Banks’ total assets hit N26.3trn in October

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that the total assets of banks in the country rose by 1.5 percent to N26.3 trillion in October.

The apex bank disclosed this in its economic report for October, which also indicated slight decline in banks credit to the domestic economy.

The report stated, “Available data indicated that total assets and liabilities of the banks amounted to N26, 335.57 billion, showing a 1.5 per cent increase above the level at the end of the preceding month.

Funds were sourced, mainly, from increased mobilisation of central government deposit, increase in unclassified and foreign liabilities, and reduction in foreign assets. The funds were used, largely, to increase claims on central government, claims on central bank and reduce time, savings and foreign currency deposits, and demand deposits.

“At N13, 874.56 billion, banks’ credit to the domestic economy fell marginally by 0.7 per cent, compared with the level at the end of the preceding month. The development was attributed to the 3.9 and 0.5 per cent decline in credit to the Federal Government and credit to the private sector, during the review month.

Liquid assets

“Total specified liquid assets of the banks stood at N6, 413.02 billion, representing 37.0 per cent of their current liabilities. At that level, the liquidity ratio declined by 0.8 percentage point below the level in the preceding month, and was 7 percentage points above the stipulated minimum ratio of 30.0 per cent.

The loans-to-deposit ratio, at 62.8 per cent, was 2.9 percentage points above the level at the end of the preceding month, but was 17.2 percentage points below the prescribed maximum ratio of 80.0 per cent.

“At N16,408.5 billion, aggregate banking system credit (net) to the domestic economy grew by 0.9 per cent, on month-on-month basis, at end-October 2014, compared with the growth of 2.7 per cent at the end of the preceding month.

The development relative to the preceding month reflected the growth of 0.9 and 0.7 per cent in net claims on the Federal Government and claims on the private sector. Over the level at end- December 2013, net domestic credit grew by 9.1 per cent.

Banking system’s credit (net) to the Federal Government, on month-on-month basis, rose by 0.9 per cent to negative N1,380.3 billion at end-October 2014, compared with the growth of 10.4 per cent at the end of the preceding month. The development relative to the preceding month was attributed to the increase in banking system’s holdings of government securities.

Over the level at end-December 2013, claims on the Federal Government (net) rose by 6.0 per cent. However, the Federal Government, as in the preceding month, remained a net lender to the banking system at the end of the review month.

Banking system credit to the private sector, on month- on-month basis, grew marginally by 0.7 per cent to N17,788.8 billion, compared with the growth of 1.5 per cent at the end of the preceding month. The development was attributed to the 5.2 and 0.5 per cent increase in claims on the state and local governments and core private sector, respectively. Over the level at end-December 2013, banking system’s credit to the private sector grew by 7.7 per cent”

Vanguard report