CBN raises banks’ LDR to 65 percent as credit grows

The Central Bank of Nigeria has raised the loan to deposit ratio of banks to 65 percent, after the September 30 deadline given to the banks to meet its 60 percent directive.

The apex bank gave its regulated entities December 31, 2019 deadline to meet its new requirement.

It noted that the credit level in the sector grew by N829.4bn or 5.33 percent at the end of May from N15.56tn to N16.39tn as of September 26.

The CBN disclosed this in a letter signed by Bello Hassan, the director of banking and supervision, to all banks on, “Regulatory measures to improve lending to the real sector of the Nigerian economy.”

It stated, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has noted the appreciable growth in the level of the industry growth credit, which increased by N829.4bn or 5.33 percent from N15.56tn at end of May 2019 to N16.39tn as of September 26, 2019 following its pronouncement on the above initiative.

“In order to sustain the momentum and in line with the provisions of our earlier letters, the minimum loan to deposit ratio target for all deposit money banks is hereby reviewed upwards from 60 percent to 65 percent.

“Consequently, all DMBs are required to attain a minimum LDR of 65 per cent by December 31, 2019 and this ratio shall be subject to quarterly review. To encourage SMEs, retail mortgage and consumer lending, these sectors shall be assigned a weight of 150 per cent in computing the LDR for this purpose.

“Failure to meet the above minimum LDR by the specified date shall result in a levy of additional Cash Reserve Requirement equal to 50 percent of the lending shortfall implied by the target LDR.”