International Operations

FX Structure | FX Mgt Before Now. | FX Mkt | Debt Conversion | Exchange Rate Policy | Movement in Reserves | International Payments | Reserve Management

Foreign Exchange Management Before 1986

Before 1986, importers and exporters of non-oil commodities were required to get appropriate licences from the Federal Ministry of Commerce before they could participate in the foreign exchange market. Generally, import procedures followed the international standard of opening of letters of credit (L/Cs) and subsequent confirmation by correspondent banks abroad. The use of Form 'M' was introduced in 1979 when the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) was put in place to guard against sharp import practices. The authorization of foreign exchange disbursement was a shared responsibility between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the CBN. The Federal Ministry of Finance had responsibility for public sector applications, while the Bank allocated foreign exchange in respect of private sector applications.
Increased emphasis was placed on export promotion as a means of reducing pressure on the external sector. The government introduced a number of incentives to boost non-oil exports. These included arrangements for setting up export free zones, concessions to exporters to retain 25 per cent of their export proceeds, the liberalisation of export and import licensing procedures and the provision for the establishment of an export credit guarantee and insurance scheme. Exchange control was discarded on September 26, 1986 in order to evolve an exchange rate mechanism that would better reflect the underlining macroeconomic realities.

Foreign Exchange Management Since 1986

The Second-tier Foreign Exchange Market (SFEM) came into being on September 26, 1986 when the determination of the Naira exchange rate was made to reflect market forces. The modalities for the management of the Foreign Exchange Market have changed substantially since the introduction of SFEM, in line with the principles of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which emphasise the market-oriented approach to price determination.

Within the basic framework of market determination of the Naira exchange rate, various methods were applied and some adjustments carried out to fine-tune the system. A transitory dual exchange rate system (first and second-tier) was adopted in September, 1986. On 2nd July 1987, the first and second-tier markets were merged into an enlarged Foreign Exchange Market (FEM). Various pricing methods, such as marginal, weighted average and Dutch system, were adopted. With the introduction of the SFEM, the Federal Ministry of Finance had its allocative powers transferred to the CBN, but it retained approving powers on public sector transactions.

The constant fine-tuning of the market culminated in the complete floating of the naira on March 5, 1992 when the system of pre-determined quotas was discontinued. The unabating pressure on the foreign exchange market resulted in the policy reversal in 1994. The reversal of policy in 1995 to that of "guided deregulation" necessitated the institution of the Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (AFEM). Apart from the institution of an appropriate mechanism for exchange rate determination, other measures increasingly applied in managing Nigeria's foreign exchange resources included demand management and supply side policies. The CBN and the government have actively fostered the development of institutions such as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) in the drive to earn more foreign exchange.

The AFEM metamorphosed into a daily, two-way quote Inter-Bank Foreign Exchange Market (IFEM) on October 25, 1999. The IFEM is expected to broaden and deepen the foreign exchange market on daily basis and discourage speculative activities.

The Exchange Rate Management

Exchange Rate Policy in Nigeria in Nigeria
The main objectives of exchange rate policy in Nigeria are to preserve the value of the domestic currency, maintain a favourable external reserves position and ensure external balance without compromising the need for internal balance and the overall goal of macroeconomic stability.

Exchange Rate Movement
The average AFEM intervention rate which closed at 82.33 to a dollar in 1995 appreciated to 81.48 per dollar in 1996. The rate depreciated continuously to 81.98, 84.84 and 91.83 in 1997, 1998 and 1999 respectively. The rates in the bureaux de change showed similar trend. At the bureaux de change, the rate closed at 83.69 to a dollar in 1995, appreciated to 83.15 per dollar in 1996 before depreciating continuously to 99.26 per dollar in 1999. The parallel market premium moved from 1.6 per cent in 1996 to 3.2 per cent in 1999. Meanwhile, the market determined exchange rate at the IFEM has remained within the pre-determined fluctuation bands.