapitalization of distressed banks. These
expansions may translate into the risk of higher inflation, asset price bubbles
or pressure on exchange rate and foreign reserves. The next MPC in July
will assess these risks and take appropriate actions.
Decisions
In the light of the above, the MPC decided as follows:

1. Leave the MPR unchanged at 6.0 per cent.

2. Retain the asymmetric corridor of interest rates at 200 basis points
above the MPR and 500 basis points below the MPR for the Standing
Lending Facility and Standing Deposit Facility, respectively

3. Extend the CBN guarantee for all interbank transactions and foreign
credit lines as well as pension funds’ placements with banks from
December 31, 2010 to June 30, 2011. This is to provide ample time
for the conclusion of the banking sector resolution and the publication

of audited accounts for the period up to December 2010. It is
expected that by June 2011 all creditors and investors will have
sufficient information to take an independent view of the risk of
individual counterparties.


Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
Governor,
Central Bank of Nigeria
Abuja

May 12, 2010