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.

Kogi State Police Command said it has commenced investigations into the alleged gunmen attack on the family house of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Three Nigerian teenagers — Divine, Favour, and Bright, aged between 17 and 19 — have been rescued from a sex trafficking ring in Ghana and safely returned to Nigeria, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed.

The young victims, originally from Bayelsa and Ebonyi states, were lured to Ghana under the pretense of lucrative job offers by women they referred to as their “aunties”.

Instead, they found themselves trapped in a network of forced sex work, according to a statement released on Friday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit at NiDCOM.

They were officially received at NiDCOM’s Lagos office on Thursday, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further profiling, counseling, and reintegration.

Speaking on the development, NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, reiterated the Commission’s resolve to tackle human trafficking and called for greater accountability in Nigerian communities.

“Human trafficking will persist if traffickers and their agents are not exposed and shamed,” Dabiri-Erewa said. “It’s a global issue, and until we stop covering up for those responsible, it won’t end.”

She also commended Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the NIDO Ghana Board of Trustees, for his consistent efforts in rescuing trafficked Nigerians. The Nigerian Embassy in Ghana was also acknowledged for its role in the successful operation.

In addition, she extended appreciation to Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, for facilitating the teenagers’ transportation back home.

According to NiDCOM, over 169 Nigerians have been rescued and repatriated from Ghana in recent months following similar trafficking and exploitation schemes.