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Anxiety as Withdrawal, Deposit Charges Begin

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CBN
  • Anxiety as Withdrawal, Deposit Charges Begin

There are concerns over the fate of the nation’s financial inclusion project as the first phase of planned full implementation of the accompanying cash-less projects take full course today.

Although slated for April 1, which falls on the weekend, the full take off of the policy will begin today as financial institutions, markets and all corporate activities resume weekly operations.

As the new phase in the nation’s payments system begins, it is either the stakeholders have understood the rules and play by it or react negatively due to perception, with attendant effects on the overall goal of deepening financial inclusion.

Already, analyst said the move is timely and all about using various alternate channels for transactions aside from cash and has nothing negative to do with financial inclusion.

Meanwhile, the surprised rebound of speculators and the parallel market rates at the weekend, which closed at N394/$, against N375/$ on Wednesday, has been blamed on defiance to rules by some banks.

The development came just as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sustained its dollar intervention in the market for more than five weeks, after it took a new policy direction to liberalise further the foreign exchange market.

According to the schedule of the cash-less policy drive, Lagos, Ogun, Abia, Kano, Anambra, Rivers states and the Federal Capital Territory has taken off.In these states, individuals can only withdraw or deposit money to the tune of N500,000 in a single bank account per day without charges.

This means that any withdrawal above N500,000 to N1 million will attract two per cent charge; between N1 million and N5 million, three per cent; and above N5 million will get 7.5 per cent charge.

On the other, deposits above N500,000 will attract 1.5 per cent charge; between N1 million and N5 million, two per cent; and above N5 million, three per cent.For corporate organisations, only withdrawal and deposit of N3 million will be without charges.

Deposits between N3 million and N10 million will get two per cent charge; above N10 million to N40 million, three per cent; and more than N40 million will be charged five per cent.On the other hand, withdrawals between N3 million and N10 million will be charged five per cent; above N10 million to N40 million, 7.5 per cent; and more than N40 million will be charged 10 per cent.

Meanwhile, the second phase will take off on May 1, comprising Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Ondo, Osun and Plateau states.Dispelling the fears of derailing financial inclusion projects, Executive Director, Finance, BGL Captal Limited, Femi Ademola, said the rural mass target in financial inclusion has no N500,000 daily transactions to make.

According to him, those with such amount are already in the financial system and have access to multiple channels of payment, which are free and without limit.“The policy is just about letting people do transactions without physical cash. That is where the world is going. You have chque, Point of Sale, transfers through ATM, mobile phone, Internet banking, even the latest USSD code. These are without charges. There is no discouragement and there is nothing to fear,” he said.

However, a reliable source from the apex bank told The Guardian yesterday that Nigerians are beginning to find out where the real problems are coming from, if banks at this point would have the audacity to tell wicked lies about CBN’s supply of forex to them.

“How can banks refuse to sell forex to retail segment now? How can they prove the claim that there is not enough supply for the retail segment? It is just that they cannot do as it pleases them. But they will hear from us soon,” the source said.

The President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, at the weekend, told journalists that banks refused to sell the dollars as directed by the apex bank and lamented the reversed fortune of the naira at N394/$, more than 10 per cent depreciation. “CBN’s knack for last minute solution in recent times is the reason for the misfortune of the naira at the foreign exchange market.

“It is evident that the injection of liquidity to the interbank market rather than the BDC sub-sector is not effective and transparent for sustained exchange rate convergence and unification.

“About 20 banks get $80 million weekly for invisible transactions, while $20 million weekly is shared among 3000 CBN licensed BDCs nationwide. The banks will not help in this matter and transparency cannot be assured,” he said.

CBN, in a statement at the weekend, laid credence to Gwadabe’s claim, when it confirmed the worrisome development that some customers seeking to buy forex for business/personal travel allowances, medical and school fees are being frustrated by some banks with the false claim that the CBN is not allocating enough forex to them.

While the apex bank refuted the insinuations, which held down the free flow of forex in the liberalised retail segment of the market, it now urged any customer not attended to within 24 hours for BTA/PTA or 48 hours for tuition and medical fees to call 07002255226 or send an email to cpd@cbn.gov.ng, with the name and branch of the non-cooperating bank.

“Indeed, on a weekly basis, the CBN has been selling at least $80m to banks for onward sale to their customers for these invisible items. No customer should accept to buy forex from any bank at more than the currently prescribed rate of N360/$,” CBN’s spokesman, Isaac Okorafor, said.

He warned commercial banks and other dealers to desist from sabotaging the efforts aimed at making life easier for foreign exchange end users. Similarly, there are strong indications that CBN is set to inject more fund into the foreign exchange market with a view to ensuring liquidity in the interbank market and crashing the parallel market rate.

This is in addition to the planned increase in sale volume to the bureau de change operators from $8,000 to $10,000 dollars per week. The move by the apex bank seems to be returning calm among traders against earlier apprehension over the ability of the CBN to sustain the intervention.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Insurance

Heirs Insurance Group Unveils Revolutionary Website for Seamless Insurance Experience

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Heirs Life Assurance- Investors King

Heirs Insurance Group has launched a website designed to revolutionize the insurance experience for its customers.

With a focus on simplicity, accessibility, and personalized service, the new website aims to streamline the process of obtaining insurance coverage and empower customers to make informed decisions about their insurance needs.

The website boasts a range of innovative features that make navigating insurance options easier than ever before.

From simple and intuitive navigation menus to personalized insurance recommendations, the website is designed to guide customers through every step of the insurance process quickly and efficiently.

According to Ifesinachi Okpagu, the Chief Marketing Officer of Heirs Insurance Group, the new website embodies the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.

“Today’s customers want simplicity, and this new website delivers on that request,” Okpagu said. “We are empowering customers to take control of their lives, their businesses, assets, and their most cherished people.”

One of the key features of the website is its personalized insurance experience, which takes customers through a short journey to help them identify the best insurance plan for their needs.

Whether customers are looking for coverage for their home, car, business, or loved ones, the website provides tailored recommendations to ensure they find the right insurance solution quickly and easily.

With its user-friendly interface and innovative features, the new website from Heirs Insurance Group sets a new standard for the insurance industry, making it easier than ever for customers to protect what matters most to them.

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Banking Sector

Safaricom, Access Holdings Forge Partnership to Revolutionize Remittance Corridor in Africa

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Access bank

Safaricom, the leading telecommunications company in Kenya, has entered into a strategic partnership with Access Holdings, spearheaded by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

The collaboration aims to revolutionize the remittance corridor between East and West Africa, marking a significant step towards enhancing financial inclusion and empowering millions of individuals across the continent.

The partnership comes on the heels of Access Holdings’ recent acquisition of the National Bank of Kenya Limited, signaling the company’s ambitious expansion into the East African market.

Leveraging Safaricom’s extensive network and expertise in mobile money through M-Pesa, which currently dominates the mobile money market in Kenya, the alliance seeks to create seamless and efficient channels for remittance transactions.

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the driving force behind Access Holdings, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, highlighting its potential to transcend traditional boundaries and foster greater economic connectivity between East and West Africa.

He highlighted the fusion of collective expertise and resources between the two entities, underlining their shared commitment to driving financial inclusion and empowerment across the continent.

The partnership holds promise for addressing the challenges faced by millions of Africans in accessing affordable and reliable remittance services.

By connecting more than 60 million customers and 5 million businesses across eight countries, the collaboration aims to facilitate over $1 billion in daily transaction value, significantly boosting the flow of remittances within and outside Africa.

With the first phase of the collaboration focusing on key markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania, stakeholders anticipate a transformative impact on the remittance landscape, paving the way for greater intracontinental trade and economic integration in line with the objectives of initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

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Banking Sector

EFCC Urged to Repatriate Recoveries to NDIC for Depositors’ Relief

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The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has made a fervent plea to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the repatriation of recovered funds to its coffers to facilitate the timely reimbursement of depositors affected by bank failures.

During a recent meeting between the Managing Director of NDIC, Bello Hassan, and the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, at the NDIC headquarters in Abuja, Hassan stressed the importance of enhanced collaboration between the two agencies in recovering depositors’ funds lost due to bank failures.

Hassan emphasized that the return of recoveries made by the EFCC on behalf of the NDIC would significantly contribute to the prompt reimbursement of affected depositors.

He commended the EFCC for its unwavering efforts in combating corruption and financial crimes, highlighting its crucial role as a key member of the Taskforce on Implementation of the Failed Banks Act chaired by the NDIC.

The NDIC boss also highlighted the existing partnership between the two organizations, which led to the establishment of the NDIC Help Desk at the EFCC in 2022.

He disclosed that several high-profile cases referred to the EFCC were currently under investigation.

In response, Olukoyede reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to collaborating closely with the NDIC to combat financial crimes and safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian banking sector.

He pledged to intensify efforts to repatriate recovered funds promptly, acknowledging the interconnectedness between criminal activities and bank failures.

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