According to latest reports, Britain’s Export Finance Agency (BEFA) will add Nigeria’s currency, the Naira to its list of “pre-approved currencies,” the move would therefore allow it to provide financing for transactions with Nigerian businesses denominated in the local currency.
When the policy becomes effective, the Nigerian Naira will become one of three West African currencies that United Kingdom Export Finance has pre-approved for its programme of funding transactions that promote trade with Britain. The report also added that Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016, which has forced London to rethink its trade ties with the rest of the world. It has said it would start preliminary talks with India about an eventual bilateral trade deal as well.
The United Kingdom and the European Union last December agreed to open the way for talks on future trade ties. “This is a clear indication of how much value the United Kingdom places on its relationship with Nigeria. It will provide a firm foundation for a significant increase in trade and investment between both countries,” leading news agency, Reuters quoted the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, to have said in the UK’s credit agency statement.
The statement further said the UK would provide up to 85 per cent of funding for projects containing a minimum of 20 per cent British content. “The Naira financing will follow the same structure as someone buying in sterling, except that Nigerian firms taking out a loan in local currency can benefit from a UK government-backed guarantee. This can enable businesses to manage foreign exchange risks and, many times, to negotiate better terms with local banks,” the statement added.
