E-Financial
Senate Passes NDIC Bill To Stabilise Financial Institutions

The Senate on Tuesday passed for third and final reading, a bill meant to strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC)’s capacity to safeguard bank depositors’ funds, ensure the stability of financial institutions, and promote trust in the banking system.

The legislation titled: ‘Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation Act No 33 of 2023,’ was sponsored by Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) and all the members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions.
He said the bill would also make the NDIC more effective, safeguard its independence and autonomy and bring it in line with current realities and best practices.
The Bill consolidated the power of the president to appoint the chairman and members of the board of the NDIC, while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which hitherto recommend to the appointees, would now concentrate on supervising the corporation.
The NDIC, based on the new amendment of its Act, would focus on the examination of the banks.
He noted that despite the fact that the NDIC 2023 Act made substantial improvements to the 2006 Act, its implementation had been fraught with continuous debates.
He specifically said stakeholders had consistently been engaging in series of appeals on the need for an amendment of the Act to address all the issues that have been raised concerning it.
He said: “The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is thus a critical piece of legislation aimed at strengthening the Nigerian financial system.
“The proposed amendments will enhance the NDIC’s capacity to safeguard depositors, ensure the stability of financial institutions, and promote trust in the banking system.
“Given the rapidly evolving nature of the financial sector, this Bill represents a timely response to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Abiru added that the current Bill would lay to rest once and for all, the claims that the bill that was assented to by the former President Muhammadu Buhari, was materially different from what was passed by the 9th National Assembly.
According to him, “To further empower the corporation by guaranteeing its independence in performing its statutory functions in line with Section 1 (3) of the principal Act.
“The principal (2023) Act curiously restricts the president’s power to appoint the managing director and executive directors and provides that they are to be to persons recommended by the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor.
“The (2024) bill (now) seeks to amend this provision to bring it in line with and in consonance with Mr. President’s power of appointment as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“The provisions of the principal Act which makes the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance the Chairman of the Board is also being reviewed.
“This is because the workload and busy schedule of that office is such that makes such appointment untenable.
“The importance of the need for the Minister of Finance to constitute an Interim Management Committee for the corporation within 30 days after the expiration or termination of the tenure of the Board is also introduced in the bill.
“This is to forestall the recent situation where the corporation faces challenges in its operations as a result of the absence of a board.”
Abiru said there was a general agreement among stakeholders of the importance of the NDIC as it was set up for the purpose of the protection of depositors and to guarantee the settlement of insured funds when a deposit-taking financial institution can no longer repay their deposits, thereby helping to maintain financial system stability.
He said: “Considering the above therefore, the general consensus among stakeholders was that it is important that the legal framework is reviewed.
“This is to make the corporation more effective to discharge its functions, safeguard its independence and autonomy and to bring it in line with current realities and best practices.
“This is particularly because the corporation plays a vital role in safeguarding the interests of depositors and promoting confidence in the financial sector.
“The evolving challenges in the global and domestic banking environments necessitate the amendment of the current law to keep pace with these developments and ensure the NDIC remains fit for purpose.”
Abiru said over 30 written memoranda and numerous oral submissions were received. All the written memoranda and oral presentations at the hearing supported the bill.
E-Financial
NRS Accredits Afri Invoice as Access Point Provider to Drive Nigeria’s Mandatory e-invoicing

Ahead of the July deadline, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has accredited Afri Invoice as an official Access Point Provider (APP) in a major move for digital tax compliance across Nigeria.

This sovereign endorsement thrusts the emerging fintech leader into an elite tier of technology firms trusted to handle the nation’s fiscal data infrastructure.
With the July deadline looming, this offers an opportunity for Nigerian Businesses to get adequate onboarding support.
Crucially, this landmark certification comes on the heels of Afri Invoice also recently being licensed as an official Systems Integrator by the NRS—granting the company rare dual-licensed status within the national ecosystem.
BAs Nigeria rapidly transitions to a transparent, real-time fiscal economy, Afri Invoice now serves as a fully unified, secure gateway.
With this double mandate, the platform is uniquely positioned to both seamlessly integrate legacy corporate networks and directly validate, digitally sign, and transmit automated electronic invoices straight into the central NRS Merchant Buyer Solution (MBS) infrastructure.
The NRS launched the MBS platform to combat tax evasion, boost state revenues, and mandate transaction transparency across Africas largest economy.
Operating as a centralised real-time ledger, the platform intercepts and logs B2B and B2G transactions right at the point of sale.
Speaking on this milestone, Mark Odenore, Founder of Afri Invoice, said: “This accreditation represents one of the most significant moments in Afri Invoice’s journey.
“For years, we have believed that compliance should not be a financial burden that only large corporations can afford.
“The NRS has handed us the opportunity to be the bridge connecting Nigeria’s entire business community to this new era. We view e-invoicing as a launchpad for modern corporate efficiency, transparency, and growth.”
Large taxpayers transitioned during the initial rollout phase, and the NRS is actively expanding the mandate to medium and small enterprises. Because direct connection to government servers demands rigid compliance, APPs serve as the vital intermediaries.
To earn this license from NITDA, Afri Invoice underwent extensive evaluation, proving its technical resilience, software architecture quality, OAuth 2.0 security protocols, and strict alignment with the international PEPPOL interoperability framework.
A Sovereign Endorsement for Afri Invoice is not merely a commercial credential; it is a profound operational responsibility. Inclusion in the official NRS Solutions Provider Directory means businesses can confidently deploy Afri Invoice to shield themselves from compliance risks.
For Nigerian enterprises navigating these shifting tax laws, Afri Invoice eliminates technical friction by automating the full invoice lifecycle.
The platform seamlessly handles Native ERP Integration, synchronises data across international standard formats like JSON, manages real-time data submission, digital signing, and certificate lifecycles, and provides clear audit trails and dashboards for CFOs to eliminate manual human error and speed up close cycles.
Crucially, the platform supports all NRS-mandated tax categories, quantity codes, and payment statuses, future-proofing businesses as global cross-border invoice interoperability rolls out.
Ms. Fatimata Niang, the Director of Strategy &Operations, noted: “Our architecture was engineered to the highest global standards for security, interoperability, and scale.
“Every invoice running through our system is cryptographically secured and fully traceable from the millisecond it is generated. As the mandate expands to millions of taxpayers, our infrastructure is primed to handle massive volume without compromising on speed or security.”
Afri Invoice is a premier Nigerian financial technology company building modern digital invoicing and fiscal infrastructure.
Through robust API-driven solutions aligned with NRS, NITDA, and international PEPPOL protocols, the company empowers enterprises and SMEs to achieve effortless compliance with minimal technical overhead.
E-Financial
Reps Committee Recovers N521m Unremitted VAT from CBN

House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says it has recovered over ₦521 million in unremitted Value Added Tax (VAT) from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This is part of an ongoing investigation into revenue leakages and outstanding funds owed to the federal government.
Bamidele Salam, chairman of the Committee, disclosed this while providing an update on the probe into transactions conducted through the Remita platform.
According to Salam, the investigation was initiated following a resolution of the House of Representatives to examine alleged revenue leakages, non-compliance with standard operating procedures and breaches of service level agreements linked to the Remita payment platform.
He said the committee had uncovered several outstanding liabilities and led to multiple recoveries.
Salam revealed that the committee discovered that the CBN failed to remit VAT amounting to ₦521,765,134.17, representing tax deductions on fees earned from Remita transactions.
He described the recovery as evidence of the effectiveness of legislative oversight in promoting accountability and safeguarding public resources.
The lawmaker maintained that the committee would recover all outstanding funds due to the Federal Government and blocking avenues for revenue leakages across public institutions.
It added that the CBN has been directed to remit the outstanding amount into the Federal Government Treasury and provide evidence of compliance.
The Public Accounts Committee is expected to continue its hearing on the matter on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the National Assembly in Abuja.
E-Financial
CBN Imposes N100m Penalty on Dealing Bank Inadequate Processing of Forex Documents

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that any authorised dealer bank the processes foreign exchange (forex) transactions without proper documentation will be fined N100 million.

In addition, the bank will pay N10 million for each transaction involved.
The sanctions are contained in the fourth edition of the Foreign Exchange Manual, which serves as a guide for participants in Nigeria’s forex market.
According to the CBN, the updated manual aims to improve compliance, increase transparency, and strengthen confidence in the foreign exchange system.
Banks are now required to obtain, verify, and keep all necessary documents before releasing foreign currency to customers.
Similar documentation requirements apply to forward and swap transactions, where proof of the underlying trade or obligation must be provided before settlement.
For import transactions, importers must continue to provide documents such as Form M, invoices, certificates of origin, packing lists, and shipping documents.
They must also submit Exchange Control Documents within 90 days after negotiating shipping documents through overseas correspondent banks.
The CBN warned that failure to meet documentation requirements will attract escalating sanctions.
A first violation will result in a 90-day suspension from forex transactions, a second violation will attract a 180-day suspension, and a third offence will lead to a one-year suspension.
A fourth violation could result in a complete ban from participating in forex transactions.
Banks that fail to report cases of default to the CBN will also face sanctions.
The apex bank further tightened reporting requirements. Institutions that submit required daily or monthly returns late will be fined N500,000, while those that fail to submit returns at all will pay a minimum of N5 million, plus an additional N500,000 daily until compliance is achieved.Afternoon Paper Subscription
The revised manual also strengthens oversight of banks’ foreign currency exposure.
Financial institutions that exceed approved Net Open Position limits will receive a warning for the first offence, a 10-working-day suspension from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market for the second offence, and a 90-day suspension for the third violation.
The CBN also imposed sanctions on unauthorised reallocation of foreign exchange funds. Any bank found engaging in such practices will be fined N10 million per transaction and may face additional disciplinary action under the Bankers’ Committee ethics framework.
According to the CBN, the new measures are aimed at promoting transparency, strengthening market discipline, reducing abuses, and improving investor confidence in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.
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