Outlook | - Part 7

Nigeria Must Reduce Thirst for Oil Revenues, Says IMF

Mobilizing more non-oil revenue is critical to Nigeria’s future growth, the International Monetary Fund concluded in a report this week on Nigeria’s economic and monetary policies. Although oil represented only 13% of gross domestic product in 2013 — services accounted for more than 50% — oil remains critical to Nigeria as a revenue and foreign-exchange source. But in order to ensure future economic stability, the country must reduce its dependence on oil revenues and strengthen…

Bank of Botswana says Inflationary Outlook Positive

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Interest rates are expected to remain favourable as inflation outlook remains positive and economists are predicting an accommodative monetary policy. Bank of Botswana states in the Monetary Policy statement released on Tuesday March 3 that given the global and domestic economic outlook and inflationary trends, inflation is expected to remain within the 3 – 6 per cent objective range in the short to medium term. Global outlook forecast for this year is forecast at 3.5…

World Bank sees Kenya’s GDP growth at 6.0 pct in 2015

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya is due to become one of the fastest-growing economies in east Africa, with a growth forecast of 6.0 percent in 2015 and 6.6 percent in 2016, the World Bank said on Thursday, citing falling oil prices and bigger infrastructure investments. Kenya’s economy grew by an estimated 5.4 percent in 2014, the bank said in its latest economic update, while growth could accelerate to 7.0 percent in 2017. “After growing an estimated…

Egypt Walks a Fine Line With Interest Rate Strategy

Posted on by The Editorial Team

In January, the cash-strapped Arab state surprised the market with interest-rate cuts aimed at stimulating the troubled economy. At its latest monetary policy meeting the central bank again caused surprise, but this time it was by keeping rates steady. Analysts had expected a different decision. In a note published ahead of the central bank meeting last week Emirates NBD, Dubai’s biggest bank, noted that Egypt’s core consumer price index had dropped to nearly a two-year…

Morocco’s outlook improves, external risks remain

Posted on by The Editorial Team

The International Monetary Fund projected Morocco’s real GDP growth to rebound to 4.4% in 2015 from 2.9% in 2014, supported by improved external demand, strengthened domestic confidence and normalized agricultural output. It expected real GDP growth to average more than 5% annually over the medium term, reflecting the ongoing modernization of the agriculture sector, the continued expansion of Moroccan firms in new markets, the growing importance of newly developed sectors, as well as higher investment…

Nigeria’s bank ratings placed on CreditWatch negative

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Standard & Poor’s placed the ‘BB-‘ long-term issuer credit rating on Access Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Zenith Bank on CreditWatch with negative implications, following similar action on Nigeria’s sovereign ratings. It expected the Nigerian banking sector to face difficulties in 2015. Also, it said that low global oil prices, the pressure on the Nigerian naira, the upcoming presidential elections and the regulatory changes are raising credit risks,…

Nigeria’s external shocks raise economic vulnerabilities

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Merrill Lynch projected Nigeria’s real GDP growth to decelerate to 3.5% in 2015 from an average annual growth rate of 5% between 2011 and 2014, due to the large terms of trade shock that has resulted from lower global oil prices. It said that the depreciation of the Nigerian naira would increase inflationary pressure and would weigh on domestic consumption that is heavily dependent on imports. In addition, it forecast the inflation rate to average…

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