E-Financial
CBN, Others Push for Winding Up of AMCON
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and Ernst & Young, (multinational financial advisory firm), the are pushing to end the operation of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Ahmed Kuru, managing director/CEO, AMCON, said AMCON is working with the three institutions to “tinker things a little and then at certain point in time liaising with the National Assembly to draw a line.”
Speaking during a retreat with members of the House Committee on Banking and Currency in Lagos, Kuru said: “My suggestion will be to put all the remaining debt in one vehicle and fling the vehicle to anybody or firm that wants to buy with considerable discount. At that stage maybe it would be wise to do that and then close AMCON. There are funds all over the world that are in search of such opportunity. Then the contributions into the sinking fund from the banks, NDIC and CBN would over the period of two or three years depending on how the rates are adjusted be gradually cleared.”
The AMCON boss said the corporation raised its N5.6 trillion take-off capital from bonds it issued at six per cent for a discounted value of N4.042 trillion (face value of N5.6 trillion) for the acquisition of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) and the recapitalization of Eligible Financial Institutions (EFIs).
The AMCON chief said another cash of N500 billion was from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at three per cent annual interest rate, payable in 2021 and another N10 billion share capital contributed equally by the Ministry of Finance and the CBN.
Kuru challenged the lawmakers to consolidate on the gains of the previous National Assembly, said it is in the interest of the Nigerian economy to recover the debt because it was not established as a charity organisation.
He said AMCON purchased 12,743 NPLs or EBAs worth N3.8 trillion from 22 Eligible Financial Institutions (EFIs) for a purchase price of N1.8 trillion. The purchased are covered by various collaterals. AMCON also capitalizes three EFIs and provides financial accommodation to five. The corporation, he added had to inject a total sum of N2.2 trillion to 10 banks – bridged and owned banks (intervened banks) – bringing Net Book Value (NAV) to Zero.
AMCON he added bought 12,743 Eligible Bank Assets (EBAs) but has so far resolved about 4,000 EBAs while more than 8,000 EBAs are still outstanding just as it mapped out about 6,000 accounts to its Asset Management Partners (AMPs), which has significantly improved recoveries. However, 71 of the EBAs are currently under receivership.
Also, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, chairman, committee on Banking and Currency, of Federal House of Representatives assured Nigerians that the 9th National Assembly would take all necessary measures that would support AMCON in realizing the huge outstanding debt of over N5.4 trillion owed it by obligors before its sunset.
Recall that AMCON with the assistance of the 8th National Assembly successfully amended the AMCON Act, which President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law earlier in the year. The amended Act further provided AMCON with additional powers to deal with the obligors.
Since government is a continuum, Nwokolo affirmed that the National Assembly through the committee, which has oversight mandate over AMCON would work to ensure that AMCON not only performs its function satisfactorily, but ensures that the corporation delivers on its expected mandate given that AMCON is a creation of the parliament in 2010.
He said the National Assembly will continue to amend the AMCON Act until the Federal Government achieves that target for which AMCON was created in the first place, which is to stabilize the financial sector.
Given that the AMCON Act has been amended and already signed into law by President Buhari, Nwokolo said the national assembly will continue to strengthen the laws of the country on enforcement. He said enforcement has become critical given the tactics of the debtors, which has constrained AMCON from achieving optimum results especially since public funds were used to buy these loans that helped prevent systemic collapse of the banking sector in Nigeria at the time AMCON was created in 2010.
PalmPay, a leading digital banking platform in Africa has announced the launch of strategic partnerships with top-tier insurance providers to offer accessible, affordable and simplified insurance products directly within the PalmPay app.
This initiative reflects the brand’s continued commitment to deepening financial inclusion and underscores its mission to improve the wellbeing of everyday Nigerians.
With only about 8.9% of Nigerians currently covered by any form of health insurance, the country remains one of the least insured populations in Africa. Barriers such as low awareness, affordability challenges, and trust issues continue to hinder broader adoption of insurance products.
PalmPay’s new insurance offering directly addresses these challenges by simplifying the purchase and management of insurance policies within the app. The PalmPay insurance feature is designed to make essential coverage, from health to device, and life insurance easily accessible at affordable prices, eliminating the traditional complexities often associated with insurance.
“Insurance is often perceived as complex or inaccessible, especially among underserved communities.” said Habib Kowontan, Head of Wealth Product at PalmPay. “Through these partnerships, we aim to break down those barriers by offering simple, reliable and affordable insurance options that are easily accessible within the PalmPay app.”
With over 35 million users across Nigeria, PalmPay continues to evolve as a smart, consumer-first digital banking platform. The integration of insurance services complements its growing suite of offerings, which includes transfers, bill payments, high-interest savings, and debit card services, making PalmPay one of the most comprehensive digital banking platforms in the African market.
“Our goal at PalmPay is to remove barriers and make essential services easily accessible to everyone,” said Mr Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay. “Through these strategic partnerships, we’re expanding our services to be more inclusive and empowering our users with products that will positively impact their lives and finances.”
This rollout marks a significant milestone in PalmPay’s broader strategy to empower users with tools that enhance their daily lives. Building not just a payments app, but a smart and trusted financial partner for millions of Nigerians.
In a timely gesture aimed at improving the plight of internally displaced persons (IDP) in Benue State, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has distributed mattresses and essential food items to over 2,000 victims of the Yelwata attacks currently taking refuge at the Ultra-Modern International Market IDP Camp in Makurdi.
Team Lead, CSR, Fidelity Bank Plc, Victoria Abuka (Left); CEO, The Abbasid Charity Foundation, Hauwa Abbas (Centre); and Branch Leader, Fidelity Bank Plc, Makurdi, Terwase (Right), representing the Regional Bank Head, North Central, Sadi Zawiya, with some beneficiaries during the Fidelity Food Bank distribution event in Makurdi, Benue State recently.
The donation, which was carried out in collaboration with the Abbasid Charity Foundation, is part of Fidelity Bank’s ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable communities through its flagship Fidelity Food Bank program. Since its launch in April 2023, the Food Bank has distributed over 200,000 food packs to beneficiaries across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
Speaking about the donation event, the bank’s Divisional Head, Brand and Communications, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh reaffirmed Fidelity Bank’s dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its mission to uplift communities.
His words, “Since its launch, the Fidelity Food Bank initiative has helped to alleviate the effect of poverty and malnutrition across the country. We are honored to be back in Benue State to continue this impactful initiative, and we hope that today’s donation brings much-needed relief and comfort to the beneficiaries during this difficult time”.
In her remarks, the Executive Officer, the Abbasid Charity Foundation, Mrs. Hawa Abbas, emphasized the importance of restoring dignity to the displaced, stating that the donation of mattresses was to ensure the IDPs no longer sleep on bare floors.
“This gesture is our way of letting the displaced persons know that they are not forgotten. We care deeply for them, and we hope this donation offers some comfort and hope, even in these difficult circumstances,” Abbas noted.
The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. James Iorpuu, who was represented by Camp Manager, Mr. Robert Nyom, expressed deep appreciation to Fidelity Bank and the Abbasid Charity Foundation for their timely support.
“Your intervention has brought much-needed relief to the camp and we thank you for your compassion and generosity towards improving the welfare of the displaced persons,” he said.
The bank’s outreach to the International Market IDP Camp in Makurdi represents the most recent of its ongoing critical and timely interventions. Previously, through its Food Bank Initiative, the bank provided essential food items to more than 1,500 residents impacted by the recent flood disaster in Mokwa, Niger State.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
US Secret Service has quietly seized nearly $400 million in digital assets over the past decade, amassing one of the world’s largest crypto cold wallets, Bloomberg reported at the weekend, citing people familiar with the matter.
The agency’s Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) has tracked funds through open-source tools, blockchain analysis, and patience, Jamie Lam, an investigative analyst with the US Secret Service, reportedly told law enforcement officials in Bermuda last month.
The agency’s crypto trove, much of which sits in a single cold-storage wallet, results from a string of investigations into scams. Scammers lure targets into seemingly legitimate crypto investment platforms in one typical scheme.
Victims often see initial profits before the sites vanish with their deposits.
“That’s how they do it,” Lam said. “They’ll send you a photo of a really good-looking guy or girl. But it’s probably some old guy in Russia.”
Lam’s team uses domain records, blockchain transactions, and VPN slip-ups to identify fraudsters. In one case, a cryptocurrency payment led investigators to another wallet. In another one, a brief VPN failure exposed an IP address, helping agents piece together the scam’s digital trail.
At the helm of the Secret Service’s crypto strategy is Kali Smith, who directs a team that has trained officials in over 60 countries to unmask online financial crimes.
The agency has focused on jurisdictions with weak oversight or programs selling residency to foreign nationals. “Sometimes after just a week-long training, they can be like, ‘Wow, we didn’t even realize that this is occurring in our country,’” Smith said.
The Secret Service’s work has uncovered scams ranging from romance-investment schemes to sextortion cases. One investigation involved an Idaho teenager who sent a nude photo to an online stranger. The scammer extorted $300 twice before the teen went to the police.
Analysts traced the payments through another coerced teenager acting as a money mule, leading to an account tied to nearly $4.1 million in transactions under a Nigerian passport.
British police arrested the suspected extortionist when he arrived in Guildford, England, where he remains in custody pending extradition.
4 Dead, 20 Others Injured as Fire Engulfs Cairo Data Centre
EFCC Re-Arraigns Echefu, TStv CEO for Allegedly Defrauding Ex-Minister of N1Bn, $1.3m
FG Declares Admissions outside CAPS Illegal
Nigeria Loses over N200Bn from SSB Tax Annually – CAPPA
Jumia Replatforms its Retail Media Program to Mirakl Ads to Enhance Marketplace Advertising
Telecom3 days agoY’ello Care’s 21-Day Campaign Bridges Digital Divide for Thousands Nationwide
General News3 days agoEnugu Air Commences Operations Today
E-Business3 days agoGalaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria
Broadcasting3 days agoNDPC Slaps Multichoice with ₦766M Fine for Data Privacy Violations
News3 days agoLagos-Calabar Highway Gets $100M Push from ECOWAS to Drive Regional Growth
Telecom3 days ago20 Years of Digital Leadership: Layer3’s Legacy and the Road Ahead
Telecom2 days agoNCC Wins Global ICT Award for Digital Awareness in Schools
News3 days agoNBS May Release Rebased Figures for Nigerian Economy July 11