E-Financial
Banks’ Funding Failure: The Shocking Rot In Nigeria’s Intervention Programmes
By Blaise Udunze
For over a decade, the Nigerian government and its financial institutions have launched a flurry of intervention funds, all with the promise to empower industries, revive the manufacturing sector, and lift millions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) out of financial drought. From agriculture to aviation, from creative industries to export promotion, these funds were designed as catalysts for inclusive growth and job creation.
But today, the story reads like a tragic irony. Trillions of naira later, there is little impact to show. Factories remain underutilized, MSMEs struggle to survive, and unemployment continues to soar. The rot runs deeply entrenched corruption, politicization, poor monitoring, and widespread loan defaults have turned what should have been Nigeria’s economic lifeline into a cautionary tale of mismanagement and missed opportunities.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) have, over the years, spearheaded multiple intervention programmes. In 2013, the N220 billion MSME Development Fund (MSMEDF) was launched to empower small businesses, with a special 60 percent allocation for women. Yet, more than a decade later, thousands of genuine entrepreneurs say they never accessed the fund, while others question the transparency of disbursement. The Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), launched in 2015, aimed to link smallholder farmers to processors and was hailed as a masterstroke for agricultural self-sufficiency. Over N1 trillion reportedly flowed into the scheme. But the dream soon dimmed with ghost beneficiaries, political interference, and poor loan recovery exposed a programme riddled with abuse.
Similarly, the Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), a CBN-backed initiative pooling five percent of banks’ profit after tax, began as a noble effort to stimulate SMEs. However, its later years were marred by disbursement bottlenecks and allegations of insider favoritism. Commercial banks and some designated financial institutions, instead of acting as facilitators, became gatekeepers of corruption. Bribes, favoritism, and endless paperwork became the norm. Funds meant for productive ventures were sometimes redirected to political allies or misapplied by the very institutions entrusted with disbursement.
Rather than empowering Nigeria’s real economy, intervention loans too often empowered a network of insiders who saw the programmes as avenues for rent-seeking. The impenetrability of these schemes made them convenient channels for political reward and institutional looting. Once the funds leave government coffers, tracking them becomes an exercise in futility. There are no reliable public databases showing who got what, how much was repaid, or what impact was achieved.
The rot is not confined to agriculture. The Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), launched in 2019 to nurture Nigeria’s entertainment and digital sectors, became mired in controversy over opaque selection and limited reach. The Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) and the Textile Sector Intervention Fund, meant to boost manufacturing and revive the textile industry, also suffered from weak monitoring and low repayment discipline. During the pandemic, the N400 billion COVID-19 Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) was touted as a lifeline for households and small firms. Administered by NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, it sparked hope among struggling entrepreneurs, but soon, the familiar patterns emerged as connected elites got the funds, while genuine applicants were locked out.
Official data reveals that the CBN has disbursed over N10.3 trillion across various interventions in less than a decade with an unprecedented scale of funding. When combined with BOI-managed programmes such as the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and the Export Expansion Facility Programme (EEFP), total earmarked intervention funds likely exceed N12 trillion. Yet, Nigeria’s industrial contribution to GDP remains below 10 percent, and MSMEs with the supposed beneficiaries continue to struggle with high costs, poor infrastructure, and limited credit access.
Over the years, numerous intervention funds have been launched to support industries and MSMEs from the N220 billion MSME Development Fund and N300 billion Real Sector Support Facility to the N200 billion SME Restructuring and Refinancing Fund. However, poor administration, corruption, and diversion have undermined these initiatives. A 2023 report by the Auditor-General revealed that billions of naira from these schemes were either unaccounted for or misapplied, with funds channeled through commercial banks that prioritized profit over impact.
For instance, the CBN’s N220 billion MSME Development Fund has only seen about N83 billion disbursed over seven years. The Survival Fund, though lauded in principle, has delivered roughly N67.5 billion to over 1.25 million beneficiaries, including cases where mobilisation fees were collected but goods or services never followed. An N5 billion SME loan fund through SMEDAN and Sterling Bank saw only N250 million actually reach business owners. Even in interventions like BOI’s N75 billion Manufacturing Sector Fund, less than a third had been disbursed to manufacturers, with many applications still awaiting approval. These examples speak not to scarcity of funds, but to failures in administration, accountability, and access.
The cost of Nigeria’s failed intervention programmes goes beyond wasted billions; it has crippled the very sectors they were designed to rescue. Thousands of promising small businesses are left stranded without access to affordable credit, while manufacturers continue to struggle with obsolete equipment, erratic power supply, and prohibitive interest rates. Instead of catalyzing growth, these funds have deepened dependency, encouraged corruption, and distorted the credit market.
The result is a stunted industrial base, where innovation and expansion are sacrificed on the altar of bureaucracy and greed. Many entrepreneurs who could have scaled production or entered export markets have shut down under the weight of unmet promises. Jobs that could have been created remain mere statistics in policy documents, while Nigeria’s ambition to diversify its economy beyond oil continues to falter.
In the ongoing investigation into the Central Bank of Nigeria’s activities, news reports have uncovered that scrutiny may extend to Chief Executive Officers and senior management personnel of various banks. The investigation seeks to examine potential discrepancies related to the management of intervention funds by deposit money banks. This revelation follows reports that the CBN might be compelled to withdraw its released audited annual financial reports after investigators uncovered irregularities and inconsistencies.
This unfolding probe, led by Special Investigator Jim Obazee, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in July 2023 as this mark one of the most comprehensive financial examinations in Nigeria’s history. Obazee’s mandate extends beyond the CBN to include other Government Business Entities (GBEs), with the goal of plugging financial leaks and holding corrupt individuals accountable. According to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the forthcoming audit report will shed light on governance failures that have long crippled Nigeria’s financial system.
One key revelation involves intervention funds totaling N1.27 trillion reportedly held in the accounts of five major banks: Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa, and Zenith Bank. These funds cover various CBN lending schemes, including the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, Real Sector Support Facility, and state bailouts. Access Bank alone held about N530 billion in intervention funds, while Fidelity Bank retained roughly N310 billion.
Several banks have also been found to hold undisbursed funds from the CBN earmarked for programmes like the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme and the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme. As of June 2023, Guaranty Trust Holding Company, Wema Bank, and Sterling Financial Holdings collectively held N114 billion in Anchor Borrowers’ funds, while seven banks, including UBA, Access, Zenith, and Fidelity, retained N94 billion from the agriculture credit scheme.
As the investigation progresses, bank executives were expected to be summoned for questioning. The revelations underscore the depth of systemic dysfunction, where funds meant for development sit idle or are diverted, while small businesses gasp for credit.
Amid the turbulence, the newly appointed CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso called for a radical shift in the bank’s role. During his Senate screening, he emphasized the need to refocus the CBN on its core mandate of monetary stability rather than direct development finance. Cardoso warned that the CBN’s historical foray into fiscal interventions had blurred institutional boundaries and undermined credibility. His plan is to transition the bank toward a more limited advisory role, one that supports economic growth without entangling itself in politically driven lending.
This reorientation is timely. As of October 2022, nearly 10 trillion had already been disbursed as intervention funds, much of it tied to agriculture and small business support. Yet controversies over beneficiary selection, repayment defaults, and limited impact persist. Experts have urged a full-scale audit and restructuring of these programmes, recommending that future interventions be channeled through relevant ministries and agencies, not the CBN to ensure proper oversight and impact measurement.
Before the next bailout or recovery initiative is launched, both the CBN and BOI must clean house. This means full public disclosure of all beneficiaries, proper audits of past disbursements, and the recovery of misapplied or stolen funds. The impenetrability that has shielded corruption for years must give way to transparency, backed by digital tracking systems and citizen oversight.
Beyond cleansing their books, these institutions must also rethink their approach. Development finance should no longer be routed through rent-seeking commercial banks that profit without producing impact. Instead, direct digital lending platforms, strict eligibility verification, and measurable impact tracking should define the new model.
Nigeria’s intervention programmes must undergo radical reform anchored on transparency, technology, and traceability. Every fund should have a publicly accessible portal listing disbursements, beneficiaries, and repayment status. Periodic audits that are independently verified must be mandatory, not optional. Beyond financial engineering, Nigeria must fix the enabling environment for consistent power supply, logistics, security, and regulatory stability that makes business growth possible.
The shocking rot in Nigeria’s intervention programmes is not just a financial scandal; it is a betrayal of national trust. Trillions have been poured into schemes that promised jobs and prosperity, yet delivered little beyond paperwork and propaganda. Unless Nigeria cleans up the system, enforcing accountability and rewarding genuine productivity, its intervention funds will continue to fund failure, not progress.
Blaise, a journalist and PR professional writes from Lagos, can be reached via: [email protected]
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has commenced the implementation of a fully electronic registration process for capital market operators, enabling designated regulatory services to be completed entirely online as part of efforts to modernise Nigeria’s capital market and improve regulatory efficiency.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commission said the new electronic registration (e-Registration) platform, deployed through its ePortal, marks another milestone in its digital transformation agenda and its drive to build a technology-driven regulatory environment.
SEC explained that the platform allows Capital Market Operators (CMOs) to complete designated registration processes online, covering application submission, regulatory review, approvals and communication of decisions, thereby eliminating manual processing for the services included in the current phase.
The Commission said the initiative is expected to simplify regulatory interactions, reduce administrative bottlenecks, shorten processing timelines and provide applicants with greater visibility into the status of their applications.
It added in the statement that the migration to a fully digital registration system would improve operational efficiency while strengthening regulatory oversight through standardised workflows, electronic documentation, secure digital record management and enhanced audit trails.
“The new platform represents a major step towards creating a seamless digital regulatory ecosystem that enhances operational efficiency while strengthening regulatory effectiveness,” the Commission said.
Furthermore, SEC explained that the e-Registration platform aligns with its strategic objective of leveraging technology to improve market efficiency, enhance the ease of doing business, and deliver better services to stakeholders.
“Beyond improving efficiency, the platform will enhance the integrity of regulatory processes by reducing delays associated with paper-based documentation and improving the quality of regulatory data for decision-making.
“The digital platform would also provide a stronger foundation for regulatory analytics and future innovations aimed at improving oversight of Nigeria’s capital market”.
SEC said the implementation is being carried out in phases to ensure a smooth transition for market participants while maintaining the stability and integrity of regulatory processes.
It clarified that the current phase is limited to post-registration services for existing Capital Market Operators, adding that applications for the registration of new entrants into the Nigerian capital market are not yet covered.
“The commencement of electronic processing for new registration applications will be announced at a later date.”
It urged all Capital Market Operators to familiarise themselves with the new platform and comply with implementation timelines to ensure a seamless transition to the electronic registration process.
It said the initiative forms part of its broader modernisation agenda designed to improve regulatory efficiency, strengthen market infrastructure, enhance transparency and support the continued growth, resilience and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s capital market.
National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has revoked the operating licence of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation over its failure to meet the statutory Minimum Capital Requirement (MCR).
It has appointed Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), as receiver/provisional liquidator to wind up the company’s affairs.
The appointment took effect on August 3, 2026, following the cancellation of the corporation’s certificate of registration by the insurance regulator.
In a notice dated August 4, Banire said he was appointed by NAICOM, in the exercise of its statutory powers, to take charge of the receivership and liquidation of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (RR-002).
According to the notice, the company’s licence was revoked after it failed to comply with the prescribed Minimum Capital Requirement applicable to its category of licence within the stipulated compliance period, in accordance with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and other extant laws, regulations and guidelines.
Banire said his appointment empowers him to immediately trace, recover, secure and take possession of all assets belonging to the company; collate and settle its liabilities in accordance with the NIIRA 2025; liaise with NAICOM on matters relating to the liquidation; and submit periodic reports to the Commission.
He directed banks, financial institutions, insurance policyholders and members of the public not to honour any instruction relating to the company except those issued by him or persons expressly authorised by him.
As part of the liquidation process, Banire said all bank accounts belonging to Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation had been frozen with immediate effect, pending further directives from his office.
He warned that any transaction carried out without his authorisation would be at the risk of the parties involved.
“Members of the general public, banks and financial institutions in Nigeria are hereby informed that no financial transactions should be conducted pursuant to any instruction from anyone except those that I issue as the Receiver/Provisional Liquidator,” the notice stated.
According to him, only instructions bearing his official seal and stamp as a legal practitioner, or those issued by persons duly authorised by him, will be recognised throughout the liquidation process.
The regulatory action marks a significant enforcement measure by NAICOM and underscores the Commission’s resolve to ensure that insurance and reinsurance companies operating in Nigeria comply with statutory capital requirements designed to safeguard policyholders and strengthen the financial stability of the industry.
The liquidation process is expected to involve the recovery and realisation of the company’s assets, the verification and settlement of valid claims and liabilities, and the orderly winding up of its affairs in accordance with the provisions of the law.
The notice reminds policyholders, creditors, banks and other stakeholders that all dealings concerning Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation must henceforth be channelled through the Receiver/Provisional Liquidator until the liquidation process is concluded.
E-Financial
Access Holdings Deepens Sustainable Finance Impact, Expanding Green Assets to ₦92.14 Billion
Access Holdings Plc has published its Sustainability Report for the year ended 31 December 2025 on the Nigerian Exchange Limited, demonstrating how the Group is translating sustainability commitments into measurable business, environmental and social outcomes.
The report shows a green asset portfolio of ₦92.14 billion, a 28.47 per cent reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions against its 2022 baseline and expanded access to finance for about 2.53 million low-income individuals.
The report reinforces the Group’s strategic shift from scale to value by showing how sustainability is being embedded in capital allocation, risk management, product development and operations.
Access Bank Plc, the Group’s largest subsidiary, accounts for a significant portion of the reported outcomes.
The green asset portfolio has grown from ₦22 billion in 2021 and ₦72.32 billion in 2024 to ₦92.14 billion at year-end 2025, advancing towards the Group’s long-term target of ₦475 billion. During the year, Access Holdings deployed ₦72.3 billion under its Sustainable Finance Framework to eligible environmentally beneficial projects and grew its cumulative sustainability-focused loan book to US$1.269 billion.
The emissions reduction reported in 2025 reflects operational changes designed to lower the environmental footprint of the Group’s activities. Operational emissions fell to 49,352 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from 57,176 tonnes in 2024, supported primarily by branch solarisation across 263 locations and the deployment of 323 solar-powered ATMs, largely across Access Bank in Nigeria. The Group applies the operational-control approach under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, accounting for emissions across its African footprint, with Access Bank representing the largest share.
Beyond environmental outcomes, the report highlights the Group’s contribution to inclusive economic participation. In 2025, Access Holdings extended access to finance to 2,528,117 low-income individuals and onboarded 78,438 new MSMEs onto its financing platform.
Across the Group, 2.8 billion transactions were processed during the year, underscoring the institution’s role as core financial infrastructure for Africa’s real economy. Gender-lens lending also progressed, with 354,156 loans extended to women and women-owned businesses, totalling ₦67.4 billion, equivalent to 24 per cent of the relevant loan portfolio.
The Group’s Corporate Social Investment programmes reached 2,439,480 beneficiaries across education, health, entrepreneurship and the environment, delivered with partners including UNICEF, HACEY Health Initiative and the Kenya Forest Service. Employees recorded 359,500 volunteer hours with 100 per cent participation, while more than 50,000 trees were planted.
The Group notes that 2025 community figures follow a Board-mandated tightening of its impact-measurement methodology and are not directly comparable with prior years. Women represent 49 per cent of the workforce, and the Access Holdings Board comprised nine directors with 44.4 per cent female representation. Employee satisfaction rose to 87 per cent against an 80 per cent target, while attrition eased from about 13 per cent to about 11 per cent.
To strengthen credibility and comparability, the report was prepared using the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, specifically IFRS S1 and IFRS S2, as the primary framework, with the GRI Standards (2021) and the SASB Standards applied as complementary references. Selected disclosures were independently assured by CSR-in-Action Consulting Limited under ISAE 3000 (Revised) on a hybrid reasonable and limited assurance basis.
Sustainability governance is integrated into senior oversight and credit decision-making. The Board Human Resources and Sustainability Committee oversees the agenda, supported by the Board Risk Management Committee. Climate and ESG risk is reflected in capital planning through the ICAAP, while an ESG Toolkit is embedded in the credit-approval system, enabling facilities to be screened against IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles.
The Group also reported zero material regulatory penalties relating to sustainability for a second consecutive year and zero cybersecurity breaches.
Access Holdings mobilised US$185.38 million, equivalent to ₦266.83 billion, in concessional funding from development finance institutions during the year and allocated a sustainability budget of ₦4.8 billion from profit before tax.
Sales-facing staff in the banking subsidiary carry green-portfolio targets within their individual performance measures, linking strategic sustainability goals to day-to-day execution across governance, strategy, risk management, capital allocation, products and operations.
Commenting on the report, Innocent C. Ike, Group Chief Executive Officer, Access Holdings Plc, said: “Our 2025 Sustainability Report reflects the discipline with which we are converting scale into value. We reduced operational emissions by 28.47 per cent, grew our green asset portfolio to ₦92.14 billion and extended financial access to about 2.5 million low-income individuals.
These outcomes show that sustainability is not separate from our business; it is central to how we create value, manage risk and support inclusive growth across Africa.”
Looking ahead, the Group will focus on deepening the measurable impact of its sustainability agenda, accelerating the transition of its portfolio towards low-carbon and climate-resilient assets, growing the green asset portfolio towards the ₦475 billion target.
It will also improve data quality for financed and Scope 3 emissions through adoption of the PCAF methodology, scaling renewable-energy adoption, deepening development finance partnerships, and further integrating climate risk into financial planning.
Consistent with its mission to be the most respected African financial services group, Access Holdings frames these commitments as a disciplined, evidence-based approach to building long-term value for customers, communities, shareholders and the wider African economy.
ITUC-Africa Faults FG’s Plans to Remove Electricity Subsidy
SEC Begins Full e-Registration for Capital Market Services
NAICOM Revokes Nigeria Reinsurance’s Licence over Failure to Meet MCR
Many Nigerian Airlines May Collapse within 30 Days – Onyema
Ogbaga, Abuja Lawyer to Sue Telcos, DStv over Alleged Unfair Practices
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
How EFCC Turned Recovered Loot Into School Supplies for Thousands of Nigerian Students
E-Business3 days agoKaspersky Identifies Cyberespionage as a Growing Threat Across Africa, Others
Broadcasting3 days agoNBC Files Fresh Appeal against Judgment Barring it from Imposing Fines on Broadcast Stations
News3 days agoINTERPOL Report Shows AI Powers 55% of Cybercrimes in Africa Amid $484m Losses
E-Business2 days agoKaspersky Reveals a New Malicious Framework Targeting Cryptocurrency Users with the Use of OkoSpyware
E-Financial3 days agoNigerians Lost N25.85Bn to Digital Payment Fraud in 2025 –CBN
News3 days agoNigeria Expands Deep-tech Skills Pipeline
Telecom3 days agoWhy Strong Institutions Remain Africa’s True Growth Engine
E-Business2 days agoCMS T&M Launches TMO Rides to Enable a Faster & Cashless Transport Experience for CMS – Ajah Passengers