Obinna Chima
The manufacturing sector received a boost wednesday following an intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the settlement of the valid applications of 60-day forwards funding deals in favour of agricultural, machinery and raw materials sectors.
In all, it was gathered that forwards deals totaling $330.09 million was the total request from the various sectors in the secondary interbank market, thereby providing a boost to the manufacturing sector.
The forwards deals comprised of $177.32 million under the 60-day forward sales and $152.77 under the 90-day category.
THISDAY reported last Monday that desirous of ensuring that manufacturers get the required foreign exchange for the importation of critical raw materials as well as meeting the pent-up demand for the greenback, the CBN would sell $500 million through FX forwards to banks, for onward sales to their customers.
The move, which is also aimed at boosting economic activities in the country, was to cater to some of the FX demand of manufacturers that want to import plants and machinery, raw materials and agriculture equipment.
A top official of the CBN, who disclosed this to THISDAY has said banks were notified last week and given till noon today to send the list of FX requests from their customers in the manufacturing sector.
