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SEC says Technology a Boost to Market Regulation

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The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC has appreciated the place of technology in capital market regulation, saying its has boosted efficiency in no small measure.

To this end, it said it would deepen the use of technology in regulation to ensure that investors in the capital market are adequately protected.

Acting Director General of the SEC Ms. Mary Uduk who stated this while speaking with newsmen weekend, said the Commission is continuing to deploy technology in regulation.

She said, “Our regulation is becoming better and more efficient. We are able to tap into data we could not tap into before, so these now make regulation easier and more efficient and make us better able to protect investors.

“We have also continued to encourage the members of the capital market community to embrace technology to make it easier for themselves and investors to invest. These days we have a lot of improvements, as now most stock broking firms have platforms you can just log in and buy on your own.

“As technology is improving access to the market it’s also improving the ability of the regulator to better regulate the market” she stated.

Uduk said it is based on the foregoing that the Capital Market Committee decided to embrace Financial technology for easy accessibility.

She said, “One of the major reasons for the acceptance of technology in the financial sector is that it makes things very easy to access and also to achieve. FINTECH has come to stay and the sooner we acknowledge and accept it the better for everyone. SEC constituted a Market-Wide FinTech Road Map Committee because we have realized that we live in a technologically driven era, and it is only important that the Commission embraces this trend and create an enabling environment for technology to positively impact on our market.

“We support FinTech by engaging and guiding Fintech start-ups that seek to operate in the Nigerian capital market. As the regulator, we are also working on adopting Fintech and Regtech in our regulatory operations while we encourage those we regulate to embrace Fintech, not as competitor, but as enablers to their existing operations and processes.

“Specifically, we are looking into the area of crowdfunding, cryto assets, robo advisory and distribution of collective investment schemes products through fintechs. We need to be able to balance our objective of protecting investors and encouraging innovation and development in the market”.

The Acting DG disclosed that the Commission has specified minimum operating standards for capital market operators, the exchanges and everyone.

These standards she said, includes risk management tools embedded in them, as well as security tools.

“So, we have not been seeing a lot of these fraudulent activities, its actually on the low and falling. But our enforcement department is up and doing and keep nipping these cases in the bud when they happen.

“But we believe that as we keep improving our risk management aspects of our operating standards both from the regulatory side and the market side these things will be on the reducing side.


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E-Financial

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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E-Financial

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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