E-Financial
CBN Allows Foreign Banks to Give Loans in Dollar
Central Bank of Nigeria on Monday authorized foreign banks in the country to work with their parent companies in availing and syndicating foreign currency-denominated loans (dollar loans) to Nigerian companies.
The apex bank said the policy aligns with its mandate to promote financial system stability. In the Guidelines for the Regulation of Representative Offices of Foreign Banks in Nigeria, signed by CBN’s Director of Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Muhammad Musa, it was stated that a bank licensed under any foreign law, whose registered head office is outside Nigeria, or any financial institution licensed under foreign law, whose primary business includes the receipt of deposits, granting of loans and/or provision of current and savings accounts, are covered by the guidelines.
This include foreign-owned operating bank/financial holding company that is foreign-based, that owns controlling interest in one or more banks or institutions whose primary business includes the receipt of deposits, granting of loans and provision of current and savings accounts.
The guidelines are backed by Sections 6(1) and 8 (1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020 (BOFIA) respectively which states that “no foreign bank shall operate in Nigeria without prior approval of the CBN”.
The banks are also authorized to market the products and services of its foreign parent or an affiliate of the foreign parent licensed and domiciled outside Nigeria.
They can also carry out research activities in Nigeria on behalf of the foreign parent and also serve as a liaison between the foreign parent and local banks, private institutions within Nigeria and other customers of the foreign parent based in Nigeria.
They are also authorized to connect banks and other financial institutions to their parent firm, and assist exporters in Nigeria with information related to the laws and markets of target countries in which the foreign parent or any of the Group’s affiliates has a subsidiary.
Part of the responsibilities includes collating and distributing economic and financial information or country reports to its foreign parents for use by their customers and assisting their customers who desire to invest in Nigeria or do business with Nigerian companies subject to the extant Data Protection Regulations.
They are also authorised to connect exporters with potential customers in jurisdictions where the parent company operates; and assist Nigerian exporters with finding new markets through its international offices.
The CBN added; “Representative offices are permitted to record revenue, in so far as such revenue does not relate to non-permissible activities as set out in section 3.2 below and emanates from intra-group services rendered to the parent company with such revenue taxed in accordance with transfer-pricing regulations. Revenue in this provision is limited to line items such as staff costs and business premises leasing fees.”
The banks are not allowed to provide services designated in Nigeria as banking business and provide any commercial or trading activity that may lead to the issuance of invoices for services rendered.
In establishing a representative office in Nigeria, the CBN said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CBN and the applicant’s home regulatory supervisor is essential. “Where such an MOU is non-existent, the CBN will work with the home regulatory agency to establish/execute an MOU as soon as possible,” it said.
“Not later than three months after obtaining the Approval-In-Principle, the promoters of a proposed office shall submit an application for the grant of a final license to the CBN,” the apex bank said.
Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) says its replacement with the defunct Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will overhaul the architecture of the country’s revenue administration.
Dr Zacch Adedeji, the executive chairman of NRS, said this in a television interview monitored from Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the provision of the recently enacted tax reform laws changes the nomenclature of the country’s apex tax authority from FIRS to NRS.
According to Adedeji, NRS is not branding. It is a total institutional upgrade moving from fragmented revenue administration to a modern, digitalised, centralised and intelligence-driven system.
He said that under the new framework, multiple tax and revenue-related functions previously spread across agencies have been consolidated, with a stronger emphasis on data integration, automation, and reduced human discretion.
He dismissed allegations that the country’s newly enacted tax reform laws were altered after passage by the National Assembly.
“Only the officially gazetted Acts carry legal authority and are binding on taxpayers and administrators,” he said.
The NRS boss said that an Act of the National Assembly only became effective after Presidential assent and official gazetting, with the gazetted version constituting the authoritative text in the event of disputes.
“Revenue agencies, courts, and taxpayers are therefore guided solely by the gazetted law, not draft bills, committee reports or chamber debates.
“Neither the executive nor the revenue authority has any incentive or legal capacity to alter the law after passage,” he said.
Adedeji said that the overhaul of the NRS is also designed to support the Federal Government’s broader fiscal objectives.
According to him, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio has improved in recent years, rising to about 13.5 per cent as at October 2025.
“But it remains below the African average and well short of levels seen in peer emerging markets,” he said.
Adedeji said that the overall aim is on taxing profits and returns rather than capital or investment.
“We are not going to tax poverty; we want to tax prosperity,” he said.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced plans to review its rules to encourage the listing of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the nation’s stock exchanges as part of efforts to deepen the capital market and stimulate economic growth.
According to a statement from the Commission, Agama said the rules review would focus on incentivising listings from small and medium-scale industries, particularly in manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals and finished goods. He said access to long-term capital through the market would help revive factories, reduce import dependence, create jobs and position “Made in Nigeria” products for global competitiveness.
Beyond SME listings, Agama said the Commission would prioritise the mobilisation of long-term capital to bridge Nigeria’s infrastructure and sectoral financing gaps. He added that regulatory frameworks would be streamlined while innovative financial instruments would be aggressively promoted to channel disciplined capital into productive sectors of the economy.
He disclosed that in 2026, the SEC would facilitate the issuance of infrastructure bonds, green bonds, municipal bonds and infrastructure-focused funds to attract long-term domestic and international capital. According to him, the objective is to finance roads, power, rail, housing and digital infrastructure, while making it easier for state governments and infrastructure firms to access the capital market efficiently.
The SEC boss also said the Commission would promote the listing of agribusiness firms and introduce tailored listing windows for agricultural cooperatives and value-chain companies. Through commodity exchanges, agricultural investment trusts and commodities-linked instruments, he said agriculture would be de-risked, fair pricing ensured for farmers, food security strengthened and wider citizen participation encouraged.
On housing, Agama disclosed plans to revitalise Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and introduce innovative affordable housing bonds. These initiatives, he said, would unlock capital for mass housing delivery, create new asset classes for investors and move millions of Nigerians closer to home ownership.
He further said the Commission would support Nigeria’s power sector through infrastructure bonds, green energy bonds, project-backed securities and public-private investment vehicles to fund grid expansion, renewable energy and energy transition projects.
Agama said the SEC is entering 2026 with a renewed resolve to reposition the capital market as a solution provider to Nigeria’s economic and developmental challenges, adding that the Commission is committed to transforming the market into a key driver of sustainable growth.
has reinforced its position as one of the major forces underpinning Nigeria’s payments ecosystem after processing more than ₦100 trillion worth of transactions in 2025, highlighting its expanding role in the country’s digital economy.
The payment technology platform, licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a Switch, Payment System Service Provider, Payment Terminal Service Provider and Super-Agent, operates largely behind the scenes, enabling millions of daily transactions across the public and private sectors.
From salary payments and loan repayments to school fees, pensions, electricity bills and government revenues, Remita supports a broad range of financial activities undertaken by individuals, businesses and institutions across the country. Industry observers often describe its function as the “rails” on which Nigeria’s payment system runs — critical infrastructure that is most visible only when it fails.
According to the company, the volume of transactions processed in 2025 was driven not by one-off spikes but by consistent, everyday activity across transaction switching for financial institutions, corporate and public-sector payments, and consumer financial flows. Remita also facilitated access to more than 15,000 products and services across 180 countries, extending its reach beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Throughout the year, the platform played a central role in revenue collection and disbursements for federal, state and local governments, ensuring the smooth payment of salaries and the continuity of public services.
Analysts note that such reliability is increasingly seen as essential to maintaining public trust in digital governance systems.
On a typical day, Remita enables a wide spectrum of transactions nationwide: a civil servant in Gombe receiving her salary, a contractor in Kogi getting paid, a student in Enugu settling university fees, residents in Abuja paying for water services, property owners in Lagos paying land use charges, and motorists paying traffic fines anywhere in the country.
In 2025, Remita also took steps towards deeper continental relevance through integration with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), a move aimed at simplifying cross-border payments within Africa and reducing reliance on third-party currencies.
‘DeRemi Atanda, managing director of Remita, said the company’s focus is on building infrastructure capable of supporting a more interconnected African digital economy. “Our responsibility is to build systems that can support that future. We are not just building for Nigeria. We are building infrastructure that can support Africa’s digital economy,” he said.
Artificial intelligence also featured prominently in Remita’s strategy during the year, with the company releasing a fintech AI report that positioned Nigeria within global discussions on the use of AI in financial services.
The report signalled a shift towards payment systems that are more predictive and responsive, rather than merely automated.
Financial inclusion remained another key focus. Through partnerships with agent networks such as Moniepoint, NIPOST and Paga, Remita expanded access to financial services in underbanked communities, bringing digital payment options closer to individuals and small businesses outside traditional banking channels.
Looking ahead, Remita is preparing for the public launch of a next-generation mobile app in the first quarter of 2026, following a public beta in late 2025. The app is expected to offer features including multi-bank account management, esusu groups, recurring payments, international transactions in local currency and discounted airline tickets.
As Nigeria and Africa push towards deeper economic integration, industry analysts say platforms like Remita — reliable, scalable and largely invisible — are likely to play an even more critical role in shaping the continent’s financial future.
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