Nigeria sells 219 bln naira in local bonds at higher yield - debt office

Nigeria raised 219.58 billion naira in local currency denominated bonds with yields climbing across the board at an auction on Wednesday, the Debt Management Office (DMO) said on Thursday.
The debt office said it sold 40 billion naira of 2021 paper at 15.08 percent at Wednesday's auction, compared with 14.50 percent at the previous auction last month.

It also sold 30 billion naira of 2026 debt at 15.28 percent, against 14.90 percent, and 40 billion naira of the 2036 debt at 15.53 percent against 14.98 percent.
The debt office sold 109.29 billion naira more than the initially advertised amount of 40 billion naira for the 2021 paper at the auction. Total subscription at the auction stood at 210.29 billion naira, lower than the 231.76 billion naira demanded at the last sale.
Nigeria is in the middle of its worst crisis in decades as a slump in oil revenues hammers public finances and the naira. Gross domestic product shrank in the first quarter and the central bank governor has said a recession is likely.
The West African nation has said it would borrow about 900 billion naira locally to finance part of the 2.2 trillion naira deficit in its 2016 budget, to plug shortfalls.
Nigeria issues local bonds as part of measures to finance the government budget deficit and also help to manage liquidity in the banking system.

*Copyright Reuters News