Featured
Nigeria Diaspora Remittances Decline By 27.7% To $16.8bn, World Bank Confirms
Remittances by Nigerians in the Diaspora declined by 27.7 per cent in 2020, the World Bank has confirmed.
A report by the World Bank titled, ‘Defying Predictions, Remittance Flows Remain Strong During Covid-19 Crisis’, said Nigeria contributed 40 per cent of the remittances into Sub-Saharan Africa.
It put remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa at $42billion. Forty per cent contribution of Nigeria to this means that remittances to Nigeria was $16.8billion in 2020.
A decline of 27.7 per cent also put remittances into the country in 2019 at $21.45billion.
The report said remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa declined by an estimated 12.5 per cent due to a decline in the remittances to Nigeria that contributes the largest amount in the region.
Nigeria has been having foreign exchange crisis resulting from decline in earnings from crude oil sale.
Diaspora remittances are the second major source of foreign exchange for the country.
Drying forex remittances recently pushed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to offer an incentive of N5 for every dollar remitted through official channels.
Differing exchange rates often push Nigerians in the Diaspora to explore alternative ways of remitting money into the country so that they can enjoy higher value.
The report stated that the decline in flows to Sub-Saharan Africa was almost entirely due to a 27.7 per cent decline in remittance flows to Nigeria.
Excluding flows to Nigeria, it stated, remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa increased by 2.3 per cent, demonstrating resilience.
Part of the report read, “Remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa declined by an estimated 12.5 per cent in 2020 to $42billion.
“The decline was almost entirely due to a 27.7 per cent decline in remittance flows to Nigeria, which alone accounted for over 40 per cent of remittance flows to the region.
“Excluding Nigeria, remittance flows to Sub-Saharan African increased by 2.3 per cent.
“Remittance growth was reported in Zambia (37 per cent), Mozambique (16 per cent), Kenya (nine per cent) and Ghana (five per cent).”
The report said, in 2021, remittance flows to the region were projected to rise by 2.6 per cent, supported by improving prospects for growth in high-income countries.
Data on remittance flows to Sub-Saharan Africa were sparse and of uneven quality, with some countries still using the outdated fourth IMF balance of payments manual, rather than the sixth, while several other countries did not report data at all, it stated.
The World Bank said that high-frequency phone surveys in some countries reported decreases in remittances for a large percentage of households even while recorded remittances reported by official sources report increased in flows.
The shift from informal to formal channels due to the closure of borders explained in part the increase in the volume of remittances recorded by central banks, it stated.
On the remittance costs for Sub-Saharan Africa, the report said it remained the most expensive region to send money to, where sending $200 costs an average of 8.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020.
“Within the region, which experiences high intra-regional migration, it is expensive to send money from South Africa to Botswana (19.6 per cent), Zimbabwe (14 per cent), and to Malawi (16 per cent),” it stated.
The report said the relatively strong performance of remittance flows during the Covid-19 crisis had also highlighted the importance of timely availability of data.
Given its growing significance as a source of external financing for low and middle-income countries, there was a need for better collection of data on remittances in terms of frequency, timely reporting, and granularity by corridor and channel.
It stated that the lead author of the report on ‘migration and remittances’ and Head of KNOMAD, Dilip Ratha, said, “The resilience of remittance flows is remarkable. Remittances are helping to meet families’ increased need for livelihood support.
“They can no longer be treated as small change. The World Bank has been monitoring migration and remittance flows for nearly two decades, and we are working with governments and partners to produce timely data and make remittance flows even more productive.”
Despite Covid-19, remittance flows remained resilient in 2020, registering a smaller decline than previously projected.
Officially, recorded remittance flows to low and middle-income countries reached $540billion in 2020, just 1.6 per cent below the 2019 total of $548billion, according to the latest migration and development brief, the World Bank stated.
It said that in spite of Covid-19, remittance flows remained resilient in 2020, registering a smaller decline than previously projected.
“The decline in recorded remittance flows in 2020 was smaller than the one during the 2009 global financial crisis at 4.8 per cent.
“It was also far lower than the fall in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to low-and middle-income countries, which, excluding flows to China, fell by over 30 per cent in 2020.
“As a result, remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries surpassed the sum of FDI of $259billion and overseas development assistance of $179billion in 2020.”
The brief said that the main drivers for the steady flow included fiscal stimulus that resulted in better-than-expected economic conditions in host countries and a shift in flows from cash to digital and from informal to formal channels.
It added that cyclical movements in oil prices and currency exchange rates were also responsible.
The ‘Migration and Development Brief’, released in Washington D.C., provides updates on global trends in migration and remittances.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that peace has prevailed because he draws strength from God to resist insults and tantrums thrown at him while frustrating attempts by some disgruntled persons who wanted to plunge the State into unending crisis.
The Governor also said that because he has anchored his Government on promoting peace, the enabling atmosphere has been provided for investments and sustainable development to flourish.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received a delegation of members of the Bishops and Gospel Ministers’ Association International Incorporated, Rivers State Chapter, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara said while most people took his meekness for weakness, his stance on peace has unarguably enhanced harmonious atmosphere of concord as residents sleep with their two eyes closed, and investors and shareholders are happy with the returns on investment.
He said, “Before, what they hear of Rivers State is that they are fighting, and some genuine investors will not come. Some people even ask you: How are you coping in Rivers State?
“But now”, he asserted: “The Governor has brought about a lot of changes in the State. One of the most important things is that he has changed the negative narrative. It is no longer Rivers of blood. It is now Rivers of peace.
“We are enjoying our lives here. Why? Because there is a change in the narrative. We have peace. The Governor is, as much as possible, absorbing any level of insult at him only for one purpose: that Rivers State may have peace; that we may grow; that this state will experience genuine development.”
Governor Fubara urged them, as members of the Christian family in the State, to continue to pray for the State and the Government so that the enemies of the State will be put to greater shame.
“This peace is what I want you to embrace. Go and continue to pray, because when the sower of the seed went and sowed, the enemy went in the night and sowed tares inside there. But the Governor is sowing peace.
“When I listened to the leader of the team, His Grace Eddy Ogbonda, he said you came all the way from Eleme Junction, and stopped at major junctions, and you uttered prayers for the peace of Rivers State.”
He also said: “I, hereby want to thank you for identifying with the Governor at a time like this. At a time when it looks as if someone wants the Governor’s peace posture misunderstood as weakness.
“When someone has the strength to fight back, but refuses to fight back. That is a bigger strength; that power of restrain does not just come, it can only come from God.
“You cannot give peace, if you do not have peace within you. The Governor is not interested in any form of trouble or violence. What he is interested in is known, and it is: let there be peace in Rivers State,” he said.
In his address, leader of the group, Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda, said they had observed a week-long intensive prayers that culminated into a peace rally, which brought them to Government House, and assured the Governor that God will continue to give him victory over his adversaries while preserving Rivers State.
“It is Rivers State Prophetic Prayer Convocation and Rally 2024 with the theme: ‘Peace be still’. Of a truth, everyone of us understands that we live in a time when we need peace much more than any other thing.
“Rivers State needs peace. Everyone as individuals need peace. The country needs peace, and the world at large needs peace. So, we are here to do a peace march. We pray that God will command His peace to reign in Rivers State,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that hotels, schools, and other establishments that accept payments in dollars from their customers are at risk of facing arrest.
The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, said this in the agency’s publication called EFCC Alert on Monday, adding that action would be taken against individuals involved in the dollarisation of the economy.
According to him, the exception is if foreigners come in to transact business and the only means of transacting is their credit card and dollar but to charge local customers in dollars or other foreign currencies would no longer be allowed.
He said charging local activities and customers in dollars is against Nigeria’s constitution.
The EFCC chairman said, “Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.
“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not? You will get that.
“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.
“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also affected some arrests.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has enjoined Muslim faithful to remain steadfast to the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.
Governor Fubara stated this in his message of felicitations to Muslims as they celebrate the 2024 Eid-el-Fitr Sallah, which marks the end of the one-month Ramadan fasting.
The Governor emphasised the importance for Muslims to also uphold the tenets of Islam by exhibiting the fear of God and showing piety in their daily work.
Governor Fubara said, “We must all continue in the good attributes imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan as directed by God through His Prophet, so as to ensure peace, unity and harmony in the society for a better future.”
While praying that the essence of the festival offers them happiness, peace and prosperity in all aspects of life, Governor Fubara said he recognises and appreciates the critical role that the Muslim community continues to play in the development of Rivers State, and indeed, Nigeria at large.
Governor Fubara charged them to remain unwavering and steadfast in their commitment and positive contributions to advance the development of the State and the country.
“I enjoin you all in the State to remain calm, be patient and continue to do what is right,” the Governor added.
He wished the Muslim faithful in the State and across the country a happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
-
Sports3 days ago
Nigeria’s Onakoya Sets New Chess Record
-
Niger Delta3 days agoA’Ibom Plans 486 Rural Road Repairs To Boost Agric
-
Maritime3 days agoNigeria Records 3,310 Boat Mishaps In 10 Years
-
News3 days agoEFCC, Experts Warn Nigerians To Guard Against Cyber Crimes
-
Opinion3 days ago
Agriculture: Solution To Hunger, Inflation, Food Insecurity
-
News3 days ago
Pan-Igbo Group Hails Dangote Group For Reducing Diesel Price
-
Sports3 days ago
Minister Renews Hope For Sports Dev, Signs MoU
-
Rivers3 days agoBayelsa LG Polls: BYSIEC Issues Return Certificates To Chairmen, Others