E-Financial
Opinion: Is Nigeria poised for an Economic Rebound?
It has certainly been a lively year for the Nigerian economy as it continues to diversify away from oil reliance while juggling with a currency crisis and Dollar shortages created by low oil prices.
Although the nation still remains exposed to external risks, there has been some optimism over the economic landscape stabilizing, with the improving macro fundamentals fueling speculations of an economic rebound by the end of 2017.
Early signs of recovery can already be seen across Gross Domestic Growth, falling inflation and foreign exchange rate stability.
Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who previously warned of a potential economic collapse back in March, has turned positive and projected that Nigeria’s economy will grow at a faster pace than South Africa’s in 2018.
The current speed of Nigeria’s recovery can be described as slow and steady, with the macro-fundamentals gradually stabilizing. Inflation has cooled for the fifth consecutive month in June at 16.1% illustrating further signs of price stability while manufacturing and non-manufacturing activities have both moved in a positive trajectory.
The Naira continues to display resilience against the US Dollar this year, with prices currently trading around 363 on the black market exchange. Although the repeated intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria has heavily attributed to the Naira’s recovery and stability, confidence over Nigeria’s economic recovery continues to play a leading role.
While the local currency may experience further stability in the coming months as the Central Bank of Nigeria intervenes, the multiple exchanges have left the foreign exchanges divided and continue to pose a risk to investment.
Rather than using the foreign exchange reserves to support the Naira, the CBN should work towards cleaning up the multiple exchanges, while allowing the natural forces of supply and demand to determine the Naira’s true equilibrium value.
Although I remain optimistic over Nigeria resurging from an economic meltdown and eventually breaking away from its dependence on oil as an engine for growth, there are still external risks which could present headwinds on the road to recovery.
The greatest threat to Nigeria’s current recovery in the medium to longer term, is depressed oil prices. Falling oil has the ability to directly impact the nation’s government revenues, external reserves, and stability of the nation’s foreign exchange market.
Another risk in the pipeline that could pressure Nigeria’s recovery is OPEC’s recent decision to cap the nation’s oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day, especially when the budget proposal is based on 2.2 million barrels per day at $44.50 per barrel. It should be kept in mind that restricting production not only poses a threat to the budget but also is seen as a disincentive for investment.
Investors should pay close attention to higher US interest rates which have the ability to boost the US Dollar ultimately pressuring emerging markets, with Nigeria fitting into the category. While the threat of capital outflows from a strengthening US Dollar may expose the Nigerian economy to downside shocks, it should also be kept in mind that a portion of the government revenues is recouped from oil which is priced in Dollar.
In the longer term, an appreciating Dollar from higher US rates will not only diminish the value of the government’s working revenue, but also enforce pressure on the nation’s black market exchange.
The Central Bank of Nigeria is likely to remain in the spotlight in the third quarter of 2017 as investors wait to see whether interest rates will be hiked or trimmed. Nigeria’s ongoing mission to diversify from oil reliance, as well as a sharp drop in oil which triggered a currency crisis, have encouraged the CBN to maintain its key interest rates at 14% in July. While the central bank is likely to remain on standby in the short term as Nigeria nurses its wounds, a rate cut could be on the cards in the medium to longer term if inflation continues to follow a negative trajectory and other forms of hard economic data improve.
Focusing on the fiscal side, this still remains a gray are with the nation’s long-running infrastructure problems compounding to its woes. With the overall projected fiscal deficit tagged at N2.36 trillion one can only hope that the approved budget offers a helping hand to the nation.
Nigeria is in urgent need for robust infrastructure as major roads are in poor condition; the power sector remains a cause for concern while health and education need to be revamped. Rectifying these issues has the ability to not only create jobs but also support economic growth and boost investor confidence.
As we head deeper into the third quarter of 2017, market players may closely observe hard domestic data at home to gauge the nation’s health and verify if an economic recovery really is on the cards for 2017. Nigeria’s mission to diversify away from oil reliance while recovering from an economic deceleration remains an ongoing quest and it will be interesting to see how far the nation has progressed by year end.
Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited to pay N15 million in damages to two former customers after finding that the bank unlawfully retained and processed their personal information after they had terminated their banking relationship.
In a judgment delivered on July 29, Justice Kayode Agunloye also directed the bank to erase all personal data belonging to the claimants that it is not legally required to retain and restrained it from further processing or using such information without lawful authority or the customers’ consent.
The court held that the bank breached the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, the claimants’ constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
The suit, marked CV/2190/25, was filed by David Ogundipe and Salami Tolulope Ibrahim, who argued that Stanbic IBTC continued to process their personal data for marketing purposes even after they had closed their corporate account with the bank.
According to the claimants, the account was shut following unresolved issues with the bank.
Despite the closure, they alleged that Stanbic IBTC continued sending promotional emails and text messages to their personal and corporate email addresses as well as their telephone numbers.
The customers said their solicitors later wrote to the bank demanding that all marketing communications cease and that their personal data should no longer be processed for promotional purposes.
Although the bank reportedly acknowledged the request and assured them that the messages would stop, the unsolicited communications allegedly continued, prompting them to seek judicial intervention.
In his ruling, Justice Agunloye held that once the banking relationship had ended and the customers had withdrawn their consent, the bank no longer had any lawful basis to process their personal data for marketing activities.
The judge ruled that the continued use of the claimants’ information amounted to an infringement of their constitutional right to privacy and constituted an unfair trade practice under the FCCPA.
The court consequently ordered Stanbic IBTC to delete all personal information relating to the claimants that it is not legally required to retain and to cease every form of data processing except where permitted by law or regulatory obligations.
Justice Agunloye also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the bank, its officers and agents from retaining, processing, transmitting or using the claimants’ personal data for marketing, promotional or any other unauthorised purpose.
While the claimants sought N250 million as damages, the court awarded N15 million as general damages, describing the amount as adequate compensation for the persistent unsolicited communications, the bank’s failure to honour requests for data erasure and the violation of the customers’ privacy rights.
The bank was further ordered to pay N500,000 as the cost of the suit, while the claim for N7 million as litigation expenses was dismissed for lack of sufficient proof.
Justice Agunloye directed that all monetary awards would attract 10 per cent post-judgment interest annually until fully settled.
However, the court declined to order the complete deletion of every record relating to the claimants, holding that banks remain under statutory obligations to retain certain customer records in compliance with financial regulations and anti-money laundering laws.
Reacting to the verdict, counsel to the claimants, O.E. Oluwadamisi of Earnest Attorneys LP, described the decision as a landmark judgment for data protection in Nigeria.
He said the ruling reinforces the mandatory nature of compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act and makes it clear that organisations cannot continue processing customers’ personal information after consent has been withdrawn unless authorised by law.
One of the successful claimants, David Ogundipe, welcomed the judgment, saying it represented a victory not only for the litigants but also for millions of Nigerians whose personal information is held by corporate organisations.
He expressed hope that the ruling would encourage institutions across the country to strengthen compliance with data protection laws and place greater respect on customers’ privacy rights.
The number of Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) on the Nigerian banking industry’s fraud watchlist reached 13,117, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This is coming as banks strengthen efforts to detect and prevent financial crimes.
According to the CBN’s 2025 Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, the number of BVNs on the banking industry’s fraud watchlist increased from 9,476 in 2024 to 13,117 in 2025. This represents a 38.4 per cent increase.
The apex bank explained that commercial banks, including Access Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), and other financial institutions, added 3,641 new BVNs to the watchlist during the year.
The report said the increase reflects stronger fraud monitoring, improved compliance, better risk management, and enhanced systems for detecting suspicious transactions.
It added that the higher number does not necessarily mean fraud has increased, but shows banks are becoming more active in identifying and blocking suspicious activities.
The report also revealed that consumer lending declined for the first time since 2019.
Outstanding consumer credit dropped by 19.89 per cent, falling from N4.72 trillion in 2024 to N3.78 trillion in 2025.
The CBN attributed the decline to high interest rates, which made borrowing more expensive for many Nigerians.
Personal loans recorded the biggest drop, falling to N1.85 trillion.
However, retail loans rose by 63.77 per cent to N1.94 trillion, making them the largest category of consumer credit for the first time in several years.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has ordered banks to refund a total N19.12 billion to customers for illegal deductions and poor complaint handling.
This is coming as bank customers lodged 23,129 complaints against financial institutions in 2025, representing 11 per cent increase over the previous year.
The apex bank also imposed N1.69 billion in penalties on financial institutions for regulatory breaches, poor complaint handling and failure to comply with its directives, according to its 2025 Annual Report.
The CBN attributed the increase in complaints to growing public confidence in its consumer protection framework rather than a deterioration in banking services.
The report stated: “The Bank received a total of 23,129 complaints from consumers of financial services in 2025, a rise of 10.53 per cent above the 20,925 in 2024. The trend reflected increased awareness and improved confidence in the Bank’s consumer complaint resolution process.”
The apex bank added: “A total of 18,824 complaints were resolved, indicating a 9.36 per cent increase over the 17,213 complaints resolved in 2024.”
On the value of disputed transactions, the CBN said: “Total claims in local currency increased to N40.61 billion from N17.13 billion in 2024. Foreign currency claims also rose, reaching $344.2 million compared with $1.06 million in the preceding year.”
According to the report, “Based on the resolved complaints, the sums of N19.12 billion and $329.3 million were refunded in 2025, compared with N9.66 billion and $0.67 million in 2024.”
The CBN said it strengthened enforcement against erring financial institutions during the year.
It stated: “During the review period, the Bank imposed 11 penalties on financial institutions totalling N1.26 billion for infractions ranging from regulatory breaches and failure to respond to regulatory queries.”
The report further disclosed: “In addition, the Bank imposed 21 penalties on financial institutions to the tune of N430 million for infractions ranging from delays in resolving customer complaints to failure to comply with the Bank’s directives.”
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