E-Financial
Oromia Bank Goes Live with Upgraded ICSFS Solution

Oromia International Bank, a decade-old private commercial bank, has gone live with an advanced core banking solution.
ICS Financial System (ICSFS), a company from the United Kingdom, developed the system that works for interest-free, corporate internet, retail and mobile banking services. The system was fully implemented last month after the duo signed the agreement two years ago.
ICSFS secured the project after vying with seven other companies. FLEXCUBE and ICSFS both passed the technical evaluation and demonstration stages.
After discussing the proposed systems by the two companies with foreign banks that have already implemented their systems, OIB decided to procure the solution developed by ICSFS, according to Wolde Bulto, Vice President of Oromia International Bank, which has 32.1 billion Br in assets and 2.4 billion Br in paid-up capital.
To get training on how to use the system, 40 staff members of the bank traveled to Asia and Europe. The bank officials also traveled to Nigeria and Lebanon, where the same system is being used, checking on how those banks are managing the system.
CBS Solution, that was developed by Indian technology firm Infrasoft Technologies Ltd. The old system was developed five Years age.
“It was implemented when the Bank had a relatively low level of transactions compared to recent times,” according to Wolde.
Currently, the Bank has around 1.5 million active customers and 267 branches across the country.
“Thus, our bank had to search for a new system that could speed up its operations,” Wolde told Fortune.
The old system took two to three hours to process end-of-day transactions, and the new system reduced this to less than 30 minutes. The monthly closing process, which required spending a night, is now done in 45 minutes using the new system.
The software suite future-proof banking activities by providing a broad range of features and capabilities with more agility and flexibility, to enrich customer experience, according to a statement from ICSFS, a company that was established in 2004 and provides business and technology solutions for financial institutions.
The new system also upgrades the Bank’s interest-free banking software. The solution is designed and developed in line with the principles of Shari’ah law in compliance with the accounting and auditing procedures of Islamic financial institutions.
Oromia International Bank, which operates with 5,000 employees, is one of the first private banks that launched interest-free banking window service in Ethiopia.
“After the implementation of the new system,” Wolde said, “it showed a performance gain that significantly enhanced our client’s banking experiences compared to the old system.”
The Bank also launched several electronic banking initiatives, such as a bank card called Oro-Card (ATM and PoS), a mobile banking solution dubbed Oro-Cash, an agent banking project called Oro Agent, and an internet banking programme called Oro-Click.
Commencing operations in 2008 with subscribed and paid-up capital of 279.2 million Br and 91.2 million Br, respectively, the Bank has mobilised 26.5 billion Br in deposits in the recently ended fiscal year. It also disbursed 17.4 billion Br worth of loans and advances.
E-Financial
NDIC Begins Final Settlements to Creditors of Liquidated Premier Bank

Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has begun the final phase of liquidation for the defunct Premier Commercial Bank, initiating the payment of liquidation dividends to verified creditors, nearly 25 years after the bank’s closure.
Premier Commercial Bank had its operating license revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on December 20, 2000, following findings of financial instability and regulatory non-compliance.
Since then, the NDIC has overseen the bank’s liquidation process under a winding-up order from the Federal High Court, which designated the corporation as the official liquidator.
In a public announcement, the NDIC invited all eligible creditors to visit any of its zonal offices between June 2 and June 27, 2025, to verify and claim their entitlements.
This move marks a critical milestone in the final settlement of claims related to the bank’s collapse.
To facilitate the verification process, creditors are required to present proof of deposit or shareholding, such as a passbook, chequebook, term deposit certificate, or bank statement.
Additionally, valid identification documents must be submitted, including a driver’s license, international passport, national identity card, NIN slip/card, voter’s card, or a formal identification letter from a traditional ruler or local government chairman.
The NDIC assured the public that the ongoing settlement is part of a broader effort to bring closure to longstanding claims resulting from Premier Commercial Bank’s liquidation. The process, according to the corporation, has been designed to ensure efficient disbursement to all verified stakeholders.
Premier Commercial Bank is one of 53 deposit money banks whose licenses were revoked by the CBN between 1994 and 2018 due to various violations and signs of financial distress.
These closures were followed by legal procedures appointing the NDIC to manage asset recoveries and creditor settlements.
By initiating this final phase of payment, the NDIC is reaffirming its commitment to financial system stability and depositor protection while calling on all affected individuals and institutions to complete verification processes promptly to receive their due compensation.
E-Financial
SEC Directs Companies to Honour Unclaimed Dividend Requests

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has directed all public companies and Registrars to stop treating unclaimed dividends older than 12 years as “statute-barred”, especially those dating from before the enactment of the Finance Act 2020.
The directive reaffirms the provisions of Section 60 of the Finance Act, which mandates that dividends unclaimed for over six years be transferred to the Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund (UFTF), where they remain accessible to shareholders pending claims.
The Commission said that shareholders are entitled to continue to claim their dividends that are not statute-barred (that is not above 12 years) before December 31, 2020 “when the Finance Act 2020, came into effect.”
According to the SEC in a Circular, “The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the fact that paying companies and their Registrars have continued to treat unclaimed dividends of public companies that are older than 12 years as being “statute-barred” without recourse to the provisions of the Finance Act 2020.
“In response to various inquiries on the subject, the Commission hereby clarifies as follows: The import of the provisions of Section 60 of the Finance Act 2020 (December 31, 2020), is that, where dividends declared by a public company quoted on the Nigerian Exchange Limited remained unclaimed for a period of six years or more, such dividends are expected to be transferred to the Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund (UFTF) to be held in trust and managed pending when the shareholder presents a claim for such unclaimed dividends.
“Pending the setting up and operationalisation of the UFTF by the Federal Government, pursuant to its powers under Sections 3 (4) (e) and 93 of the Investments and Securities Act 2025, the Commission hereby directs public companies and their Registrars to continue to honour all requests by shareholders for the payment of unclaimed dividends as described above, with effect from December 31, 2020”.
The Commission therefore directed public companies and Registrars to effect immediate compliance with the directive and submit periodic reports on same in the manner prescribed in the Commission’s Rules and Regulations.
E-Financial
FIRS Launches Revised SOP to Streamline Tax Payment

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has revised its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as part of efforts to improve consistency, transparency, and service delivery in tax administration across the country.
According to a statement on Monday in Abuja by Mr. Collins Omokaro, Special Adviser on Communication Strategy and Advocacy to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, the revised SOP offers a unified framework for core tax processes including registration, payment, audit, and enforcement.
“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step toward a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.
He explained that while FIRS field offices have long operated with good intentions, inconsistent methods across different locations often created confusion for taxpayers.
The revised SOP, he said, is designed to eliminate such disparities by providing a single, clear roadmap for operations in all of the Service’s over 300 offices nationwide.
More than just a procedural manual, the new SOP is described as a statement of institutional direction, reflecting values that define the future of the Service.
Omokaro quoted Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman of FIRS, as saying that “This SOP is not just a technical document—it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people.”
The SOP update is one component of a broader reform agenda underway at FIRS, which aims to transform the agency into a fully service-oriented institution.
The changes are also aligned with the ongoing digital transformation within the agency, which is intended to harmonize human and technological systems for faster, more reliable, and taxpayer-friendly service delivery.
Internally, the SOP is expected to enhance operational efficiency and provide a foundation for improved staff training, clearer guidance, and stronger evaluation systems. Omokaro noted that every FIRS employee is expected to study, implement, and embody the procedures outlined in the new document.
“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” he said.
The SOP reform is being introduced as part of the Service’s broader mission to reposition itself as a modern tax authority grounded in accountability, consistency, and a shared sense of national purpose.
The move comes as the FIRS continues to modernize its processes, improve tax collection efficiency, and foster a culture of voluntary compliance—all aimed at strengthening revenue mobilization to support Nigeria’s development agenda.
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