E-Financial
UBA Commissions SOC to Enhance e-Banking Security
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Pan African financial services powerhouse, has taken a major step to secure all electronic banking transactions in the bank and protect its customers against cyber crimes and other forms of e-banking threats.
To this end the bank has commissioned a state-of-the-art Security Operations Centre (SOC) & Forensic Lab that provides all round security monitoring for all electronic banking transactions; the first of its kind for a bank in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
The SOC empowers the bank to securely deliver electronic banking services to its esteemed customers, effectively manage all form of information security threats and provide a robust protection to its systems, network and electronic banking channels.
Ibedu Onyebuchi, deputy director, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the commissioning commended UBA for the initiative and stated that the centre is an important milestone in the industry that must be emulated by other banks because of the global threats to electronic banking.
Onyebuchi said that “UBA has taken a bold step in securing its customers, knowing that banking cannot be practiced without adequate control and sound risk management systems”
Phillips Oduoza, group managing director/CEO, UBA Plc, said the bank being a leading bank in the deployment of electronic banking channels, made a deliberate decision to invest in a robust information security infrastructure, processes and skilled personnel as an effective way to manage information security threats.
Oduoza maintained that any serious banking institution that wants to succeed in this digital age cannot afford to ignore information security as any major compromise of bank’s system and network has potentials for colossal damage.
“We partnered with top Information Security Organization that worked with the bank to upgrade our information security infrastructure in Nigeria and 18 African countries where we have presence. The drive towards cashless economy and migration of customers from banking halls to channels, demands that we put in place systems and processes that would protect our customers and the bank hence the establishment of this centre”, he stated.
Sam Okenye, group head, IT Risk Management, emphasized that the deployment of fraud detection solution in the SOC and the twenty four hours, seven days a week monitoring would help guard against fraud and also protect customers against e-channel fraud.
Okenye further revealed that the bank is already reaping the benefit of the investment going by the number of blocked cyber attacks, Phishing sites, shutdown, blocked attempted card fraud and the protection against systems/network intrusion.
“With our current Security Infrastructure, we can know what is happening in our systems and network real-time. We can detect the sources of blocked attacks and also timely uncover any weakness in our network and systems for appropriate response,” he stated.
UBA has presence in 19 African countries, New York, London and Paris.
Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, the Group provides universal banking services to diverse customer groups across Africa
Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 1, 2025, for the commencement of trial in a money laundering case involving Cititrust Holdings PLC and three of its subsidiaries.
The subsidiaries are Cititrust Funding PLC, Cititrust Credit Limited and Cititrust Financial Services Limited,
The companies are facing an eight-count charge filed by a team of prosecutors from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), comprising Anasoh Henry Onyekachi, Frankklin Ofoma, Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, and A.A. Usman.
According to the charge, between 2021 and 2023, the companies, all incorporated in Nigeria, allegedly operated investment management services without a valid licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This act contravenes Section 57 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and is punishable under Section 57(5) of the same legislation.
The prosecution also alleged that the companies conducted a Collective Investment Scheme without registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), another violation of regulatory requirements.
In one of the counts, Cititrust Credit Limited is specifically accused of failing to report high-value financial transactions to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
These transactions include a N20 million transfer on January 7, 2021; a N200 million transfer on April 4, 2021; and a N200 million lodgement on January 29, 2021.
Additionally, both Cititrust Credit Limited and Cititrust Financial Services Limited are alleged to have made a single transfer and lodgement respectively of N42 million into their bank accounts on January 29, 2021, without proper disclosure to relevant authorities.
The alleged offences are in breach of Sections 11(1)(b) and 11(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as Section 54(1) of the Investment and Securities Act 2007, and are punishable under the respective laws.
The court is expected to begin full proceedings on July 1.
Ecobank Nigeria’s long-term issuer credit rating has been downgraded to ‘CCC-’ from CCC, with the outlook placed at negative by S&P Global Ratings. This is a resultant effect of the $150 million bond buyback offer on the bank’s $300 million Senior Unsecured Eurobond.
Part of the tender offer made by Ecobank includes an early tender premium of $12.50 for every $1,000 in principal (equivalent to 1.25%), with the anticipated settlement date set for July 8, 2025. The offer also requests bondholders’ consent to eliminate the capital adequacy covenant on the outstanding notes.
These actions also led S&P to downgrade the $300 million Eurobond from ‘CCC’ to ‘CCC-’. Although S&P notes that it does not consider the tender offer a distressed debt restructuring.
However, this assessment is at risk of changing if the bank does not receive the promised capital injection from the parent group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI).
Following the naira devaluation, Ecobank was unable to meet the regulatory Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) requirement, as its CAR dropped to 7 per cent. This was below the 10 percent regulatory minimum. The breach of the CAR caused the bank to seek the consent of its bondholders to pause the capital adequacy notes on the Eurobond notes till September 2025.
Following this development, the bank received a $50 million prepayment on promissory notes from its parent company, ETI, along with early repayments on certain foreign currency loans. However, it has been insufficient in restoring the capital adequacy to regulatory levels.
According to S&P, the bank is expected to receive another $50 million capital injection from its parent group before August 2025. However, the ratings agency notes that if the bank is unable to receive this capital injection, it will inevitably default on its bonds. A situation that would cause a further downgrade to ‘CC’.
It was recommended that Ecobank Nigeria consider raising $150 million through additional Tier-1 instruments to strengthen its liquidity buffers. Additionally, the bank was advised to intensify efforts to recover its foreign currency-denominated loans.
Sofri, Powered by Links Microfinance Bank plans a massive rollout of Point of Sale, PoS terminals for merchants and agency banking in the third quarter of this year.
This is coming against the backdrop of the banks revamp of its digital platforms to support better customer experience.
Paul Adebayo, managing director, Sofri, said the bank is technology and purpose-driven, with focus on financial inclusion and sustainability. As well with the determination of making banking simpler, inclusive, and impactful.
He said that the revamped mobile app features, faster onboarding, cleaner interface, real-time alerts, enhanced security and seamless loan applications.
“Our corporate internet banking Launched for SMEs and institutional clients features, secure payments, transfers, account management and enhances business banking experience.
“Laying the groundwork for greater reliability, product innovation and operational efficiency is our new core banking infrastructure. This change enables us to scale faster and serve customers better.
“Our Terminal Management System (TMS) improves the performance, uptime, and remote monitoring of our POS terminals. This ensures merchants and field agents enjoy better stability, quicker settlements, and stronger support,” he added.
On sustainability impact, Adebayo, added that Sofri is embedding ESG principles into its lending and operational models — from offering green financing options, to supporting waste-to-wealth entrepreneurs, and making inclusive finance part of Nigeria’s circular economy.
Sofri is a trademark of Links Microfinance Limited (Links Mfb). Links Mfb is licensed and regulated by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and deposits insured by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). Links Mfb is a member of DLM Capital Group, owners of DLM Asset Management as regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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