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Oil Cabal Shared Missing $20Bn, Sanusi Tells New York Times

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Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Governor, CBN
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Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, ousted governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has told New York Times that the $20 billion he accused the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of not remitting was actually shared by a powerful cabal close to government, ahead of next year’s all-important general elections.

According to Sanusi, determined to track the fund, which could only have moved through some of the nation’s financial system, he had at a meeting of the Bankers’ Committee (usually attended by bank chief executives) on February 11, nine days before his ouster, “threatened to open the books of the bankers, to trace the money.” He told New York Times of his suspicion that some of the banks were laundering the stolen oil money.

“Some of them were not giving information about their accounts,” the central banker said. “I told them I would order a special examination.”

The report quoted one of the bankers at the meeting as saying, in reference to Sanusi: “He made it clear to them that the CBN would need to unravel what was going on, and they should cooperate.”

This drew the ire of many still smarting from the recent near withdrawal of government funds from their vaults, thereby significantly reducing their earnings and profit margins

“One of us said, ‘What next?’ “ a second banker said. “There was a general heaviness. He spoke tough.” Both bankers requested anonymity.

Panicked, several of the bankers went straight to the government, Sanusi told New York Times, while two of the bankers “went and reported to the Petroleum Minister,” he said. And at that moment, Sanusi knew his days were numbered.

“The strategy of the government was to discredit the messenger,” he said. The Nigerian president “doesn’t want me to bring out any more information that would get them into trouble.”

Sanusi’s account is “untrue,” a spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan insisted, just as Reuben Abati, spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan said “Sanusi has been making all kinds of claims to project himself as a victim.”

The report quoted an email by Abati, accusing the former CBN governor of “financial recklessness, abuse of mandate, incompetence and criminal acts of negligence.”

Nigeria’s state oil sales “feature undue complexity, extensive discretion and well-documented flaws,” Revenue Watch, a group focused on natural-resource management, wrote in an examination of the central banker’s declarations.

“In such a system, the line between mismanagement and corruption is difficult to draw, as shortcomings in process often benefit specific private interests.”


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E-Financial

Flutterwave Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

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Flutterwave has transformed from a modest Lagos venture into one of Africa’s most valuable fintech firms, processing billions in transactions yearly across 30+ countries and 150+ currencies.

Flutterwave Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

Flutterwave

Founded in 2016 by Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, and Adeleke Adekoya, it tackled Africa’s fragmented payments—siloed banks, mobile money gaps, and unreliable cross-border flows—with a unified API for seamless collections, payouts, and settlements.

Founding Vision

The trio spotted the pain: Aboyeji’s Andela faced border delays; Agboola drew from PayPal/Google; Adekoya handled compliance. Early wins included Uber Nigeria payouts from a Lekki co-working space, proving scalability amid lean ops.

Growth Milestones

  • 2017–2020: $10M seed/Series A fueled West Africa push; Agboola took CEO helm post-Aboyeji; COVID boosted e-commerce volumes.

  • 2021–2022: Unicorn at $1B+ (Series C, $170M); $3B+ valuation (Series D, $250M); partnerships with Microsoft, Uber; Send App for US diaspora.

  • 2025–2026: Profitability focus yields better margins; 34 US licenses; Mono acquisition ($25–40M) bolsters open banking.

Challenges Overcome

Regulatory hurdles hit: Kenya 2022 freeze (cleared); Nigeria fraud claims (resolved, controls enhanced); culture probes led to reforms with ex-Mastercard/Stripe hires. These underscore multi-jurisdiction risks like FX curbs and cyber threats.

Nigeria’s Fintech Role

Flutterwave anchors alongside Paystack (Stripe-owned), Moniepoint, amid CBN cash curbs and AfCFTA trade boosts. Dual HQ in Lagos/SF eyes IPO post-profitability, cementing it as Africa’s payments backbone.


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CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

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Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has pledged its full support to the Association of Corporate and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) following a high-level strategic meeting between the leadership of both bodies.

CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

New ACAMB Leadership

The high profile meeting, which took place on Tuesday at the CIBN Building, Lagos, served as a formal introduction of the new ACAMB Executive Committee to the CIBN leadership and marked the beginning of a renewed collaborative alliance.

Leading a delegation of the newly inaugurated ACAMB EXCO and Board of Trustees, the President, Jide Sipe, described the visit as a crucial first step in his tenure, aimed at contributing significantly in giving flight to his vision and that of ACAMB.”

“When we assumed office, one of the first things we agreed on was the need to visit key stakeholders”

“However, before reaching out more broadly, we felt it was important to begin with our primary constituency and core stakeholders. We want them to understand the direction we are taking and to support the work we are doing, so that ACAMB can achieve greater success than it has in the past”

“We couldn’t have properly started our tenure without this very important meeting with the CIBN,” Sipe stated

Sipe introduced the newly constituted ACAMB Exco, which includes, the 2nd Vice President, Morolake Phillip-Ladipo; General Secretary, Olugbenga Owootomo, Assistant General Secretary, Ademola Adeshola; Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Coker, and Executive Secretary, Fadekemi Ajakaiye

During his address, Sipe unveiled an ambitious roadmap for the association, highlighting a new direction focused on youth engagement, professional development, and industry advocacy.

Responding, the CIBN President, Professor Pius Deji Olanrewaju, who warmly received the ACAMB team, commended their forward-thinking vision as he noted that, the association would be focusing on critical areas such as reputational management, sustainable corporate practices, and governance reforms

Olarenwaju also commended ACAMB’s collaboration with CIBN in information management, saying it had raised standards across Nigeria’s banking sector.

“ACAMB’s support has given CIBN and the banking sector brand equity,” he said, praising the association’s record in reputation management.

He recalled ACAMB’s role in addressing crises within the sector, describing the partnership as strategic and beneficial.

He further pledged support for ACAMB’s 30th anniversary in September 2026, its AGM, and other programmes, including fundraising initiatives.

Olarenwaju also promised backing for ACAMB’s capability development and undergraduate mentorship schemes.

“I want to assure you that everything you have presented today has been clearly noted and will be acted upon”

“We are fully committed to working closely with you so as to translate these discussions and vision into measurable progress. Our shared goal is to strengthen the sector, protect its reputation, and enhance its public image in a meaningful and lasting way”

“This meeting discussed various initiatives and reforms crucial for the future of our industry, including the need for continuous training and adaptation to new programs,” Prof. Olanrewaju said.

The meeting concluded on a high note, with both parties expressing gratitude and a firm commitment to deepening their collaboration for the advancement of the banking industry in Nigeria.


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Kuda Bank Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

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Kuda Microfinance Bank partnered with Lovers & Frnds for a Valentine’s edition event on Sunday, February 15, at Space Hub Lekki, Lagos, redefining celebrations around love, friendship, and social connections beyond romance.

Kuda Bank Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

Kuda Bank

The R&B-themed gathering drew couples, friend groups, and solo attendees with music sets from DJs like TGarbs, games, gift exchanges, and colour-coded tags—red for relationships, yellow for mingling singles, orange for non-minglers—to spark easy interactions.

Kuda activated a branded photo booth, merchandise giveaways, prize activities, and complimentary drinks for Premium loyalty tier customers, while vendors used Kuda Business POS terminals for seamless cashless payments.

Senior Brand Manager Emmanuel Femi-Adejobi said: “We partner with experiences matching our customers’ lifestyles in music and entertainment, creating spaces they genuinely connect with—we’ll keep supporting how they live and celebrate.”


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