“Our balance sheet relative to GDP is slightly lower than China and US” – Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele has stated that There is no cause for concern or worry over the state of the nations balance sheet in relation to GDP as Nigeria is doing slightly below world economic powers like the US and China.

Speaking at the press briefing to announce the decisions taken by its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in Abuja, Emefiele said: “The size of our balance sheet relative to GDP is 23 per cent. China is 49 per cent. Euro is 27, Swiss is 95. Taiwan is 98. In the US, it is 28 per cent. Ours is low and calls for no concern or worry. We need to get that clear”.

He also added that the CBN will always play its role as the bankers’ bank, adviser to the federal government and the lender of last resort.

He said, “The CBN is not funding the federal government beyond the threshold. The government on its own decided that its funds in banks be moved into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the CBN. It is the government’s money.

“For instance, if you own a fixed deposit account and for some reasons, you want spontaneous financing; your bank can allow you over draw your account. So, there is no truth about over-funding the government.

“What is over-drawn is much less than what the government has in its TSA account. This issue of over-funding the government sprang from what an online medium culled from what a member of the MPC said. It was a personal statement and this goes to show that members of the MPC are independent-minded people.

“Nigeria’s Central Bank remains one of the most transparent in the world. If you look at other nations MPC, you will discover than that their decisions are not as detailed as ours. They are not so transparent,” Emefiele coached.