By Chris Agabi
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in its bid to clear the backlog of outstanding foreign exchange liabilities, has paid approximately $2.0 billion across various sectors, including manufacturing, aviation, and petroleum.
The Bank has also cleared up the entire liability of 14 banks and started settlements with foreign airlines.
The CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, in a statement.
She explained that the Bank had commissioned an independent forensic review by a reputable firm. She also disclosed that payment of the forex backlog for qualified transactions had commenced.
She, however, noted that the review revealed grave infractions, gross abuse, and significant non-compliance with market regulations, and appropriate sanctions would be enforced in collaboration with relevant agencies.
Mrs. Sidi Ali stressed the CBN’s resolve to sanitize the financial services sector and foster trust among all market participants, as well as internal and external stakeholders, in the Nigerian economy. Nevertheless, she said the CBN will continue to settle the legitimate foreign exchange backlog as it has consistently been doing in the last three months.
