British Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences 12
June 2013, Vol. 8 (1)
© 2013 British Journals ISSN 2048-125X
Macroeconomic Implication of Currency Management in Nigeria: A Synthesis of the
Literature
Russell Olukayode Christopher SOMOYE
Departments of Economics, Business and Finance
Faculty of Social and Management Sciences,
Crescent University, Abeokuta, Nigeria
olukayodesomoye@hotmail.com
Adegbemi Babatunde ONAKOYA
Department of Economics,
College of Social and Management Sciences,
Tai Solarin University of Education,
Ijebu Ode, Nigeria
adegbemionakoya@yahoo.com
Abstract
Currency management covers currency recalibration, redenomination and restructuring and it
forms part of a broad package of economic and political reforms to strengthen the monetary
sector of an economy. This paper reviews the likely impact of policy of currency restructuring
by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the context of macroeconomic implication for Nigeria
and in comparison with other nations. The synthesis of the literature suggests that currency
management in Nigeria, when viewed from the macroeconomic perspective, is significantly low
and in most of the selected countries. The findings also support the literature that the policy may
not propel inflation in an open economy. The results, however, suggest that currency
denomination in whatever form is only possible in a country with high level of output, of which
Nigeria is yet to achieve. The paper therefore recommends that, before embarking on currency
restructuring policy, government ought to put in place appropriate fiscal and monetary policies to
promote production so as to enhance the economic base of the nation for sustainable monetary
sector.
Keywords: Monetary Sector; Currency Restructuring; Macroeconomic Indicators
JEL Classification: E00; E52; E58
1. Introduction
Currency management means many things in monetary policy. It covers currency
redenomination, recalibration, redenomination and restructuring. Currency redenomination as
defined by Dogorawa (2007) is the process where a new unit of money replaces the old unit with
a certain ratio by removing zeros from a currency or moving some decimal points to the left.
Mosley (2005) states that redenomination involves the process whereby a country’s currency is
recalibrated through reduction in the number of zeros in the currency with a view to achieving a
set of given economic and fiscal objectives. The terms, redenomination, revaluation and