Nigeria

Government and institution measures in response to COVID-19.

Return to homepage | Last updated: 28 October, 2020

General Information

The Central Bank of Nigeria has set out a number of measures to tackle the impact of the coronavirus, including establishing a fund to support the country's economy (of 50 billion naira; i.e. EUR 121 million), targeted at households and micro and small enterprises. The interest rate has also been cut, a moratorium has been announced on principal repayments for CBN intervention facilities and tax measures are being taken.

Economic stimulus measures

(e.g. loans, moratorium on debt repayments…)

Monetary Policy

On 16 March, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced new measures:
- A 1 year extension of a moratorium on principal repayments for CBN intervention facilities;
- The reduction of the interest rate on intervention loans from 9 percent to 5 percent;
- Strengthening of the Loan to Deposit ratio policy (i.e. stepped up enforcement of directive to extend more credit to the private sector)
- Creation of NGN50 billion target credit facility for affected households and small and medium enterprises
- Granting regulatory forbearance to banks to restructure terms of facilities in affected sectors
- Improving FX supply to the CBN by directing oil companies and oil servicing companies to sell FX to the CBN rather than the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
- Additional NGN100 billion intervention fund in healthcare loans to pharmaceutical companies and healthcare practitioners intending to expand/build capacity
- Identification of few key local pharmaceutical companies that will be granted funding facilities to support the procurement of raw materials and equipment required to boost local drug production.

N1 trillion in loans to boost local manufacturing and production across critical sectors.
The CBN has adopted a unified exchange rate system for Inter-Bank and parallel market rates to ease pressure on FOREX earnings as oil prices continues to plummet.
CBN adopts the official rate of NGN360 to a dollar for International Money Transfer Operators rate to banks.
For on-lending facilities financial institutions have been directed to engage International development partners and negotiate concessions to ease the pains of the borrowers.
Provision of credit assistance for the health industry to meet the potential increase in demand for health services and products "by facilitating borrowing conditions for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and practitioners".

Fiscal Policy

The crude oil benchmark price was also reduced from USD 57 to USD 30.
The Central Bank pledged to pump NGN 1.1 trillion (USD 3 billion) into critical sectors of the economy.
Commencement of a three month repayment moratorium for all TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni loans
Similar moratorium to be given to all Federal Government funded loans issued by the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the Nigeria Export-Import Bank.

Customs Measures

Export of mask

Some restrictions on exportation of masks have been implemented.

Other measures

Authorities are considering a wide range of COVID-19 support measures, including reductions of customs duty and customs audits but such measures are not officially announced
No changes to Customs requirements as at 31 March 2020.

Payment facilities

Extension of filing due date for Value Added Tax (VAT) from the 21st day to the last working day of the month, following the month of deduction.

Other measures and sources

Fiscal Policy

The Federal Government revises planned spending in the 2020 budget with an increase of about ₦0.23 trillion in expenditure and a 31% decrease in revenue.

Suspension of new electricity tariffs:

On April 1st, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) suspended the payment of the new electricity tariffs scheduled to commence on 2 April, citing poor electricity supply, wide metering gap and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Assembly recently postponed the effective date of the new tariff to the first quarter of 2021.
On October 11, NERC suspended the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2020 for the Electricity Distribution Licensees for 2 weeks.

NIS payment waiver for visitors affected by travel ban.

On 16 April, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced the grant of payment waiver to visitors / migrants affected by the travel ban and the closure of international airports. Affected persons are expected to reschedule their flights and travel within a week of the suspension of the restriction.
Lagos State Government reverts annual land use charges to pre-2018 rates.

Taxpayers in Nigeria need to consider the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on their businesses and in particular the expected increase in debt default rates, cancellations of contracts or “no-shows”.

Main sources of information:

Nigeria: Tax relief, responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Nigeria introduces tax and economic measures in response to COVID-19 pandemic
National Assembly
Central Bank of Nigeria
Federal Ministry of Information and Culture
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission
FIRS Notice on Filing - Updates in light of Covid-19 - published March 2020
Nigeria Security Exchange (PDF 666 KB)
Nigerian Immigration Service
COVID-19: Delta waives interest, penalties on tax

Recovery Plan Overview

Recovery plan : Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (Bouncing Back)
Budget : ₦2.3 Trillion
Announcement : Approved by the Federal Executive Council on 24 June 2020
Main orientations : Fiscal & Monetary, Real Sector and Implementation.

Main measures

General Objectives

Prevent business collapse and ensure liquidity
Use of labour intensive methods to retain or create jobs in key economic areas
undertake jobs that enhance growth and create infrastructural investments in roads, bridges, solar power, and communications technologies
Promote manufacturing and local productions at all levels and curb unnecessary demand for foreign exchange to stem the pressure on exchange rate
Protect the very poor and most vulnerable through pro-poor spending

Key measures – Real sector

₦634.98bn for the creation of 5 million jobs in the agricultural sector while boosting agricultural production and guaranteeing food security.
₦317.29bn for mass housing strategy divided into two tracks. Track 1 will involves building of 300,000 homes across the country while Track 2 will leverage existing institutions to build additional 25,515 affordable homes across the country in 12 months.
₦240bn to create 250,000 jobs in the energy sector while providing solar power to 5 million households by 2023.
₦50bn for direct labour in National Infrastructure Projects to create jobs for youths in relevant priority sectors.
Launch of programme to create jobs in digital outsourcing.
₦90bn for the launch a national programme to promote domestic use of CNG and support the creation of 1 million jobs.
₦23.4bn to support the creation of 1 million jobs through the conversion of 30 million homes from dirty fuels (kerosene, charcoal and diesel) to LPG and achieve emissions reduction in greenhouses gases while also applying LPG in other sectors such as agriculture, power generation, transport, industry and technology.
₦15bn to sustain 300,000 jobs in 100,000 MSMEs by guaranteeing off-take of identified priority products.
₦260bn to establish the SME Survival Fund to sustain at least 500,000 jobs in 50,000 SMEs for 3 months.
₦350bn to support the creation jobs in priority sectors using BOI, NEXIM and other national development banks as fulcrums.
₦60bn to create 296,000 jobs in the construction and rehabilitation of roads in the 6 geo-political zones of the country through to use of local resources.
₦198.94bn to develop a robust health system with the capacity to withstand shocks.
₦10.29bn to fast-track the implementation of the National Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene programme.
₦87.06bn to Increase support to vulnerable individuals and households in the context of COVID-19.
₦27bn to save existing aviation industry organisations and jobs, through a targeted stimulus package and fast track the establishment of a private sector driven national carrier.
₦144.12bn for the establishment of an economically viable Science and Innovation ecosystem in Nigeria.
₦2.39bn to strengthen the national capacity to manage immigration, correctional facilities and public safety post-COVID-19.
₦6bn to establish a programme to organise artisanal miners and develop the mineral value-chain in 6 geo-political zones.
₦15bn to fast-track the implementation of the National Digital Switch Over Programme.

Sectors/Industries/Areas affected

Agriculture, Housing, Energy, Youth & Women Development, Technology, Infrastructure/ Construction, MSMEs, Health, Aviation, Science and Technology, Immigration, Mining, Sanitation and Utility, Security and Digital.

Key Measures – Fiscal & Monetary Sector

Mobilise resources to stimulate the economy and fund projects in the Economic Sustainability Plan.
Fiscal measures to safeguard oil revenues
Fiscal measures to mobilise and preserve non-oil revenue by maximizing government revenues and optimising expenditures
Fiscal measures to reduce non-essential spending by streamlining all government expenditure and eliminating non-essential items
Support the economy using monetary measures.
Mobilise external funding and seek debt relief.
Support financial viability of States.
Secure appropriate legislative basis for actions to achieve economic sustainability.