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CBN Revises Banks’ Clearing System Rules

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Godwin Emefiele CBN - Investors King
  • CBN Revises Banks’ Clearing System Rules

The Central Bank of Nigeria said on Wednesday that it had revised the clearing system rules for Deposit Money Banks.

The Director, Banking and Payments System Department, CBN, Dipo Fatokun, in a circular issued to banks, mobile money operators and payment service providers, said the revision of the Nigeria Bankers’ Clearing System Rules was in furtherance of its mandate for the development of electronic payments system in the country.

He said the revision would take effect from September 1, 2018

According to the revised rules, electronic payment instruments will be presented to the clearing system in the next applicable session if instruction is received from customers less than two hours before closure of session available for the financial instrument, unless the relevant service agreement dictates otherwise.

The apex bank said, “A member bank will be suspended from participating in any clearing session if an amount of clearing collateral that has been utilised to fund an account is not replaced within two business days, or if a collateral so discounted is insufficient, or if a bank overdraws its settlement account maintained with the CBN for three consecutive working days.

“A member bank can also be suspended if it persistently overdraws its account with its settlement bank and the settlement bank communicates its intention to stop settling for such a non-settlement bank to the CBN and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc, or if a bank fails to provide the requisite infrastructure to enable electronic exchange of eligible payment instrument, or fails to maintain adequate collateral with either the CBN (in the case of a settlement bank) or its settlement bank (in the case of a non-settlement bank) in accordance to section six of these rules.”

According to the revised rules, the return period of cheques, which used to be the same day, has been extended to 5pm of the next day.

“All clearing instruments returned unpaid shall now bear the appropriate returned reason code,” the CBN addeed.

A comparison of the sanctions grid in the May 2018 revised edition of the NBCS rules with that of December 2016 revealed that the fine for transmission of data not in agreement with images and representment of already paid cheque would each be N1,000 per item instead of N250 per item.

It also showed that the transmission of more than 100 cheques in the special clearing session by a bank would attract a fine of N50,000 instead of N100,000.

“In addition, the failure of a member to indicate the correct reason for returning a payment instrument would attract a fine of N250 per instrument,” the CBN added.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

Banking Sector

Zenith Bank Enhances Customer Online Experience with Revamped Digital Channels

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Zenith Bank - Investors King

Zenith Bank, one of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions, has successfully restored full operational services across its electronic transaction channels, ensuring that customers can now enjoy seamless access to digital banking services.

This restoration follows temporary disruptions caused by a routine upgrade of the bank’s technology infrastructure, which aimed to optimize service delivery but impacted e-channel services recently.

In a post shared on Thursday through its social media platforms, the leading lender confirmed that all services across its electronic channels have been fully reinstated.

Reiterating its commitment to providing quality digital services, the bank assured customers of exceptional service with its newly enhanced technology infrastructure, designed to deliver seamless and innovative financial solutions.

The announcement stated:

“We are pleased to inform you that access to our digital channels has been restored, allowing you to perform transactions conveniently via your preferred platform. We appreciate your patience during the IT infrastructure upgrade and sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced.

“Rest assured, we are dedicated to providing you with exceptional service, and the new IT infrastructure we have implemented will enable us to do so moving forward.

Thank you for choosing to bank with us.”

Important Reminder

Zenith Bank will NEVER call, SMS, or email you requesting your card details, PIN, token codes, mobile/internet banking login details, or any other account-related information.

“We will also NEVER ask you to click on a link to update your bank information or activate your account. If you receive such messages, please DO NOT respond,” the bank stated.

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Banking Sector

CBN Assures Nigerians of Bank Deposits’ Safety Amid Online Disruptions

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Bank - Investors King

Amid growing challenges of maintenance delays and internet disruptions being faced by many of the commercial banks in Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured depositors and other clients that their money is intact.

Reassuring the public of its unwavering commitment to ensuring the stability and reliability of the Nigerian financial system, the apex bank asked Nigerians not to panic, stating that it remains dedicated to fostering a secure banking environment where depositors can be fully confident in the safety of their funds.

In a statement signed by Hakama Sidi Ali, Acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, the apex bank noted that it recognises the crucial role confidence plays in banking operations and wants to affirm that all deposits in Nigerian banks are secure.

Ali said the CBN is actively ensuring that banks adhere to established regulations and best practices to maintain the integrity of the nation’s financial system.

According to him, regular stress testing is conducted to identify potential vulnerabilities, helping to ensure that the financial institutions are resilient.

He added that the CBN has implemented Early Warning Systems that proactively detect and address emerging risks, allowing the bank to provide timely solutions to any foreseen issues.

The statement pointed out that the bank’s approach to Risk Based Supervision ensures that it focuses its regulatory efforts on institutions that may pose the highest risk to the financial system.

“This targeted strategy allows it to maintain a robust oversight mechanism while promoting the overall health of the banking sector,” it stated.

Ali disclosed that the CBN has established a Memoranda of Understanding with the various countries where Nigerian banks’ subsidiaries are located, adding that the collaboration enhances regulatory coordination and ensures that the nation’s banks operate within a safe and sound framework in accordance with banking regulations, both domestically and internationally.

He further assured bank customers that the CBN remains dedicated to fostering a secure banking environment where depositors can be fully confident in the safety of their funds.

The statement revealed CBN’s plans to continue to monitor and adapt strategies to safeguard the financial interests of all Nigerians and stakeholders in our financial system.

Investors King had reported that customers of Zenith Bank recently expressed their frustration over difficulties with online banking transactions.

Just like other banks, Zenith Bank witnessed online service disruptions and maintenance delays for hours as its customers experienced hitch in sending, receiving money and viewing their balance on their bank apps.

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Banking Sector

Unity Bank, CashToken Rewards Promo Produces New Millionaire

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A Unity Bank customer, Mr. Amadi Chinmenem Gift Chike, has emerged as the latest winner of One Million Naira in the ongoing Cash Rewards Promo by Unity Bank Plc and CashToken Rewards Africa.

CashToken Rewards Africa is a Cash-Reward-as-a-Service company that rewards customers for their patronage and loyalty.

Mr. Amadi, a customer from Unity Bank’s Aba Road Branch, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, won the cash prize after completing qualifying transactions on Unity Bank’s digital banking channels including Unifi, *7799#, and on his Unity Bank-issued Verve card. Through these transactions, he received CashTokens, which entered him into the weekly national consumer draw, where he was selected as the lucky winner of the N1 million prize.

The grand prize winner, Mr. Amadi is the second customer to claim the N1 million grand prize in the rewards promo, which commenced in November 2023. Since the launch, Unity Bank customers have collectively won over N6 million in cash rewards.

Unity Bank and CashToken Rewards promo offers guaranteed instant cash rewards and life-changing opportunities for loyal customers who transact on any of the Bank’s electronic payment platforms, including the Unifi mobile banking application and the *7799# USSD platform. Every card transaction earns customers CashTokens, which qualify them for the weekly national consumer draw, with prizes ranging from N5,000 to N100 million.

Presenting the cheque to the winner in Port Harcourt, Unity Bank’s Regional Manager for Port Harcourt/Uyo Region, Mr. Etop Ikpe, congratulated the winner and reiterated the Bank’s commitment to building a sustainable loyalty platform for customer engagement and satisfaction.

He said, “We are happy to see another one of our loyal customers win a substantial cash prize through the Unity Bank and CashToken Rewards Promo. This initiative aligns with our mission to reward customer loyalty while providing a seamless and rewarding banking experience. As we continue to innovate and enhance our digital banking platforms, we are committed to creating more opportunities for our customers to benefit from their relationship with Unity Bank.”

In his reaction, an elated Mr. Amadi said, “This is a reward for my steadfastness. I have been banking with Unity Bank for a long time and I am really happy to win the cash prize. I commend the bank for the initiative and Unity Bank has always come through in keeping their promises both in terms of service delivery and meeting expectations of customers.”

Also commenting on the development, Simi Adeoye, Chief Business Development Officer for CashToken Rewards Africa, added: “We are proud to partner with Unity Bank in bringing life-changing opportunities to their customers through our Cash-Reward-as-a-Service model. We aim to make every transaction meaningful by turning regular banking activities into chances for customers to win significant rewards. We congratulate Mr. Amadi on his win, and we look forward to creating more millionaires as the promo continues. Mr. Amadi just like other beneficiaries can easily cash out his win by dialling *6700#, following the prompt and transferring his wins directly to his Unity Bank account.”

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