Photo Credit: The Punch
2025-12-26 06:20:00
In an update published by *PUNCH*, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data shows inflows through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) declined, underlining how fragile FX supply remains even after reforms aimed at improving official-market pricing.
The report points to pressures that can affect remittances—global cost-of-living stress, immigration policy shifts in key sending countries, and the growing use of informal channels that bypass official reporting.
For Nigeria’s FX market, reduced IMTO inflows can tighten liquidity, complicate supply management, and intensify demand pressure—especially for households and SMEs that rely on remittances for consumption and working capital.
Analysts will likely watch whether the trend persists into subsequent quarters, and whether policy signals further encourage formal remittance routing.
*Nairametrics* wrote that “inflows fell to $888.39 million in Q1 2025, compared to $1.08 billion” in the same period of 2024, while *Proshare* stated inflows “declined by -6% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to US$888m in Q1 2025.”
Echotitbits take: Remittances are a lifeline—but they’re also a policy barometer. If official inflows keep sliding, Nigeria may need stronger incentives for formal channels (pricing, speed, trust) and tighter scrutiny of leakages to informal pipelines.
Source: The Punch — Dec 26, 2025 (https://punchng.com/cbn-reports-276m-drop-in-imtos-inflows/)
Photo credit/source: The Punch
The Punch 2025-12-26
