Nigeria’s Banking Sector Attracts $1.47 Billion Foreign Inflows In 6 Months
Nigeria’s Banking Sector Attracts $1.47 Billion Foreign Inflows In 6 Months
The Nigerian banking sector got $1.47 billion in capital inflows in the first half of 2022, up 46.5% from the $1 billion in inflows seen in the same period of 2021 and up 109.8% from the $698.2 million received in the second half of last year.
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria indicate this (CBN). When compared to other economic sectors in Nigeria, the banking sector saw the biggest foreign input throughout the study period, accounting for 47.1% of all inflows. Following closely behind with $457.7 million and $396.7 million, respectively, were the industrial and financial sectors.
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Between January and June 2022, $3.11 billion in capital was transferred into the Nigerian economy as foreign inflows, the most of it coming in the form of foreign portfolio investments. Foreign inflows increased by 11.8% compared to the first half of last year, while they decreased by 20.7% when compared to the second half of 2021.
Nigeria’s Banking Sector Attracts $1.47 Billion Foreign Inflows In 6 Months
Capital inflows into the country recorded a significant decline in the second half of 2020, following the covid-19 pandemic, which triggered a downturn in the global economy, with investors wary of moving their monies to the African giant. However, since the second half of 2021 inflows have begun to pick up, albeit still very low compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The decline in the number of foreign inflows has caused a huge FX supply shortage in the economy, piling more pressure on the exchange rate as demand for FX has outpaced supply leading to a depreciation in the local currency in the official and parallel markets.
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Consequently, the inability to grow export earnings from oil export and the non-remittance of proceeds by the NNPC to the apex bank has caused the foreign reserve to fall further from the $40 billion threshold, currently standing at $38.9 billion.
Nigeria’s Banking Sector Leads Attracts $1.47 Billion Foreign Inflows In 6 Months
A Highlight Of Nigeria’s Foreign Inflow
- Most of the inflows into the country came in as foreign portfolio investments (FPI) at $1.71 billion in H1 2022, accounting for 55.2% of the total inflows recorded in the review period.
- A closer look at the data shows that 33.4% of the total fund was invested in money market instruments at $1.04 billion, which could include mutual funds, TBills, commercial papers amongst others.
- Others, which include loans, currency deposits, trade credits, and other claims accounted for 35.1% of the total inflows, at $1.09 billion. This is however lower than the $1.59 billion recorded in H2 2021.
- Meanwhile, foreign direct investments (FDI) which involve the purchase of interest in a company by a foreign investor accounted for only 9.7% of the total inflows into Nigeria, despite having a strategic impact on the growth of the economy. Also, FDI declined from $466.04 million recorded in H2 2021 to $302.1 million in the review period.
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Nigeria’s Banking Sector Attracts $1.47 Billion Foreign Inflows In 6 Months
A major factor that has been attributed to the decline in Nigeria’s foreign inflows is the inability of foreign investors to repatriate their earnings from the economy as a result of FX scarcity. Recall, that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) stated in June that Nigeria is withholding an estimated $450 million in revenue belonging to foreign airlines due to forex shortages.
Banking sector taking the lead
- The Nigerian banking sector overtook others as the most attractive industry for foreign investments in the first half of 2022, after attracting a sum of $1.47 billion, the highest in two years.
- The banking industry has been growing significantly in recent years, owing to the stellar performances by traditional banks as well as new entrants into the industry.
- The FinTechs have also helped spur growth in the sector, with most inflows coming through these startups either from international venture capitalist firms or angel investors. According to the Nairametrics Deals Book tracker, financial technology (FinTech) firms raised a sum of $658.4 million in funding in H1 2022 across 23 deals.
- In the same vein, other financial services firms recorded total deals worth $345.3 million across 12 deals in the same period. Traditional banking giants have also visited the international debt market to raise dollar funding in recent years.
Nigeria’s Banking Sector Attracts $1.47 Billion Foreign Inflows In 6 Months
Following a similar offering in 2017, Fidelity Bank raised $400 million through the sale of Eurobonds in 2021. Additionally, the world’s largest bank, UBA, completed the redemption of its $500 million 5-year Eurobond in June 2022, while Zenith Bank did so the month before.
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This is an indication of the credit worthiness of the Nigerian banking industry, and possible confidence for foreign investors to be willing to invest in the sector.
