E-Financial
Nigerian Banks in Trouble, Plan Mass Sack of Workers
Nigeria’s banking sector is currently witnessing a shockwave, following economic decline caused by reduced oil revenue, according to Daily Sun investigations.
As a result, fear of massive sack of workers has gripped the sector as an estimated $25billion (about N4.95 trillion) in foreign portfolio investments have been lost over the last few months, following rising political tension across the country, ahead of the March 28 and April 11 general elections.
Daily Sun also reported that about four banks are currently having liquidity problem, worsened by the oil sector crisis.
Investigations revealed that banks are no longer financing importation of petroleum products following non-payment of subsidy to major marketers by the Federal Government and the risks involved.
In the past, banks extended credits to major oil marketers to import fuel. But following the marketers’ inability to pay earlier credits, caused by the Federal Government’s non-payment of the subsidy, banks are now unable to meet the demand.
This is partly the cause of the current fuel scarcity being experienced across the country.
The stoppage of fuel importation financing, some bank chief executives revealed, followed a directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last December to scale down their level of exposure to oil companies, to reduce the challenges of meeting the huge funding demand of the sector.
The CBN’s directive, it was learnt, stemmed from the result of an earlier risk-based supervision exercise carried out by the apex bank, which revealed a huge financial exposure of the banks to the oil and gas sector.
The apex bank was said to be concerned about some risk management deficiencies, and wanted to take necessary steps to ensure that banks have sufficient capital buffers to mitigate escalating risk-taking activities.
Apart from this, the new exchange rate regime announced by the CBN has also affected banks. The CBN closed the retail Dutch Auction System/Wholesale Dutch Auction System (rDAS/wDAS) segment of the foreign exchange market.
With the closure and the pegging of an exchange rate at N198 per dollar, the apex bank stopped naira speculation, as commercial banks were banned from re-selling CBN dollars to other banks.
Under this measure, CBN scrapped its window of direct sale of foreign exchange to end-users, and directed that all foreign exchange needs should be sourced from the interbank market, with rates ranging from N197 to N198 per dollar. With this, the previous gains commercial banks had made from forex trading were stopped.
From the public sector to the real sector of the economy, the stench of economy decline is being felt by all stakeholders, hence, the call on government to further tighten the loose ends to ensure it does not get worse than it is now before the end of the current administration.
With most state governments currently unable to pay workers’ salaries due to declining statutory allocations from the Federation Account, while Naira’s declining exchange value and other financial aggregates are forcing banks to recall facilities given to the real sector, stakeholders are becoming rather apprehensive that the impressive economic gains are speedily being eroded.
Daily Sun also learnt that in the face of the political uncertainties surrounding the impending general elections, an estimated $25billion (about N4.95trillion) investments held by foreign portfolio investors may have left the country over the last few months.
Sources revealed that the foreign investors decided to withdraw their money to watch political development, unsure of what would happen over the general elections.
A bank chief executive, who spoke to Daily Sun on condition of anonymity, however, expressed optimism that despite the loss of such huge portfolios, especially in the capital market, the economy remains strong and resilient.
According to him, these developments are expected, particularly, as successive governments failed to prepare the country for some of the current emergencies, but left it to continue running on one engine, which is crude oil.
The bank chief was convinced that the said foreign portfolios would return as soon as the elections are concluded peacefully, stressing that Nigerian economy offers more returns than other emerging markets.
He said the economy has been growing at the rate of over five per cent, which is higher than the rate of growth in most emerging markets.
Petroleum products marketing companies had heaped the blame of fuel scarcity on the CBN, insisting that the recent devaluation of the Naira was responsible for the crisis in the oil industry, resulting in unavailability of fuel.
Mr. Obafemi Olawore, executive secretary of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), said the high exchange rate resulted in the high cost of both petrol and diesel.
“The unfortunate situation in which we find ourselves is that as the price of crude oil and the international price of diesel were dropping, we devalued the Naira. For example, for Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), the exchange rate for bringing products before the devaluation was N171.36 per dollar. At that rate, the landing cost of PMS was N90.67 per litre. There was a time the exchange rate rose to N188, that is N188 was the interbank rate, while the CBN gave us N171.36. But when it went to N188, the landing cost of PMS rose from N90.67 to N98.36. As at today when the exchange rate has gone to N199 (there is no window again), the landing cost rose to N103.45. So, you see that the main factor here is the exchange rate.”
According to marketers, the CBN’s action prompted them to take precautionary measures by relying on imported products from the Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC). Though the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has given the marketers a concrete assurance that the N264 billion outstanding claims would be paid between now and March 31, the marketers are contending with the huge outstanding receivables due and payable to them by the Federal Government.
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has begun paying insured deposits to customers of the 46 recently failed microfinance banks.
Mr Thompson Sunday, managing director and chief executive, NDIC, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The interview took place on the sidelines of the International Association of Deposit Insurers Africa Regional Committee meeting.
Sunday said the corporation was using the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBBS) and customers’ Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) for the payments.
He said the NDIC had traced depositors’ alternative bank accounts and credited them directly without requiring physical visits.
He advised depositors without BVNs to visit the nearest NDIC zonal office for verification and payment processing
“The CBN revoked the licences of the 46 microfinance banks on July 1, 2026,” he said.
He said the NDIC automatically became the provisional liquidator after the revocation, in line with the law.
Sunday said the corporation had commenced payment of the insured maximum deposit of N2 million to eligible customers.
He explained that further payments would depend on the recovery of the failed banks’ assets and outstanding debts.
He said proceeds realised from recoveries would be distributed as liquidation dividends to eligible depositors.
Sunday cited Heritage Bank, Aso Savings and Union Homes as examples of the NDIC’s prompt reimbursement efforts.
He said insured depositors of Heritage Bank were paid within four days of the revocation of its licence.
He added that customers of Aso Savings and Union Homes received payments within 72 hours.
“The law allows us 30 days, but we are working to surpass our previous records,” he said.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the banks’ licences for failing to meet regulatory requirements for continued operations.
The apex bank said the action was aimed at protecting depositors, strengthening financial stability and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Mr Taiwo Oyedele, minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, has warned that fear, rumours and misinformation could trigger instability in the banking sector if not properly managed.
Mr Taiwo Oyedele, minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy
Oyedele gave the warning in Abuja at the 2026 International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) Africa Regional Committee (ARC) Annual Meeting and Workshop, with the theme: “Safeguarding Stability: Public Awareness and Crisis Readiness for a Stronger Future.”
The minister said public confidence remained the foundation of every stable financial system, stressing that panic triggered by false information could create liquidity challenges even for financially sound institutions.
According to him, “there can be no economic growth without financial system stability, and there can be no financial stability without public trust.”
He explained that in the digital age, misinformation could spread rapidly across social media platforms, causing depositors to react out of fear.
“Public trust is fragile. In the digital age, rumours and misinformation can spread across social platforms in seconds, creating liquidity shocks even for solvent institutions,” Oyedele said.
He stressed that building public awareness should not be viewed as a public relations activity, but as a key risk management strategy capable of protecting depositors and strengthening the financial system.
Oyedele noted that deposit insurance had evolved beyond a mechanism for handling bank failures, describing it as a strategic tool for promoting confidence and economic stability.
He said effective crisis preparedness required clear frameworks, communication channels, simulation exercises and coordination among financial sector regulators before emergencies occur.
“Preparedness is not an event, it is a culture,” he said, adding that the strongest crisis response was one that prevented panic from occurring in the first place.
Highlighting Nigeria’s financial sector reforms, the minister said the country’s banking recapitalisation exercise, concluded in March 2026, strengthened the resilience of banks.
He disclosed that 33 out of Nigeria’s 37 banks met the new capital requirements, raising a combined N4.65 trillion in fresh capital, with over 70 per cent sourced from domestic investors.
Oyedele said a better-capitalised banking system would be better positioned to absorb shocks, sustain lending and reduce pressure on the deposit insurance fund.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025 as another milestone that strengthened confidence in the country’s financial system.
Also speaking, Mr Olayemi Cardoso, governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said public awareness and crisis preparedness were central to maintaining financial stability.
Represented by Solaja Olayemi, director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department represented, Cardoso said financial systems globally were undergoing rapid transformation due to technological innovation, digital finance, changing consumer behaviour and increasing market interconnectedness.
According to him, while these developments create opportunities, they also introduce new risks that require stronger cooperation among financial safety-net institutions.
The CBN boss warned that misinformation could spread quickly through digital channels, amplifying depositor reactions and creating potential threats to financial stability.
He added that institutions must continuously strengthen crisis management frameworks, operational resilience and coordination mechanisms to respond effectively to emerging challenges.
The apex bank governor also highlighted the impact of Nigeria’s banking sector recapitalisation policy, saying stronger capital buffers would reduce the likelihood of bank failures and reinforce depositor confidence.
“No single institution can safeguard financial stability in isolation. It is through the coherence and complementarity of this institutional relationship that Nigeria’s financial safety net derives its strength,” he noted.
Earlier, Mr Thompson Sunday, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), said confidence remained the most valuable asset in any financial system.
The NDIC boss said trust could take years to build but could be lost quickly if stakeholders perceived uncertainty or instability. He said deposit insurers must ensure that the public understands and trusts existing protection frameworks during both normal periods and times of crisis.
He noted that the 2023 global banking turmoil highlighted the need for institutions to invest in crisis simulation exercises, contingency planning and effective communication strategies.
According to him, the NDIC has continued to strengthen its operational readiness through improved depositor reimbursement systems, public awareness initiatives and enhanced crisis management capabilities.
European Union (EU) has warned the public against a fraudulent document circulating online which falsely claims that the bloc, in collaboration with the World Bank, is offering compensation to individuals whose funds are allegedly trapped in banks and financial institutions across West Africa.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS described the purported compensation programme as a scam, stressing that neither the European Union nor the World Bank is involved in any such initiative.
The fake document, fraudulently attributed to Thérèse Blanchet, secretary-general of the Council of the European Union, claimed that a special EU-World Bank recovery programme has been established to compensate citizens of Europe and other countries whose legally transferred funds were allegedly withheld by banks in the region.
It also falsely stated that the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS has been mandated to supervise the compensation exercise and directs potential claimants to contact him for processing.
However, the EU categorically dismissed the claims, describing every aspect of the document as fabricated.
“The document in its entirety is a scam. The information and claims contained therein are false. The European Union is neither aware of any such bogus programme nor part of it,” the Delegation stated.
The EU further disclosed that the email addresses and telephone numbers listed in the fraudulent document, purportedly belonging to Ms. Blanchet and Ambassador Gautier Mignot, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, , are fake and are being used by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting victims.
The Delegation urged members of the public to ignore the fraudulent claims and avoid engaging with anyone promoting the scheme.
It emphasized that all official announcements from the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS are published exclusively through its official website and verified social media platforms.
The warning comes amid increasing cases of cyber-enabled financial fraud in which criminal syndicates impersonate international organisations, government institutions and senior officials to lure victims into paying fictitious processing fees or divulging sensitive personal and financial information.
The EU reiterated its commitment to combating fraud and misinformation while urging citizens to remain vigilant against scams exploiting the names and identities of reputable international institutions.
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