The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA has recorded a 343% growth in Total Comprehensive Income, totaling N160.06 billion in 2020.
This is compared to N36.15 billion in the previous year and 33% growth in Net Assets, rising up to N772.75 billion from the previous N579.54 billion.
This was one of the major highlights in the NSIA report presented at Thursday’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
Thursday’s meeting of NEC, which comprises the 36 State Governors, the Federal Capital Territory Minister and Central Bank Governor, besides other Nigerian government officials, had a session devoted to holding the AGM of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA where reports and financial statements, including the audit, were presented.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Mr. Uche Orji said that the NSIA achieved core income of N109 billion compared to N33.07 billion in 2019 excluding forex gains of N51 billion in 2020 and N1.29 billion in 2019.
Orji, in his presentation, noted that ”despite the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic, it had a favourable year owing to strong performance from its investments in international capital markets, improved contribution from associates, as well as exchange rate gains from foreign currency positions.”
According to him, in response to the Covid-19, NSIA partnered with Global Citizen, a not-for profit group, to form the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF).
Orji said that ”the NSIA also acquired and distributed oxygen concentrators to 21 teaching hospitals as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility; in addition to staffing support to the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 towards combatting the pandemic. ”
Other major milestones reached by the NSIA were recorded across domestic infrastructure projects specifically in roads, agriculture, healthcare, technology, gas industrialization.
Digital Switch Over
NEC also received a presentation on the Digital Switch Over (DSO) by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
He stated that it was the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, that decided on member states switching off analogue television transmission to ‘go digital’.
”The DSO will be taking off first in Lagos, Kano and Rivers States,’‘ he stated.
According to him, ”the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and the DSO Ministerial Task Force are tasked with ensuring that Nigeria ‘digitizes’ and developing a public information and awareness campaign to inform citizens about DSO/FreeTV. ”
The Minister disclosed that the switch-over has a revenue generation—potential of N20 billion annually; and that the funds would enable the NBC support and upgrade DSO initiative and fund local producers.
Covid updates
Council also received an update on Covid-19 pandemic by the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu.
According to the DG, ”in the last two months there has been reduction in number of cases globally, even India has also experienced reduction in infection in the last five days.”
In Nigeria, total number of cases as at Wednesday, May 19, 2021 is 165,809, while number of cases tested is 2,002,653, and active Cases 7,323. It was also disclosed that discharged cases is now 156,419, while there has been 2,067 Deaths.
According to the NCDC boss, the “transmission rate in the country is low, adding that attention is now on tracking the new B1.167 variant from India,” saying that there are only three such cases identified in Nigeria so far.
He said ”emphasis should remain on the protocols to stop the spread of the virus, while the health authorities and agencies will keep an eye on tracking the Indian variant. Governments and leaders in the society are also urged to discourage pandemic fatigue and stick to the Covid-19 safety protocols.”
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clem Agba gave the Council the monthly update on the Excess Crude Account as at 18th May 2021 stands, which he put at $72,413,574.70, while the balance in the Stabilisation Account was N 24,741,213,941.88
Agba said that ”the Development of Natural Resources Account as at 20th of May was 23,650,579,140.23 ”
Budget Support Facility
On the Budget Support Facility, State Governors restated their request to defer the repayment of the loans, which was to have started this month.
The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, reported interactions with the Finance Minister and the Central Bank Governor regarding the matter.
The Central Bank Governor also emphasised the importance of the timely repayment of the loans especially those owed to commercial banks indicating the challenges inherent in a further delay in payment including audit concerns. He said the repayment of the commercial loans should resume this month.
The Vice President then stated that very soon, he would be holding a meeting with representatives of the State Governors, the Finance Minister and the Central Bank Governor to find a solution to the matter.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
