The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has stated that oil discovery exposed Nigeria’s economy to vulnerability. According to the CBN boss, the increasing reliance on crude oil revenues have led to a severe downturn in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors, and also exposed the economy to vulnerabilities that normally accompanied an increased dependence on a single commodity for survival.

Emefiele who disclosed that oil discovery exposed Nigeria’s economy to vulnerability, further revealed in his economic blueprint for the economy for the next five years that if Nigeria had maintained its market dominance in the palm oil industry, which stood at 40 per cent in the 70s, the country would be earning above $20bn annually from the cultivation and processing of palm oil today.

“Our situation is further worsened by the unpatriotic activities of some unscrupulous individuals and businesses who embarked on massive smuggling and dumping of goods that can be produced in the country, thus leading to the demise of our agricultural and manufacturing sectors and hence the attendant high level of unemployment” he said.

He further revealed that the CBN has been deploying intervention funds to support growth and productivity in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, and have also restricted access to foreign exchange on 43 items.