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Binance Will Face All Due Process On Charges Of Severe Financial Crime – FG

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  • Against the backdrop of continuing interest in the ongoing trial of rogue online platform, Binance, and one of its Chief Executives, who illegally trade in cryptocurrency in Nigeria, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said due processes are being applied in all stages of the trial by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “At all stages, due process has been followed, and prosecutors are confident of their case, based on the facts and evidence gathered. Binance will have every opportunity to defend itself in court against these severe charges of financial crimes against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The next hearing is on June 20, 2024,” Idris said.

The Minister explained that Binance, the defendant, has received consular access and all due care, following normal diplomatic protocols and the rule of law, adding that the judge in the case has sufficiently posited that bail was denied because of the flight risk, after a co-accused, now the subject of an Interpol warrant, illegally absconded.

It would be recalled that Binance had a turnover in Nigeria of over US$20 billion in 2023 alone, far above the federal budget for health and education, fueling currency speculation and the cost-of-living crisis. In addition, it is not registered in Nigeria and neither has it ever paid any taxes within the Nigerian jurisdiction, having all the while operated without oversight or any of the normal guard rails to flag criminal activity.

Idris said it is important that Binance is prefaced as an entity whose representatives have been variously imprisoned, fined, sanctioned, and banned in North America, Europe, and Asia, in recent years.

“Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire co-founder and former CEO of Binance is currently serving a four-month prison sentence in the United States after being found guilty of money laundering, while Binance has openly accepted its role in facilitating terrorism, corruption, sanctions busting, and in aiding and abetting paedophile gangs.

“Law enforcement agencies believe Binance operations in Nigeria are part of a broader international pattern. It will be for the courts here, as in other jurisdictions, to hold the company and its executives accountable,” Idris said.

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IMF: Nigeria will navigate global shocks due to Tinubu’s reforms

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Nigeria will navigate global shocks due to the reforms implemented by President Bola Tinubu.

Axel Schimmelpfennig, IMF mission chief for Nigeria, spoke during a visit to Lagos and Abuja from April 2 to 15, where he led a delegation to hold discussions for the 2025 Article IV Consultations with Nigeria.

The team met with Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy; Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security; Yemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); ministry of environment and other stakeholders in the private sector, academia, labour unions, and civil society.

In a statement by the IMF, Schimmelpfennig said authorities had taken “important steps” to stabilise the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth.

The steps, he noted, include ending the CBN’s financing of the fiscal deficit, removing costly petrol subsidy, and improving the functioning of the foreign exchange market.

“The Nigerian authorities have taken important steps to stabilise the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth,” Schimmelpfennig said.

“The financing of the fiscal deficit by the central bank has ceased, costly fuel subsidies were removed, and the functioning of the foreign exchange market has improved. Gains have yet to benefit all Nigerians as poverty and food insecurity remain high.

”The outlook is marked by significant uncertainty. Elevated global risk sentiment and lower oil prices impact the Nigerian economy.

“The reforms since 2023 have put the Nigerian economy in a better position to navigate this external environment. Looking ahead, macroeconomic policies need to further strengthen buffers and resilience, while creating enabling conditions for private sector-led growth.

“The authorities communicated to the mission that they will implement the 2025 budget in a manner that is responsive to the decline in international oil prices.”

‘TIGHT MONETARY POLICY REQUIRED TO CURB INFLATION’

The IMF official also recommended a neutral fiscal stance to support monetary policy in bringing down inflation.

He added that fiscal savings from petrol subsidy reforms should be channelled into the national budget to protect critical investments.

Schimmelpfennig further advised that the CBN maintain a tight monetary policy stance to curb inflation.

“In particular, adjustments should protect critical, growth-enhancing investment, while accelerating and broadening the delivery of cash transfers under the World Bank-supported program to provide relief to those experiencing food insecurity,” he said.

“A tight monetary policy stance is required to firmly guide inflation down.”

Schimmelpfennig said the monetary policy committee’s data-dependent approach has served Nigeria well and will help navigate elevated macroeconomic uncertainty.

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PwC exits nine African countries to focus on markets with growth prospects

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PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has announced the closure of its operations in nine Sub-Saharan African countries.

The affected countries include the Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon, Madagascar, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, the Republic of Guinea, and Equatorial Guinea.

In a statement on its website, PwC said the decision was part of a broader strategy to concentrate on markets with long-term growth prospects                                                                                                                                                   “We remain confident in the long-term growth potential of the continent,” the firm noted, emphasizing continued operations in key markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.

A report by the Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the matter, revealed that revenues in several local markets had dropped by over a third in recent years. The slump reportedly followed directives to sever ties with clients deemed high-risk.

Although PwC did not provide specific reasons for the exits, the firm is also grappling with reputational challenges elsewhere. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, the country’s $925 billion sovereign wealth fund recently halted engagements with PwC. Additionally, the firm has reportedly ended affiliations with member offices in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Fiji.

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Dollar to Naira exchange rate stands at ₦1,600.80 today

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The exchange rate for the US dollar to the naira today is ₦1,600.7991, marking a slight decline of -0.432% compared to yesterday’s rate.

Over the past week, the dollar has shown relative stability against the naira, although it has slipped by -2.094% compared to its value seven days ago.

Within this one-week window, the exchange rate has fluctuated between a high of ₦1,636.71 recorded on April 10, 2025, and a low of ₦1,589.45 on April 14, 2025. The most significant single-day shift happened on April 10, when the naira strengthened, leading to a -2.252% drop in the dollar’s value.

Current Rates:
1 USD = ₦1,600.7991
1 NGN = $0.00062469

US Dollar to Nigerian Naira Conversion Table:
1 USD = ₦1,600.7991
3 USD = ₦4,802.3973
5 USD = ₦8,003.9955
7 USD = ₦11,205.5937
10 USD = ₦16,007.991
12 USD = ₦19,209.5892
15 USD = ₦24,011.9865
25 USD = ₦40,019.9775
30 USD = ₦48,023.973
45 USD = ₦72,035.9595
50 USD = ₦80,039.955
75 USD = ₦120,059.9325
100 USD = ₦160,079.91
300 USD = ₦480,239.73
400 USD = ₦640,319.64
500 USD = ₦800,399.55
750 USD = ₦1,200,599.325
1,000 USD = ₦1,600,799.1
3,000 USD = ₦4,802,397.3
5,000 USD = ₦8,003,995.5
7,500 USD = ₦12,005,993.25
10,000 USD = ₦16,007,991
15,000 USD = ₦24,011,986.5
25,000 USD = ₦40,019,977.5
50,000 USD = ₦80,039,955
75,000 USD = ₦120,059,932.5
100,000 USD = ₦160,079,910

Nigerian Naira to US Dollar Conversion Table:
1 NGN = $0.00062469
3 NGN = $0.00187406
5 NGN = $0.00312344
7 NGN = $0.00437282
10 NGN = $0.00624688
12 NGN = $0.00749626
15 NGN = $0.00937032
25 NGN = $0.0156172
30 NGN = $0.01874064
45 NGN = $0.02811096
50 NGN = $0.0312344
75 NGN = $0.0468516
100 NGN = $0.0624688
300 NGN = $0.1874064
400 NGN = $0.2498752
500 NGN = $0.312344
750 NGN = $0.46851601
1,000 NGN = $0.62468801
3,000 NGN = $1.87406402
5,000 NGN = $3.12344004
7,500 NGN = $4.68516006
10,000 NGN = $6.24688007
15,000 NGN = $9.37032011
25,000 NGN = $15.61720018
50,000 NGN = $31.23440037
75,000 NGN = $46.85160055
100,000 NGN = $62.46880074

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