E-Financial
Reps Mull Board Chairman for CBN to Check Governor’s Powers in New Bill

A bill to create the position of Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), separate from the position of the governor, scaled second reading in the House of Representatives yesterday.

Francis Waive, sponsor of the bill, who spoke at plenary in Abuja, said there was need to amend Section 6 to separate both positions, so the governor could be checked and not have all the powers.
The bill also proposed that in the event of the need for currency swap or naira redesign, as witnessed from late last year to early this year, the bank would be directed to call in its notes or coins, subject to a notice of not less than one year.
”This amendment reinforces the need for adequate time for the notice of change of naira notes before exercising the power to call in the old notes,” Waive said.
He said the proposed amendment to Section 6 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act represented a significant step toward strengthening the governance structure of the CBN.
He said the amendment, which sought the differentiation between the Chairman of the Board and the Governor, introduced a level of independence, oversight, and accountability that is essential for the effective functioning of the CBN.
The amendment to Section 6, he said, aligned with international best practices and demonstrated a commitment to transparent and prudent monetary policy management.
“The proposed amendment introduces a crucial change in the composition of the CBN’s Board of Directors as outlined in Section 6 of the Principal Act. The proposed amendment adds a new paragraph, Section 6(2)(a), which mandates that the Chairman of the Board shall be a Former Governor of the CBN, a former Chairman of the Bank, or a former Managing Director of a bank.
“This provision introduces an essential shift by requiring the Chairman to have a background outside of the current leadership of the CBN. Secondly the amendments also provide for the separation of the Chairman of the Board from that of the Governor. Importance of a Distinct Chairman,” he said.
Speaking on other areas of amendment, Waive said: “Amendment to Section 7 (1): Day-to-Day Management and Accountability. The proposed amendment to Section 7 (1) of the Principal Act addresses the day-to-day management of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
”This amendment states that ‘Section 7 (1) the Governor or in his absence the most senior Deputy Governor shall be in charge of the day-to-day management of the Bank and shall be answerable to the Board for his acts and decisions.’
“This is opposed to the current provision which gives the Governor the power to choose which of the Deputy Governors to act in his absence.
”This amendment clarifies the chain of command within the CBN, ensuring that the governor or the most senior deputy governor takes on the role of managing the bank’s daily operations. This allocation of responsibility minimizes ambiguity and ensures efficient decision-making.
“The provision that the Governor or Deputy Governor is accountable to the Board for their actions strengthens oversight. It enhances the Board’s role in reviewing operational decisions and ensures that such decisions are aligned with the broader objectives of the CBN.
“Amendment to Section 8 (3): Determination of Salaries. The proposed amendment to Section 8 (3) of the Principal Act addresses the Governor and Deputy Governors of the CBN subject to the approval of the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission and not the Board of the Bank.
“Section 8 (3) The salaries or allowances including pension and other allowances payable to the Governor and to the Deputy Governors shall be as stipulated, from time to time, by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission subject to approval of the President Strengthening Fiscal Accountability”
“Amendment to Section 16: Exchange Rate Mechanism. The proposed amendment to Section 16 of the Principal Act addresses the determination of the exchange rate of the Naira. The amendment states that; ‘The exchange rate of the Naira shall be determined, from time to time, by a suitable mechanism devised by the Bank for that purpose, provided that such rates shall at all times be uniform throughout the country both at the Bank, Commercial Banks or any such persons licensed to carry on the business of Bureau De Change.”
E-Financial
NAICOM Signs MoU with BPP to Deepen Insurance Compliance in Public Procurement

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for collaboration and strengthening of the insurance industry, in the area of public procurement processes.

The Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, welcoming the Director-General of BPP, Adebowale Adedokun, and his delegation to NAICOM for a working visit, during which the agreement was signed, highlighted the role of NAICOM as the statutory regulator charged with supervising, regulating and promoting the growth of Nigeria’s insurance industry.
He further stated that NAICOM’s current reform priorities include policyholder protection, regulatory capacity building, legal modernisation, recapitalisation, and increasing insurance penetration.
He emphasised that the collaboration would reinforce the principles of public procurement and insurance practice in Nigeria. He noted that achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of transforming Nigeria’s economy into a one-trillion-dollar economy required strong inter-agency cooperation.
He stressed that the commission’s reform objectives could not be fully realised without strategic collaboration with agencies such as BPP. The Commissioner further disclosed plans to establish a platform to monitor and verify insurance coverage for public procurement items and assured that insurance operators would strictly adhere to established rules and standards.
In his remarks, the Director-General of BPP, Adedokun, commended the ongoing transformation in the insurance industry, describing the Commission’s environment as serene and reflective of its readiness to support the Federal Government’s economic growth agenda.
Adedokun, welcomed the partnership and highlighted implementation as the critical next phase: “Signing MoU is only the beginning — what matters is delivery. BPP has moved to a fully digital submission model to speed approvals and reduce opportunities for corruption”, he stated.
E-Financial
Binance Cuts Illicit Activity Exposure by 96%, Leads Global Crypto Compliance Push

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has reported a 96 per cent drop in direct exposure to illicit activities between January 2023 and June 2025, underscoring its commitment to regulatory excellence and user safety amid Nigeria’s growing digital finance sector.

Binance
The exchange highlighted investments in a robust compliance framework, including over 580 global compliance professionals and 970 staff in related roles, advanced transaction monitoring, stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and anti-money laundering (AML) systems.
These measures align with evolving regulations across key markets, including Nigeria, where crypto adoption surges despite Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines.
Binance’s Chief Compliance Officer, Noah Perlman, said: “At Binance we’ve built a system that doesn’t just react to threats, it anticipates them. A 96% reduction in illicit exposure is a testament to our infrastructure and the 1,500+ professionals working behind the scenes to protect our 300M users.”
Key achievements include a 96.8 per cent plunge in sanctions-related exposure—from 0.284 per cent in January 2024 to 0.009 per cent in July 2025.
In 2025 alone, Binance responded to over 71,000 law enforcement requests, helping seize more than $130 million (over ₦200 billion) in illicit funds.
Collaborations with agencies like Europol, DEA, UK’s NCA, and national cybercrime units have dismantled ransomware groups, darknet markets, and trafficking networks.
Binance co-CEO Richard Teng added: “Our mission has always been to increase the freedom of money, but that freedom is only sustainable if it is built on a foundation of trust. By integrating compliance into our product DNA, we are proving that the world’s largest exchange can also be the most secure.”
The platform engages regulators and policymakers to shape balanced rules supporting innovation while prioritising transparency and financial integrity. Since 2017, Binance has served over 300 million users, publishing regular compliance updates to build trust.
Industry watchers note Binance’s efforts resonate in Nigeria, where crypto trading volumes exceed $50 billion annually, but challenges like fraud and regulatory scrutiny persist. The exchange’s progress could bolster confidence as the CBN refines fintech policies.
Binance reaffirmed its dedication to a safer crypto ecosystem through ongoing investments and partnerships.
E-Financial
Nigeria’s VAT Jumps 34%, CIT Soars 48% to ₦14trn in 9M’25 – NBS

Nigeria’s non-oil tax collections posted robust growth in the first nine months of 2025, with Value Added Tax (VAT) rising 34 per cent to ₦6.4 trillion and Company Income Tax (CIT) jumping 48 per cent to ₦7.72 trillion, bolstering federal revenue amid oil price volatility.

NBS
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed VAT climbing from ₦4.77 trillion in 9M’24, reflecting stronger domestic consumption and imports. Quarterly trends indicated a slight 1.4 per cent dip to ₦2.03 trillion in Q2’25 from ₦2.06 trillion in Q1’25, followed by a 10.66 per cent rebound to ₦2.28 trillion in Q3’25—a 28.1 per cent year-on-year gain.
In Q3’25, local VAT hit ₦1.12 trillion, foreign VAT ₦680.23 billion, and import VAT ₦479.79 billion. Sectorally, Administrative and Support Services led with 89.28 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth, trailed by Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (82.49 per cent) and Human Health (32.4 per cent). Real Estate contracted sharply by 51.33 per cent. Manufacturing dominated contributions at 25.89 per cent, followed by Information and Communication (18.77 per cent) and Mining/Quarrying (14.85 per cent).
CIT followed suit, surging from ₦5.22 trillion in 9M’24. It stood at ₦1.98 trillion in Q1’25, leaped 40 per cent to ₦2.78 trillion in Q2’25, and grew 5.7 per cent to ₦2.96 trillion in Q3’25—a 67.19 per cent year-on-year rise. Domestic CIT reached ₦1.21 trillion in Q3, while foreign CIT hit ₦1.75 trillion, underscoring multinational firms’ role.
Economists attribute the uptick to improved tax administration, digital tracking, and post-reform consumption, though sectoral disparities signal real estate headwinds. The gains support President Tinubu’s revenue diversification drive, reducing oil dependency as global crude fluctuates.
NBS data highlights non-oil taxes’ potential to fund infrastructure and social programmes, with analysts eyeing sustained momentum into 2026.
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