By Steve Agbota
The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), an economic think tank, has advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to review its ban on some of the over 41 items, which prevent importers from accessing foreign exchange to bring them into the country.
The CPPE which stated this in its economic and business environment review for 2021 and agenda for 2022, said there was a need for the CBN to review its foreign exchange policy in 2022 with a view to improving dollar liquidity in order to rescue the ailing naira and help industries grow.
The CPPE added that there is also a need for the CBN to engage stakeholders, as its current forex policy regime is negatively affecting investors, manufacturers and other stakeholders.
“In the bid to reduce the pressure on foreign reserves, the CBN had excluded over 41 items from access to foreign exchange in the official window.
“Some of the products on this list are intermediate products for some manufacturing firms which have negatively impacted some manufacturers. It would be advisable for the CBN to have a robust engagement with the stakeholders to review this list in the New Year,” the CPPE said. The CPPE said the CBN should adopt a flexible exchange rate policy regime, and allow the pricing mechanisms to reflect the demand and supply fundamentals in the foreign exchange market.
“Our proposition is that we should adopt a flexible exchange rate policy regime. We would like to clarify that this is not a devaluation proposition.