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What went Wrong with Stanbic IBTC Esusu Services?

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Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor, CBN
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On April 22, it was reported by one of Nigerian dailies, The  Punch newspaper that some customers of  STANBIC IBTC were allegedly defrauded as active customers of the Bank enrolled for the esusu service  which entails savings contributions through roaming agents that are acting on the behalf of the Bank.

The product esusu enables any low income person, traders and others like students to save money and enjoy basic financial services which with the use of a Bank card and a point of sale terminal  provided by the Banking agents.

Banking through agents using same channel had recorded significant successes in other climes like Brazil and even some African nations till date.

Stanbic IBTC’s esusu is quite useful in a nation like Nigeria where millions of adult in urban and rural areas do not have access to basic financial services due to challenges of Bank Branch spread, lack of standard Know-Your-customer documentations and many others challenges that low income segments population are faced with when attempting to access basic financial services.

The esusu service was an innovative conception that was quite popular in some parts of Lagos when I conducted an independent assessment of the service  to enable me  learn more  about how mobile financial services agency network can operate in same like manner in Nigeria.

 Overall outcomes of the assessment proved beyond reasonable doubt that the Bank’s Brand and trust in the Bank played a key role in convincing the customers to sign up with the roaming agents and use the services with average customer using the services more than twice weekly in the minimum.

In essence, the Bank transferred the trust to the agents and the users trusted the agents as a representative of the Bank.

 It could have been difficult for a non bank provider to achieve what was achieved with the esusu product.

The complaints reported by the customers as reported by Punch Newspaper ranged from interest not earned on the savings as promised by the agents and saved balances shortages.

 What could have gone wrong with such novel concept that promises to bring financial access to the door steps of millions of Nigerians? An innovation that I secretly understudied and always refer to as ground breaking in Nigeria?

From my experiences of how Banking agency operates for mobile financial services , which is significantly different from what the Bank is offering is the use of roaming agents rather than fixed locations agents.

Roaming agents are more effective in signing users and building trusts in the early days of deployment.

However, providers should endeavor to transit roaming agents to fixed locations in those communities once they had achieved the mandate of signing up minimum users per community and had gained trust of users.

The advantage of fixed location agents is that tariff / service pricing can be placed on a wall in the booth, store or agent locations for customers to verify how much they are expected to pay for the services.

My assumption in the situation above was that the agents were eager to sign up customers and did not clearly educate customers on chargers for the services or interest payable on the savings.

The terms and condition of use of services might had been wrongly communicated or not at all by the roaming agents.

Terms and conditions of services is important to build confidence and manage expectations of the users.

However, most organization get it wrong when they make such prints almost unreadable by using the smallest printable character, not translating such for the benefit of the customer when He / She  is not literate to read the print version.

Agents are also not able to educate the customers adequately before they commit to signing up for the service.

Banking services is strongly evidenced based service and it is rather awkward for customers to wait till the following day to get receipt for deposit made a day earlier with the agent as reported by one of the aggrieved customers.

 If the service is designed that way, that is entirely wrong.

Depositors should be able to have instant fulfillment upon committing the transaction with agent and a paper based receipted issued in writing or printed out to keep as evidence or for future reconciliation purposes.

It could also be an ingenious method for the agents to short change  the depositor by way of  manipulating the receipt,  given the time lag of 24hours for the receipting.

I know as a matter of fact that the Bank is stable and will be able to meet the demands of the savers on demand and the police was also reported by the Punch newspaper to have stepped into the issue and resolve some  by arresting the guarantors of the agents.

 However, it is a reputational issue for the Bank and may portend systemic risk for the entire industry that is actively developing agency Banking through the use of agents via recently licensed mobile money providers in Nigeria.

Getting the agents is only the baking of the cake, monitoring the agents is the icing on the cake and that is where most providers will drop the ball.

The lessons to be learnt is that providers should not transfer their trust to agents where control is lax and the only compensatory control over agents is the guarantor whom may not fully understand what they are guaranteeing  or compensate the provider adequately when things wrong.

Emmanuel   Okoegwale
Principal Associate, MobileMoneyAfrica
[email protected]


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Indigenous Firm Deploys 400,000 Smart Electricity Meters in 2025

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MOJEC International Limited has revealed that it deployed over 400,000 smart meters nationwide in 2025, representing a significant year-on-year growth for the indigenous smart meter manufacturer.

This performance reflected a 33.3 percent increase over the 300,000 meters deployed in 2024, highlighting the scale and acceleration of MOJEC’s metering operations.

Chantelle Abdul, group managing director, attributed the sustained impact to deliberate investments in infrastructure, people, and technology.

“MOJEC operates two state-of-the-art meter production facilities with a combined installed capacity of up to five million meters annually. This scale enables us not just to meet current demand, but to support Nigeria’s long-term metering and energy efficiency goals,” she said.

She further noted that MOJEC’s expansive installer ecosystem, comprising over 5,000 trained professionals nationwide, remains a critical enabler of its delivery advantage, ensuring speed, quality, and compliance across diverse terrains and markets.

The company stated that the deployment surge reflected growing confidence by Distribution Companies (DisCos) and sector stakeholders in MOJEC’s technical capacity, delivery speed, and end-to-end metering solutions.

According to Monday Ubogu, MOJEC’s head of installation, the scale and consistency of delivery set the company apart.

“Within the first three quarters of the year, MOJEC completed about 300,000 installations, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total installations nationwide during that period.

“The momentum continued into the final quarter with an additional 150,000 meters deployed, highlighting our operational depth and nationwide reach,” he said.

Ubogu added that MOJEC’s performance builds on decades of sector engagement, spanning key national metering initiatives including CAPMI, MAF, Vendor Financing, MAP Phases I & II, and NMMP 0, with the company having deployed nearly four million meters since the privatisation of NESI.

According to the company, a substantial portion of the deployment was driven by MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company (M3AC), the Group’s asset management subsidiary, which accounted for about 350,000 installations.

 


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Globacom Donates ₦1Bn to Lagos State Security Trust Fund

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In its bid to contribute its quota to the consolidation of security in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, telecommunications giant, Globacom, has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) with a donation of ₦1 billion.

The generous donation was announced at a Private Sector Breakfast Meeting with CEOs, convened at the instance of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, January 30, 2026 and shows the company’s commitment to fostering public safety which would in turn, culminate in enhanced prosperity and social re-engineering in the state.

The donation, which is the biggest private-sector intervention from the telecommunications sector to the Fund in recent years, again shows that Globacom is a responsible, responsive and people-oriented corporate citizen.

Globacom disclosed that the intervention emphasized deeper collaboration between government and the state’s business community especially in relation to security, innovation and economic resilience—an agenda which the digital solutions company has unabashedly supported through sustained social investments.

The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Fund, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, in his display of appreciation described Globacom’s largesse as “a powerful demonstration of corporate citizenship and a strategic investment in the stability of Lagos State,” saying since LSSTF was established to bridge funding gaps in security infrastructure, it desired voluntary contributions from corporate bodies and well-meaning collaborators.

Dr. Ogunsan promised that the ₦1 billion donation will significantly enhance the Fund’s capacity to address critical priorities for 2026, including multipurpose security helicopters and drones, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, digital communication equipment and Smart CCTV systems. These assets, he added, were germane to proactive policing, rapid response and intelligence-led operations across the state.

He therefore encouraged Lagosians to support businesses that invest in the safety and development of the state, saying, “When companies step forward to secure our environment, residents should reciprocate by patronizing them. Their support directly impacts the protection of lives, property and economic activity.”

A statement from Globacom explained that the donation was an expression of the company’s staunch belief in Nigeria’s future. “At Globacom, we see security not as a government burden alone, but as a shared responsibility. When people feel safe, enterprise grows, creativity flourishes and hope becomes practical. Our support for the LSSTF is about protecting the everyday dreams of millions of Lagosians,” he noted.

With this donation to the LSSTF, Globacom has furthered its tradition of investing directly in the conditions like safety, confidence and stability which help commerce to thrive. Consequent on the support, LSSTF is gingered to raise the bar of security thereby concretizing Lagos State’s position as Nigeria’s safest and most vibrant commercial hub.

This recent financial intervention from Globacom is in tandem with its avowed commitment to social responsibility that is practical, timely, scalable and aligned with national priorities.

The company’s interventions in the past decades have spanned relief efforts for flood-affected communities, support for displaced persons, advanced youth skills through structured training programmes, and investments in education, culture and digital inclusion.


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WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

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World International Economic Group (WIEG) Nigeria has announced plans to host its inaugural International Investment Summit on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

WIEG

The summit, themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier: Unlocking Sustainable Investments for Economic Transformation,” is aimed at connecting investment-ready Nigerian enterprises with global capital while addressing long-standing challenges facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and women-led businesses.

Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Friday at Compact Communications Ltd., GRA Ikeja, Lagos,  Mr. Bassey Essien, WIEG’s Project & Event Consultant  said the summit would serve as a structured platform linking policy, finance and enterprise growth.

Essien identified limited access to structured funding, poor investment readiness and weak documentation as major barriers confronting Nigerian businesses, despite the availability of domestic and international capital.

“Enterprises that succeed understand the importance of preparation. Some invest as much as N200 million in professional feasibility studies to meet the standards of banks and institutions such as the African Development Bank. That level of preparation enables access to collateral-free funding,” he said.

According to him, weak policy continuity, inadequate post-intervention monitoring and fragmented regulatory frameworks have continued to undermine business growth in the country.

“Policies often change with governments, and there is little tracking after interventions. More importantly, many businesses are not prepared in ways financiers require,” Essien noted.

He explained that the summit would convene policymakers, investors, development finance institutions and pre-screened MSMEs and SMEs operating in priority sectors, including the creative industry, agriculture, energy transition, finance and aviation.

Essien described the creative sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, but said weak financing structures, piracy and poor intellectual property (IP) protection had limited its growth.

Highlighting the summit programme, he said Day One would feature conferences on macroeconomic issues, policy reforms and enterprise growth, while Day Two would focus on sector-specific deal-making roundtables.

“These deal rooms will be organised by sector — from aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to renewable energy — with lawyers, financiers and policymakers present to fast-track transactions,” he said.

Essien added that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) would be present to ensure post-event monitoring and tracking of investment deals concluded during the summit.

He disclosed that the creative economy segment would be supported through partnerships with the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and financial institutions to fund viable projects in Nollywood, music and fashion.

“Intellectual property regularisation is critical. Once ideas are properly documented and protected, investors gain confidence,” he said.

On energy and aviation, Essien said the summit would spotlight renewable energy solutions to reduce dependence on generators and promote the establishment of commercial MRO facilities to curb the high cost of aircraft maintenance abroad.

He also announced the participation of B Lab Africa, a U.S.-certified organisation focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG), diversity, equity and inclusivity standards, noting that the initiative would help small businesses improve governance and access global funding.

Essien revealed that investment commitments estimated at about 500 million dollars were expected to emerge from the summit.

“This is a private-sector-led, non-partisan initiative that places no financial burden on government. It is focused on job creation, empowering women-owned enterprises and improving investor confidence through transparent and secure processes,” he said.

He urged Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to prioritise proper documentation, professional advisory services and IP protection to position themselves for sustainable growth.

“We are creating a structured pathway from policy to capital to enterprise growth,” Essien added.


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