Nigeria
2007 Article IV Consultation: Staff Report; Staff Supplement and Statement; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Nigeria

The success of Nigeria’s reforms brings new policy challenges for preserving and building on the reform gains. The immediate challenge is to enshrine a fiscal institution that ensures that fiscal policy is consistent with macroeconomic stability. Nigeria’s integration into the global economy brings new challenges for ensuring financial stability. Monetary policy has strengthened. The balance of payments outlook is consistent with external stability. Non-oil sector growth can only be sustained with supportive macroeconomic policies and a resolution of the infrastructure gap.

Abstract

The success of Nigeria’s reforms brings new policy challenges for preserving and building on the reform gains. The immediate challenge is to enshrine a fiscal institution that ensures that fiscal policy is consistent with macroeconomic stability. Nigeria’s integration into the global economy brings new challenges for ensuring financial stability. Monetary policy has strengthened. The balance of payments outlook is consistent with external stability. Non-oil sector growth can only be sustained with supportive macroeconomic policies and a resolution of the infrastructure gap.

I. Developments and Outlook1

Nigeria’s economic performance has been strong since the 2005 Article IV discussions (Figure 1), and the immediate outlook is favorable.

Figure 1.
Figure 1.

Recent Developments

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2008, 064; 10.5089/9781451829068.002.A001

Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff estimates.

1. Economic growth has been strong and prospects are good. Non-oil sector growth is expected to stay robust at about 9 percent. Public and private demand has contributed, with the latter supported by credit growth. Risks relate to the large share of agriculture that is weather dependent. In the oil and gas sector, growth is constrained by unrest in the Niger Delta, but will benefit from the recently completed West African gas pipeline. In the medium term, the authorities anticipate a 50 percent increase in oil production from current levels. Box 1 describes revisions to the national accounts.

Nigeria: Selected Economic Indicators

(Percent of GDP, unless otherwise stated)

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff.

2. Fiscal spending has been contained during the oil boom to manage demand pressures. Unlike in past oil booms, domestic demand was contained by an oil-price-based fiscal rule and by directing revenue windfalls to an oil savings account at the central bank. Execution of the 2007 budget was mostly as projected at the fourth review of the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). The government’s medium-term fiscal strategy is consistent with macroeconomic objectives.

3. The central bank met its inflation target. Liquidity mop up, effective appreciation of the naira (including through unification of the foreign exchange market), a pick up in money demand, and easing food prices helped bring inflation to about 5½ percent on average at end-2007. Core inflation, while more variable, is also in single digits. Keeping headline inflation in single digits remains the policy goal. Supply-side developments—particularly in agriculture—will impact the headline rate.

4. Challenges in meeting monetary targets are being addressed. The reserve money program was difficult to implement owing to the large infusion of oil revenues and to weak and delayed data. Moreover, available operational instruments were limited. These issues are being addressed, and implementation has improved considerably through a Monetary Policy Implementation Committee. To improve the operation of the short-term interbank market, the central bank is using a standing facility and a daily two-way quote in the market.

5. Fiscal and external sustainability have improved. Oil proceeds were used to build savings and repay most external debt. This was complemented by Paris Club debt relief. External reserves increased steeply, boosting both investor confidence and Nigeria’s sovereign ratings, giving the private sector greater access to international financial markets.

6. Integration into global financial markets, developments in domestic markets, and improved fundamentals have resulted in a growing financial sector. Much improved domestic fundamentals, global liquidity conditions, and investors’ search for yield have drawn investor flows. In addition, remittances have risen as investment opportunities have opened up. The banking sector has taken advantage of investor interest to build further on the increase in capital that was achieved when the 89 banks in the sector were consolidated into 25 banks by end-2005.

7. The authorities’ policy program, supported by the PSI, was in accord with the Board’s conclusions at the 2005 Article IV consultation.2 Directors encouraged the authorities to continue efforts to stabilize the economy; improve public expenditure management, including through passage of fiscal responsibility legislation; restructure and better capitalize the banking system; unify the foreign exchange market; and pursue structural reforms that would improve government operations and the business environment. Significant progress has been made in these areas.

Revised National Accounts

Nigeria published revised national accounts in October 2007 (Table 6). A revised series, for 1981–2006, was made possible by new surveys that resulted in a significant upward revision of nominal non-oil GDP and some revisions to real growth estimates. Nominal GDP in 2006 is 26 percent higher than in the old series (Table 7). This means that compared with previous staff reports, ratios of economic variables, such as fiscal balances to non-oil GDP, are much lower. The share of the oil sector in 2006 GDP declines from 48 to 37 percent.

Efforts to strengthen national accounts statistics are ongoing. The compilation methodologies for sector data, including natural gas and agriculture, and the deflator are being reviewed owing to weaknesses in these areas (see Annex III). The IMF and others are providing technical assistance.

Table 1.

Nigeria: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2004–12

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.

Including the naira-denominated component.

Table 2a.

Nigeria: Consolidated Government (Cash Basis), 2004–10

(Billions of naira)

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMFstaff estimates and projections.

Includes capital contributions to joint venture projects with oil companies for power plants.

Actual cash spending

Table 2b.

Nigeria: Federal Government Budget, 2004–08

(Billions of naira)

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.

Oil revenue net of cash call payments.

Excluding transfer to the NNPC for cash call payments. Includes fuel subsidy payments to independent marketers

Table 2c.

Nigeria: Consolidated and Federal Government, 2004–10

(Percent of GDP, unless otherwise specified)

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMFstaff estimates and projections.

Excluding oil revenue, cash call payments, and cash interest payments. Projections from 2007 reflect revised nominal GDP.

Estimates domestic demand impact of fiscal stance. Defined as non-oil balance (excluding fuel subsidy) less estimated foreign content of large infrastructure projects and foreign interest.

Excluding the transfers to NNPC for cash call payments.

Table 3a.

Nigeria: Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Analytical Quarterly Balance Sheet, 2004–08

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.

CBN presents long-term liabilities in other items net.

Includes the windfall oil revenue savings by subnational governments and extrabudgetary funds.

Table 3b.

Nigeria: Monetary Survey, 2004–08

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.

Includes the windfall oil revenue savings by subnational governments and extrabudgetary funds.

y/y: year-on-year; q/q: quarter-on-quarter; s.a.: seasonally adjusted.

Table 4.

Nigeria: Financial Soundness Indicators for the Banking Sector, 2004–07

(Percent, unless otherwise indicated)

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Source: Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Included in the “core set” of financial soundness indicators. NPL - non performing loans; ROA - return on assets; ROE - return on equities.

Table 5.

Nigeria: Balance of Payments, 2004–12

(Billions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise specified)

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Sources: Nigerian authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.

Includes capital transfers.

In 2006, the prepayment of post-cutoff Paris Club debt ($0.3 billion) and the cost of the buy-back of remaining Paris Club debt ($4.3 billion).

n 2002 debt buy-back, in 2003–05 recovery of looted funds.

Nominal public sector short- and long-term debt, end of period.

In 2005 (2006) reflecting also a $7.1 billion ($7.2 billion) write-off of Paris Club debt, and in 2006, reflecting the discount ($2.7 billion) on the $7.0 billion buy-back of remaining Paris Club debt.

Percent of general government fiscal revenues