Allow us access banks’ autonomous window, BDCs appeal to CBN

President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadebe has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to immediately leverage the BDCs by allowing them access banks’ autonomous window and agency of international money transfer operators.

This, he said, will allow them to provide liquidity in the retail end of the foreign exchange market and help stop the free fall of the Naira occasioned by forex scarcity in the country.

Gwadebe also urged the CBN to reinstate its 2015 policy guidelines which allow the BDCs to effectively provide liquidity in the retail end of the market through the forex windows.

The 2015 policy guidelines allow the BDC operators to access foreign exchange from the autonomous window of the commercial banks as well as act as agents for diaspora remittances.

Gwadebe in his statement said BDCs are effective tools of the transmission mechanism of the CBN. “I quickly want to advise the apex bank to leverage on the BDCs and allow them access banks’ autonomous window and agency of international money transfer operators.

Gwadebe, who accused some of the International Money Transfer Organizations (IMTOs) of diverting diaspora remittances, said the commercial banks revealed that they don’t even see most of these remittances.

“Imagine you are the IMTO and then you are the one that will pay the beneficiary the naira, invariably, then I as well just give you the naira without paying you the dollar.’’

“Even the banks have been saying that they are not seeing the diaspora remittances that the fintechs have taken over. We had a meeting with the banks where we even tried to bring up the issue of diaspora remittances so that we can harness it and bring liquidity, but they said they don’t see it. That’s the truth of the matter, a lot of unlicensed online firms are in the process.’’

The black market rate fell to as low as N950/$1 last week, opening up about N200 disparity with the I&E window as demand continued to outstrip supply. Meanwhile, the official rate averaged N765/$1.