CBN disburses N253 billion to families and small businesses. » Voice of Nigeria
As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Nigeria has released N253 billion to 548,345 recipients.
The beneficiaries included 470,969 households and 77,376 Small and Medium Enterprises, according to the acting Director Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi, who revealed this on Thursday at the bank’s special day at the ongoing 42nd Kaduna International Trade Fair.
Nwanisobi, who was represented by Ahmed Mohammed Wali, Branch Controller, Kaduna, said the bank reduced the interest rate on CBN intervention loans from 9% to 5% to encourage more lending, and that the NIRSAL microfinance bank initially created a N150 billion Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) for affected households and SME’s.
“Approximately 29,026 beneficiaries have accessed N111.7 billion through the Agri-business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme,” he explained (AGSMEIS). So far, 7,057 beneficiaries have benefited from the National Youth Investment Fund, including 4,411 individuals and 2,646 SMEs. The Creativity Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI) has also granted financial facilities to 341 people working in the film, television, music, and software development industries. ”
As of April 2020, approximately 3.1 million farmers had benefited from the anchor borrowers scheme, according to Nwanisobi.
“The Anchor Borrowers Programme was able to give intervention facilities to 3,107,949 small holder farmers who planted 3.8 million hectares of land,” he explained.
“As a result, we encourage Nigerians, particularly women and youths, to participate in our array of intervention programs and take advantage of schemes such as the ABP; Targeted Credit Facility (TCF); Commodity Development Initiative (CDI); Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI); Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Facility (MSMEDF); and the Agric-business/Small and Medium Enterprises Development Facility (MSMEDF); and the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Facility (MSMED
According to the director, the CBN would continue to intervene in vital economic sectors including as agriculture, manufacturing, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), infrastructure, creative industries, and health to support the country’s robust economic growth and development.
He went on to say that the central bank was collaborating with the fiscal authority to improve the investment climate in order to attract foreign direct investment.
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