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AfDB Committee Clears Adesina of Allegations of Private Gains, Others

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The Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB), charged with investigating charges brought by a group of employees of the institution against Akinwunmi Adesina, president of the bank, has issued its report.

AfDB Committee Clears Adesina of Allegations of Private Gains, Others

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President, AfDB

Adesina had last month described as spurious and unfounded an allegation by a group that described itself as concerned staff members of the bank that he violated the code of conduct of the institution.

According to him, the bank had a very high reputation for good governance and is rated as the fourth most transparent institution in the world by Publish What You Fund.

In an 18-page petition, the concerned staff members had listed the alleged cases of breach of code of conduct by Adesina to include unethical conduct, private gain, an impediment to efficiency, preferential treatment, involvement in political activity, among other activities they alleged to have adversely affected the confidence and integrity of the bank.

The complainants had also enumerated twenty areas where they allege Adesina had violated the code of conduct of the AfDB and the efforts made to draw the attention of the Ethics Committee to the issues in line with the bank’s whistle-blowing policy.

But the Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors of the AfDB in a report on May 5, exonerated Akinwumi Adesina of all charges against him.

Kaba Nialé, chair of the Board of Governors, who must now decide whether to close the case or to conduct a new investigation.

In a letter accompanying the report, which Jeune Afrique has been able to consult, she proposes “to adopt the conclusions of the investigation by declaring that the president is entirely exonerated of all allegations made against him”.

The AfDB Ethics Committee is headed by Takuji Yano, the institution’s Japan Executive Director.

For several weeks now, he has been under intense pressure. In their complaint submitted to the governors in early April, the whistleblowers had raised serious doubts about the AfDB’s ability to conduct an independent investigation.

“On 3 March, six weeks after our initial complaint, we concluded that the Ethics Committee was unable or unwilling to conduct a preliminary review of the complaint and that we should not have trusted it. The committee was unable to reassure us of any progress; on the contrary, attempts were made to discover our identities,” they wrote.

According to the French daily Le Monde, Takuji Yano received two very offensive letters from Adesina’s lawyer, Elie Whitney Debevoise. In these letters, dated 10 February and 10 March, Debevoise accused the chairman of the ethics committee of violating the bank’s rules by sending the whistleblowers’ note to the board of directors even before he had “consulted the legal advice department.


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E-Financial

Ecobank Nigeria to Fully Repay $300m Eurobond Ahead of Schedule

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Ecobank Nigeria has moved to retire the remaining part of its $300 million Eurobond before maturity. The bank has launched a tender offer for holders of its 7.125% senior notes due February 2026.

The bank announced the offer on Friday, 28 November 2025, inviting investors to tender their holdings ahead of schedule. Of the original $300 million issuance, $150 million remains outstanding.

Under the terms, investors whose notes are accepted for repurchase will receive $1,000 for every $1,000 in principal, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the settlement date. The transaction is expected to be completed on or before 31 December 2025.

Ecobank said the early repayment move is part of a broader strategy to optimise its balance sheet and strengthen capital planning flexibility. The lender added that the tender offer gives investors an opportunity to exit the instrument ahead of the original February 2026 maturity.

In a statement, the bank said the initiative underscores its “commitment to transparent engagement with funding partners and investors,” stressing that the offer supports its long-term goal of maintaining a well-structured debt profile.

Participation in the programme is voluntary, and investors will make decisions based on their individual considerations, the bank added.

Ecobank emphasised that the announcement is for information only and does not constitute an offer to buy or sell securities. Eligible noteholders are expected to rely on the formal tender documents when deciding whether to take part.

 


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Reps Give Banks Four-Day Ultimatum on Tax Deductions, Charges

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The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating deductions of taxes and sundry charges from the earnings of civil and public servants has given commercial banks a four-day deadline to submit all requested documents.

Reps Give Banks Four-Day Ultimatum on Tax Deductions, Charges

House of Rep

The committee, chaired by Hon. Kelechi Nwogwu, issued the ultimatum at the commencement of its investigation, following a motion earlier moved by the House Chief Whip, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo, on alleged deductions from civil servants’ salaries.

Nwogwu insisted that Chief Executive Officers of affected financial institutions must appear in person before the panel, rejecting representatives sent by GT Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank and other banks.

He explained that the panel was mandated to ensure that all deductions of charges by banks on customers’ accounts were fair and properly applied.

The committee disclosed that invitations had also been extended to the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and all commercial banks operating in Nigeria.

“You cannot appear here without an identity. We are here on the mandate of the people who elected us into parliament. We have resolved to meet next week on Wednesday.

“You must submit all requested documents by Monday, May 1,” Nwogwu said.

He warned that any bank that failed to comply with the deadline would face sanctions, adding that the committee would put the CEOs on oath during the next sitting.

The investigation continues next week.


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SEC Urges IST to Freeze all CBEX Bank Accounts in Nigeria

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has asked the Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST) to order the freezing of all bank accounts belonging to Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) and other defendants held in commercial banks and financial institutions across Nigeria.

The request was made in Suit No. IST/OA/02/2025: Securities and Exchange Commission & Anor v. Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) & 25 Others, the first case before the 6th Tribunal presided over by Hon. Aminu Jinaidu, Chairman of the IST.

SEC also urged the Tribunal to seize houses and other assets allegedly acquired by the defendants using proceeds obtained from the public through the CBEX investment scheme, which it said falsely operated as a digital assets platform and capital-market operator.

The Commission argued that CBEX, which is not registered with SEC, unlawfully promised investors a 100 percent return on investment within 30 days—conduct it said is in violation of Section 3(b) of the Investments and Securities Act, 2025.

SEC further disclosed that the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong had, on April 23, 2024, issued an advisory warning against CBEX, describing it as a suspicious virtual-asset entity. According to the advisory, CBEX adopted a name resembling that of a Chinese property-rights trading organisation to give investors false assurance, despite having no connection with the legitimate entity.

At Tuesday’s sitting, the Tribunal ordered that hearing notices be served on the defendants through national newspapers, as CBEX failed to appear and was not represented in court.

CBEX launched in Nigeria in July 2024, operating through a website and mobile app. It claimed to use advanced artificial intelligence to generate unusually high profits from cryptocurrency trading, promising returns of up to 100 percent within a 40- to 45-day lock-in period. The scheme later collapsed and was exposed as a Ponzi operation that reportedly defrauded investors of more than N1.3 trillion (about $800 million).

Hon. Jinaidu also presided over several other matters on the tribunal’s docket, including Benue Investments Property Co. Ltd & Anor v. Securities and Exchange Commission & 6 Others; Maven Asset Management Ltd v. Securities and Exchange Commission; John Makinde Onade & Anor v. First Registrars & Investors Services Ltd & Anor; and Securities and Exchange Commission & Anor v. Tourist Company of Nigeria PLC & 6 Ors. All the cases were adjourned to January 27, 2026.

 


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