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Reps to Grill Banks, Others over $30Bn Forex Racketeering

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House of Representatives has summoned 24 banks and 14 oil companies over an alleged forex racketeering leading to an annual loss of over $30bn as revenue.

Reps to Grill Banks, Others over $30Bn Forex Racketeering

The Joint House of Representatives Committee on Finance; and Banking and Currency will today begin an investigative hearing.

Those appearing before the committee are to explain their roles in the alleged over $30bn revenue leakages arising from oil revenue interest payment on account of foreign currency dominated contracts by companies in engineering, procurement, construction, installation and marine transportations.

According to the committee, which is jointly chaired by James Faleke (Finance) and Victor Nwokolo (Banking and Currency), the investigative hearing would be conducted in accordance with COVID-19 protocols. The committee said the hearing would be conducted in phases, with the first phase lasting three weeks.

The banks summoned by the committee are Unity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, United Bank of Africa, Polaris Bank, First City Monument Bank, Fidelity Bank, Keystone Bank, FBN Merchant Bank, Access Bank, Bank of Industry, Jaiz Bank, Coronation Merchant Bank, SunTrust Bank, Union Bank, CitiBank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Ecobank, First Bank of Nigeria, FSDH Merchant, Sterling Bank, Zenith Bank, Wema Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Heritage Bank.

The oil firm are Nigeria Agip Exploration, Nigeria Agip Oil Company, PAN Ocean Oil Nigeria Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration & Producing Company Limited, Esso Exploration & Producing Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited, Statoil Company Limited, and Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Others are Star Deep Water Petroleum Nigeria Limited, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Total Upstream  Nigeria Limited, Sterling  Oil Exploration  Energy Limited, Addax Petroleum  Development Company Limited, and Addax  Exploration Limited.

The House had on March 5, 2020, resolved to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Inland Revenue Service over alleged racketeering in the allocation of foreign exchange to companies.

The House, which said the leakages were causing the Federal Government to lose revenue worth over $30bn, had also resolved to probe commercial banks, forex dealers, importers and beneficiary companies.

 


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Lagos State Appoints MoneyMaster as Payment Partner for “Ounje Eko” Programme

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“Ounje Eko”, the food price discount initiative of the Lagos State Government, has appointed leading payment service bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank Limited (MMPSB), as its collaborator in the bid to ensure ease of payments at the market.

MoneyMaster is one of the Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Payment Service Banks (PSBs) to promote financial inclusion across Nigeria.

Under the partnership, MMPSB will apply its cutting-edge payment solution to engender easy payment and reconciliation in order to make   the experiences of Lagosians who will be getting their food supplies from the markets pleasurable. Its payment solution is also all-encompassing and ensures real time value to payment destinations.

The mobile bank was appointed as the collection and payment partner for “Ounje Eko” Food Markets programme which is a government initiative serving the five divisions of Lagos State. Consequent on this, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank will collect payments in 57 LCDAs in the state.

The partnership gives credence to the quality of payment solutions that MoneyMaster is reputed for in its services to its growing business clientele in private and public sectors.

 


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CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is investigating irregular foreign exchange transactions and forward contracts valued at approximately $2.4 billion.

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

The  inquiry follows an extensive audit by Deloitte, which scrutinized $7 billion in dollar debts accumulated under the bank’s previous leadership.

In the aftermath of the 294th Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja, Yemi Cardoso, governor of CBN,  disclosed to journalists that the investigation, supported by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, among other security bodies, aims to clarify the legitimacy of these FX allocations identified as problematic by the audit.

“It was determined that a number of these transactions did not qualify…they were outright illegal. The law enforcement agencies are now looking into those transactions that as far as we are concerned, are not valid to be paid,” Cardoso detailed, emphasizing the unlawful nature of these forex deals.

The crux of the investigation lies in the audit findings that a significant portion of the scrutinized transactions lacked proper documentation and, in many instances, were deemed outright illegal.

However, the unfolding investigation has raised concerns within the organized private sector, with some entities contemplating legal action against commercial banks for unresolved forex bids.

Despite these tensions, Governor Cardoso reassures that the foreign exchange market remains open and transparent, inviting stakeholders to address their forex needs through the official channels.

Furthermore, Cardoso clarified the distribution of fertilizers to farmers as a one-off measure and not indicative of a shift back to direct interventions by the CBN, underscoring a commitment to strategic, regulatory governance rather than direct market involvement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed deposit money banks in the country to expedite action to increase their capital base from the current ₦25bn.

CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN, stated this during the apex bank’s 294th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Tuesday in Abuja, when the MPC hiked the interest rate by 22.75% to 24.75%.

The apex bank chief said the MPC examined developments in the banking sector and expressed satisfaction that the industry remained stable. The committee, however, said to guard against risk, commercial banks in the country should accelerate their recapitalisation efforts.

Cardoso said, “The MPC also reviewed developments in the banking system and noted that the industry remains safe, sound, and stable. The committee thus called on the bank to sustain its surveillance and ensure compliance of banks with existing regulatory and macro-potential guidelines.

“The MPC also enjoined the banks to expedite actions on the recapitalisation of banks to strengthen the system against potential risks in an increasingly globalised world.”

 

 

 

 


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