From Uche Usim, Abuja
Twenty-eight local firms have received a loan of N23.2 billion under the 100 for 100 policy on production and productivity; an intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) designed to stimulate investments in Nigeria’s priority sectors.
The N23.2 billion was pooled by seven commercial banks in order to ultimately address the nation’s unemployment nightmare by providing diverse jobs and boosting export in agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, extractive industries, logistics services, trade-related infrastructure and renewable energy.
Speaking at the formal launch of the 100 for 100 policy on production and productivity in Abuja on Monday, the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, explained that under the new initiative, manufacturers in critical sectors that seek to engage in greenfield projects or in expanding their existing facilities would have access to cheaper forms of credit at single digit rates, as well as foreign exchange to procure plants and machineries every 100 days.
“Specifically, for this first cycle of the initiative ending today, 243 applications valued at N321.06 billion, spread over key sectors such as agriculture, energy, healthcare, manufacturing and services sectors were submitted on the portal. After much engagement, 79 applications were received from banks, valued at N121.87 billion, for projects in six sectors, namely agriculture, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, and services sectors. The requests were carefully screened and scrutinised against a set-out selection criteria, which is categorised into: production efficiency and scalability; local content capacity; job creation and human capital development; operating sector relevance; and potential contribution to economic growth.
“For those seeking to invest in new greenfield or existing brownfield projects, the bank will continue to provide all the needed support, both in Naira and dollars specifically for the importation of plants and equipment to actualise these investments. It is pertinent to point out that the foreign exchange support will be solely for the importation of spares, plants and equipment needed to increase production capacities of these companies. Let me emphasise that our mission through this initiative is to ensure that priority is accorded to companies who display verifiable progress in our imports substitution and job creation drive.
Consequently, we would soon unveil a new FX bidding regime that is market- driven and supports companies that accord utmost priority for our local production and job creation drive”, he explained.
Emefiele listed other intervention programmes of CBN to include; N1 trillion Real Sector Facility (RSF), Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF), Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS), Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility (NESF), and Textile Sector Intervention Facility (TSIF).
“Under the N1 trillion Real Sector Facility, the Bank has released a total of N1.40 trillion to 331 real sector projects in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and services sectors…”