Forex crisis: Declare Cashless Policy, Investment Analyst tells FG

A Finance and Investment Analyst, Adejumo Isaac, has made some suggestions on the short run win for the naira exchange rate

This is as he called on the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to declare cashless policy on forex.

This, according to the finance expert, would enable the majority of forex cash domiciled in people’s homes to automatically enter the banking system, adding that it will make forex liquidity robust for the good of the economy.

According to him, a policy pronouncement that no physical dollars, pound sterling, Euro, CAD, or any other currency other than Nigerian Naira should be seen physically with anybody in Nigeria for any transaction.

Isaac, in a statement, said: “All transactions involving use of forex should be done electronically via transfer or cheque payment that must pass through the bank account of payer and receiver.

“Give one month notice to anybody in Nigeria holding physical forex cash to deposit the same with commercial banks, thereafter, it becomes a criminal offence attracting jail terms of at least 6 months with no option of fine for anybody to hold physical forex cash for any transaction in Nigeria.

“In all fairness, dollars, pounds, Euro etc are not used to BUY petty food items or any retail items in the market that warrant exchange of physical forex cash.

“Generally, transactions that involve use of forex such as paying School fees, medical fees, importing raw materials for production, amongst others do not involve exchange of physical cash but they naturally pass through banks which is done electronically, therefore, there are no strong arguments to hold forex cash.

“By this policy, majority of forex cash domiciled in people’s home will automatically enter the banking system and this will make forex liquidity robust for the good of the economy as availability will make stability of exchange rate possible thus reduce to the barest minimum volatility and unsubstantiated cum speculative demand as well as mop up of the available forex in the country by few privileged individuals for personal gains that inflicted more pains to the citizens.

“For the long-term solution is to increase our exports, firstly from increasing crude oil production volume to at least 2mbpd to boost dollar inflow into the economy (this volume was achieved and relatively stable for a number of years between 2012-2015), secondly to promote backward integration in terms of local sourcing of raw materials for production in order to reduce imports. Ensuring petroleum products are refined in the country to save the volume of forex spent on importation of refined petroleum products which can thereafter be available for other uses.”