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IMF to Promote Greater Data Transparency in Developing Countries

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Good data can help policymakers identify and manage financial vulnerabilities. And while the quality of data from advanced economies is getting better and more accessible to the public, data from some developing countries is often lacking altogether.

In an interview with IMF Survey, Louis Marc Ducharme, Director of Statistics, said the IMF has launched a new initiative to help fill those data gaps.

IMF Survey: As the developing and advanced economies of the world become increasingly interconnected, what is the IMF doing to ensure there is adequate data for surveillance?

Ducharme: The IMF Executive Board recently approved measures to promote the regular publication of data necessary to monitor macroeconomic conditions in developing countries.

These measures aim at prodding developing countries, particularly frontier markets that have tapped capital markets in recent years, to publish data according to advance release calendars. Publication of statistics that are timely, internally consistent, and comparable across countries is essential for monitoring global financial stability and detecting emerging vulnerabilities.

The recent growth in funding provided to frontier economies-including by non-bank financial corporations in advanced economies-has increased the need for data to measure credit risks.

This demand for data is likely to increase further once monetary conditions in key advanced markets normalize and the aggressive search for yield moderates.

While advanced and emerging economies have made steady progress in closing data gaps and are adopting higher data dissemination standards, many developing countries have a long way to go, despite concerted international efforts to promote data transparency.

IMF Survey: While it seems advanced and some emerging market economies acknowledge the benefits of sharing their data, why are developing countries less forthcoming? And will there be any consequences going forward for those countries that are lagging behind?

Ducharme: Most advanced and emerging markets publish timely and high quality macroeconomic data which meet or exceed the demanding requirements of the IMF’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). However, many developing countries have made insufficient progress in publishing good quality data, and even fallen short of meeting the requirements of the basic, less demanding General Data Dissemination System (GDDS), let alone transition to the higher standard.

This can be attributed to many factors, including insufficient high level attention to disciplined data dissemination, inadequate resource allocation to statistical work across government agencies, and incipient technical expertise and IT infrastructure. In some cases, these factors also prevent timely rebasing of key data series, such as the national accounts.

Stakeholders-including rating agencies and other market participants-agree that bolder actions are needed to bring change.

Since 2007, 24 frontier economies-including Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, Mongolia, Senegal, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zambia-have accessed capital markets, but are yet to subscribe to the SDDS.

Lack of sufficient data transparency impedes analysis of the risks facing investors in frontier economies, including illiquid markets and substandard financial reporting.

It was against this backdrop that the IMF Board approved the enhanced GDDS (e-GDDS) to impart stronger incentives for the publication of critical macroeconomic data, by calling on GDDS participants to publish voluntarily the data required by the IMF for its surveillance work, which effectively would allow everyone else to access and use the same data for their own analysis of economic conditions.


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E-Financial

NAICOM Signs MoU with BPP to Deepen Insurance Compliance in Public Procurement

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The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for collaboration and strengthening of the insurance industry, in the area of public procurement processes.

The Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, welcoming the Director-General of BPP, Adebowale Adedokun, and his delegation to NAICOM for a working visit, during which the agreement was signed, highlighted the role of NAICOM as the statutory regulator charged with supervising, regulating and promoting the growth of Nigeria’s insurance industry.

He further stated that NAICOM’s current reform priorities include policyholder protection, regulatory capacity building, legal modernisation, recapitalisation, and increasing insurance penetration.

He emphasised that the collaboration would reinforce the principles of public procurement and insurance practice in Nigeria. He noted that achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of transforming Nigeria’s economy into a one-trillion-dollar economy required strong inter-agency cooperation.

He stressed that the commission’s reform objectives could not be fully realised without strategic collaboration with agencies such as BPP. The Commissioner further disclosed plans to establish a platform to monitor and verify insurance coverage for public procurement items and assured that insurance operators would strictly adhere to established rules and standards.

In his remarks, the Director-General of BPP, Adedokun, commended the ongoing transformation in the insurance industry, describing the Commission’s environment as serene and reflective of its readiness to support the Federal Government’s economic growth agenda.

Adedokun, welcomed the partnership and highlighted implementation as the critical next phase: “Signing MoU is only the beginning — what matters is delivery. BPP has moved to a fully digital submission model to speed approvals and reduce opportunities for corruption”, he stated.


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Binance Cuts Illicit Activity Exposure by 96%, Leads Global Crypto Compliance Push

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Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has reported a 96 per cent drop in direct exposure to illicit activities between January 2023 and June 2025, underscoring its commitment to regulatory excellence and user safety amid Nigeria’s growing digital finance sector.

Binance Cuts Illicit Activity Exposure by 96%, Leads Global Crypto Compliance Push

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The exchange highlighted investments in a robust compliance framework, including over 580 global compliance professionals and 970 staff in related roles, advanced transaction monitoring, stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and anti-money laundering (AML) systems.

These measures align with evolving regulations across key markets, including Nigeria, where crypto adoption surges despite Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines.

Binance’s Chief Compliance Officer, Noah Perlman, said: “At Binance we’ve built a system that doesn’t just react to threats, it anticipates them. A 96% reduction in illicit exposure is a testament to our infrastructure and the 1,500+ professionals working behind the scenes to protect our 300M users.”

Key achievements include a 96.8 per cent plunge in sanctions-related exposure—from 0.284 per cent in January 2024 to 0.009 per cent in July 2025.

In 2025 alone, Binance responded to over 71,000 law enforcement requests, helping seize more than $130 million (over ₦200 billion) in illicit funds.

Collaborations with agencies like Europol, DEA, UK’s NCA, and national cybercrime units have dismantled ransomware groups, darknet markets, and trafficking networks.

Binance co-CEO Richard Teng added: “Our mission has always been to increase the freedom of money, but that freedom is only sustainable if it is built on a foundation of trust. By integrating compliance into our product DNA, we are proving that the world’s largest exchange can also be the most secure.”

The platform engages regulators and policymakers to shape balanced rules supporting innovation while prioritising transparency and financial integrity. Since 2017, Binance has served over 300 million users, publishing regular compliance updates to build trust.

Industry watchers note Binance’s efforts resonate in Nigeria, where crypto trading volumes exceed $50 billion annually, but challenges like fraud and regulatory scrutiny persist. The exchange’s progress could bolster confidence as the CBN refines fintech policies.

Binance reaffirmed its dedication to a safer crypto ecosystem through ongoing investments and partnerships.


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Nigeria’s VAT Jumps 34%, CIT Soars 48% to ₦14trn in 9M’25 – NBS

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Nigeria’s non-oil tax collections posted robust growth in the first nine months of 2025, with Value Added Tax (VAT) rising 34 per cent to ₦6.4 trillion and Company Income Tax (CIT) jumping 48 per cent to ₦7.72 trillion, bolstering federal revenue amid oil price volatility.

Nigeria's VAT Jumps 34%, CIT Soars 48% to ₦14trn in 9M'25 – NBS

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Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed VAT climbing from ₦4.77 trillion in 9M’24, reflecting stronger domestic consumption and imports. Quarterly trends indicated a slight 1.4 per cent dip to ₦2.03 trillion in Q2’25 from ₦2.06 trillion in Q1’25, followed by a 10.66 per cent rebound to ₦2.28 trillion in Q3’25—a 28.1 per cent year-on-year gain.

In Q3’25, local VAT hit ₦1.12 trillion, foreign VAT ₦680.23 billion, and import VAT ₦479.79 billion. Sectorally, Administrative and Support Services led with 89.28 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth, trailed by Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (82.49 per cent) and Human Health (32.4 per cent). Real Estate contracted sharply by 51.33 per cent. Manufacturing dominated contributions at 25.89 per cent, followed by Information and Communication (18.77 per cent) and Mining/Quarrying (14.85 per cent).

CIT followed suit, surging from ₦5.22 trillion in 9M’24. It stood at ₦1.98 trillion in Q1’25, leaped 40 per cent to ₦2.78 trillion in Q2’25, and grew 5.7 per cent to ₦2.96 trillion in Q3’25—a 67.19 per cent year-on-year rise. Domestic CIT reached ₦1.21 trillion in Q3, while foreign CIT hit ₦1.75 trillion, underscoring multinational firms’ role.

Economists attribute the uptick to improved tax administration, digital tracking, and post-reform consumption, though sectoral disparities signal real estate headwinds. The gains support President Tinubu’s revenue diversification drive, reducing oil dependency as global crude fluctuates.

NBS data highlights non-oil taxes’ potential to fund infrastructure and social programmes, with analysts eyeing sustained momentum into 2026.


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