E-Financial
CBN to Sack Banks’ CEOs, Others over Delayed Accounts
Any bank which fails to publish its annual account 12 months after the financial year end will have its chief executive sacked, Godwin Emefiele, governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.
Also to be fired is the chairman of such a bank.
This directive is contained in the CBN’s Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade and Exchange Guidelines for Fiscal Years 2018/2019 released at the weekend.
The policy aligns with the provisions of the Bank and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 1991, which require banks to, subject to the written approval of the CBN, publish their audited financial statements- financial position and comprehensive income- in a national newspaper printed and circulated in Nigeria not later than four months after the end of each financial year.
Besides, to allow the implementation of consolidated supervision, the CBN directed all banks, discount houses and their subsidiaries to continue to adopt December 31 as their accounting year end.
”The CBN will continue to hold the Board Chairman and Managing Director of a defaulting bank directly responsible for any breach and impose appropriate sanctions, which may include barring the Managing Director or his/her nominee from participation in the Bankers’ Committee and disclosing the reason for such suspension.”
“It will also include suspension of the foreign exchange dealership licence of the bank and its name sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (in the case of a public quoted company) and removal of the Chairman and Managing Director/CEO from office if the accounts remain unpublished for 12 months after the end of the bank’s financial year,” the report said.
One Systematically Important Bank (SIB) with offshore subsidiaries in three countries has failed to publish its financial statement for the past three years. Its last published financial statement was for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015.
Also, based on the new CBN’s policy on financial account publication, any bank that fails to publish its 2017 financial statement by the close of business today will be sanctioned by the regulator.
The new CBN policy spells out borrowing terms and liquidity positions for commercial, merchant and noninterest banks. It says the minimum liquidity ratio for commercial, merchant and non-interest banks should be retained at 30, 20 and 10 per cent, subject to review from time to time.
“In the 2018/2019 fiscal years, discount houses will continue to maintain a minimum investment of 60 per cent of their total liabilities in government securities. The ratio of individual bank loans to deposits is retained at a maximum of 80 per cent. The Net Open Position (NOP), long or short, of the overall foreign currency assets and liabilities taking into cognisance both on and off-balance sheet items will not exceed 10 per cent of shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses,” it said.
It said the aggregate foreign currency borrowing of a bank, excluding intergroup and inter-bank (Nigerian banks) borrowing, will not exceed 125 per cent of shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses. “Banks are expected to hedge borrowing using financial market tools acceptable to the CBN; borrowings must be subordinated debts with prepayments allowable only at the instance of the bank and subject to prior approval of the CBN; and all debts, with the exception of trade lines, will have a minimum fixed tenor of five years,” it added.
On discount window operations, the CBN specified that all eligible markets players may borrow funds from or lend funds to the CBN on short-term basis, to meet their temporary shortage of liquidity occasioned by internal or external disruptions or deposit their excess funds, respectively. “The window, through the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) and the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) will be accessible at a stipulated time at the end of the business day to enable the institutions square up their positions overnight at appropriate rates tied to the Monetary Policy Rate,” it said.
It advised banks to seek profitability by driving down cost and charging competitive rates instead of charging excessive rates of interest. Therefore, banks are expected to develop and implement a Risk-Based Pricing Model in line with the provisions of CBN.
The CBN will continue to maintain and upgrade the Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) System for settlement of inter-bank fund transfers and time-critical payments and categorise banks into settlement and non-settlement banks for the purpose of clearing and settlement.
The settlement banks are to participate directly in the clearing houses and receive their net clearing position in their settlement account with the CBN while non-settlement banks receive their net clearing position through the settlement account of their settlement bank.
“Any bank applying for direct participation as a settlement bank will be required to possess the capacity to provide the required clearing collateral of N15 billion, subject to periodic review. Such lender will also have ability to offer agency facilities to other banks and to clear and settle on their behalf and have adequate branch network, in all the CBN locations,” it said.
On capital adequacy, the CBN said the minimum ratio of total qualifying capital to total risk-weighted assets will remain at 10 per cent for regional and national banks, and 15 per cent for international banks in the 2018/2019 fiscal years.
”Not less than 66.67 per cent of banks’ capital will comprise paid-up capital and reserves. Banks will also maintain a ratio of not more than one to ten (1:10) between adjusted capital funds and total credit net of provisions. They are encouraged to maintain a higher level of capital commensurate with their risk profile. Banks and banking groups are required to comply with the appropriate guidelines for the measurement and calculation of capital requirements.”
The differences resulting from the comparison of expected losses determined under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with all losses determined under the prudential guidelines will continue to be adjusted under the statement of changes in equity, through the non-distributable regulatory reserve.
The CBN said it will continue to enforce the stipulated penalties for noncompliance with regulatory guidelines, as well as the provisions of the CBN Act 2007 and the BOFI Act 1991 (as amended), in the 2018/2019 fiscal years. “Any financial institution that fails to comply with extant guidelines and other directives that may be issued by the CBN will be sanctioned accordingly,” the CBN said.
MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank has introduced a refreshed mobile banking experience designed to make purchasing airtime and data more convenient and straightforward for customers.
As part of the rollout, customers will enjoy added value on their transactions. Airtime purchases on the Glo network come with a 100 percent bonus, while data purchases attract a 10 percent bonus, giving users amazing rewards on each purchase.
With this revamp, the app is now much easier to use, especially for airtime purchases. From selecting accounts to choosing amounts, the process is more seamless, with clearer options and fewer steps. Data plans are now neatly organized into categories such as daily, weekly, and monthly, making it easier for users to find what they need without endless scrolling.
Beyond the improved layout, customers now have more flexibility in how they recharge. Lower airtime denominations have been introduced, giving users the freedom to choose amounts that better suit their needs, while navigation has been adjusted to be quicker and more intuitive.
Speaking on the update, the bank’s Head of Business, Tajudeen Omokhide, explained that the goal is to make payments as simple and seamless as possible. According to him, customers expect speed, clarity, and affordability, and these improvements are part of the bank’s ongoing effort to meet those expectations. He also encouraged both existing and new users to get the latest version of the app.
These updates are a testament to MoneyMaster’s broader mission of developing practical, relevant products for everyday life. Promoted by Globacom and licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the bank offers mobile wallets, savings accounts, individual current accounts, and business banking services.
MoneyMaster continues to position itself as a flexible, customer-centric platform, enabling over 4,000 individual and business billers to manage payments, access financial services, and stay connected with ease.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) operating in the country to open and maintain naira settlement accounts with authorised dealer banks, as part of efforts to tighten oversight of diaspora remittances and improve transparency in the foreign exchange market.
The directive was contained in a circular dated March 24, 2026, signed by Dr Musa Nakorji, director of the Trade and Exchange Department, and addressed to IMTOs, authorised dealer banks and the general public.
The circular was published on the apex bank’s website on Tuesday.
The CBN said the measure is aimed at “enhancing diaspora remittances, strengthening transparency, traceability, and effective monitoring of all transactions.”
It stated that “all IMTOs are hereby directed to open naira settlement accounts and ensure that all transactions are routed strictly through their designated settlement accounts, maintained with Authorised Dealer Banks in Nigeria.”
Under the new rule, all inflows, beneficiary payments and related settlements linked to international money transfers are to be processed solely through these accounts.
IMTOs may, however, operate multiple settlement accounts across different banks in line with their operational needs.
The circular also introduced tighter controls on how the accounts can be funded, stating that they “shall only be credited with remittance flows and proceeds of foreign exchange conversions by licensed IMTOs (or their agents)” within the Nigerian foreign exchange market.
Operators are required to clearly designate the accounts and submit the details to the CBN, with updates provided periodically where necessary.
To improve market operations, authorised dealer banks are permitted to process foreign currency transfers from IMTO settlement accounts to other banks and approved participants, including licensed Bureau De Change operators.
The apex bank further directed IMTOs to adopt market-reflective pricing by referencing the Bloomberg BMatch system. It said IMTOs “shall observe real-time market prices from the Bloomberg BMATCH and utilise this as guidance for pricing transactions with their customers and Authorised Dealers.”
According to the CBN, this approach is expected to “improve price discovery, reduce information asymmetry between IMTOs and banks, and encourage increased participation in the official FX market.”
The bank added that all operators must maintain proper transaction records for regulatory checks and comply fully with anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing rules.
“This directive takes effect from May 1, 2026. Please note and ensure compliance,” the circular stated.
The move shows the CBN’s push to channel remittance inflows through formal banking channels, boost liquidity in the official foreign exchange market and strengthen regulatory oversight of cross-border transactions.
E-Financial
DLM Capital Group’s AAA-Rated Sovereign Bond-Backed Composite Notes (“SBCNS”) Strengthens Investor Confidence with Successful First Principal & Interest Payment
Foremost Development Investment Bank, DLM Capital Group has reinforced its position as a leader in innovative fixed income solutions with the successful payment of the first principal and interest (coupon) to investors under its Sovereign Bond-Backed Composite Notes (“SBCNs”) issuance.
This milestone, alongside the consistent delivery of quarterly performance reports, underscores the Group’s commitment to transparency, capital preservation, and investor confidence.
DLM SPV PLC’s 40.62% Hold-to-Maturity return ₦7.30 billion (Tranche A) and 19.07% ₦1.70 billion (Tranche B) Plain Vanilla Series 1 Notes, issued under its ₦30.00 billion Medium-Term Notes Programme and developed by Sonnie Babatunde Ayere, Group CEO of DLM Capital, was recently listed on the FMDQ Exchange with the Tranche A bond becoming the most valuable AAA-rated corporate bond on the market.
This represents a new class of structured debt instruments designed to meet both issuer funding needs and investor expectations. As a platform widely recognised for supporting innovative debt structures, FMDQ provides an enabling environment for instruments like DLM’s SBCNs to thrive.
At launch in July 2025, DLM SBCNs, which achieved a 9-notch upgrade from BBB- (GCR Sponsor ratings at issuance) without securitisation, entered the market with a healthy degree of skepticism, as is typical with pioneering financial instruments. However, after six months of post-issuance, DLM Funding SPV Plc has delivered on its promise by comfortably and successfully meeting its first principal and coupon obligations to its investors.
This performance milestone has significantly strengthened market confidence and validated the robustness of the structure. The notes are rated AAA by Global Credit Rating and AAA by DataPro Limited, reflecting their strong credit fundamentals and low-risk profile. Designed to prioritise capital preservation, liquidity, and above competitive market returns, the instrument stands out as one of the most compelling corporate fixed income offerings for institutional investors currently available in the market.
Investor response has been notably strong and institutional investors who are beginning to recognize the value of a well-structured de-risked, high-return and, high-quality fixed income investment backed by a credible issuer with a proven track record. The combination of timely coupon payments, high credit ratings, and ongoing transparency has positioned SBCNs as a preferred option for investors seeking stability and performance in today’s evolving financial landscape.
As investor interest continues to build towards Series 2, DLM SBCNs are not only demonstrating resilience but also setting a benchmark for innovation in Nigeria’s debt capital markets. In its role as a Development Investment Bank (“DIB”), DLM Capital Group remains committed to delivering structured solutions that align with investor needs whilst maintaining the highest standards of governance and execution.
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