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CBN Debits N459.7bn from 26 Banks For Failing to Meet CRR Target

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Godwin Emefiele - Investors King
  • CBN Debits N459.7bn from 26 Banks For Failing to Meet CRR Target

The Central Bank of Nigeria has continued to enforce its 27.5 percent Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) across all banks.

According to a Nairametrics report, the apex bank debited a total sum of N459.7 billion from 26 banks, including merchant banks, on Thursday for failing to meet the CRR target.

Some of the banks affected were United Bank for Africa Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Zenith Bank Plc and First City Monument Bank Limited debited N82.3 billion, N59.3 billion, N50 billion and N45 billion, respectively.

While Guaranty Trust Bank Plc was debited N40 billion. See the complete list of debited banks below.CRR DebitThe central bank-led monetary policy committee had left the CRR unchanged in the last monetary policy meeting held in May to mop up cash in circulation and better manage the rising inflation rate.

In order to ensure banks maintained a 27.5 percent cash reserve ratio, apex bank then imposed fine to check the activities of the bank. A move most bankers attributed to falling foreign reserves and the central bank’s method of reducing banks’ forex demand.

An anonymous banker, who preferred not to be mentioned, said “You know the central bank also does what we call retail FX intervention, that is when they sell FX to corporates. Now, because they don’t want banks coming with huge demands, what they do is that a day before the FX sales, they debit the banks so that the naira you have available is small and you cannot put them under pressure because of your FX demands. That has really been the driver.

This was coming barely a month after the apex bank debited N1.4 trillion from the nation’s banks in April. According to the banker, between April and June, CBN has carried out minor CRR debits before Thursday’s debit.

“We understand that the central bank had set up a special CRR team that is supposed to monitor banks’ CRR once a month. But now, the team monitors banks’ CRR on a weekly basis. This is why the central bank is effectively debiting banks on a weekly basis. Some weeks ago, they debited some banks about N1.4 trillion. That was one of many. Between that time and now, there have been more debits that have happened. But the debits that are huge/significant are what is troubling the banks. There was a N300 billion that happened about two weeks ago. and then yesterday that was this N459.7 billion that was also debited.

“These are huge amounts that are leaving the banking sector. It’s a squeeze on the banks. A bank like First Bank, for instance, has about N1.4 trillion in CRR with the Central Bank. And there is Zenith Bank with equally as much as N1.5 trillion. These are monies that banks can potentially put in loans at 52% at 30%, or even put in money market instruments at maybe 10%. So, for a shareholder of these banks, this CRR debits are impairing the banks’ ability to increase their earnings because now are not able to use the funds that are legitimately theirs to create money for their shareholders. And the question is that under what framework is the Central Bank choosing to take people’s money?”

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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