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CBN Officially Announces All Old Notes as Legal Tender After Buhari’s Criticism

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Naira Dollar Exchange Rate - Investors King

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has officially declared its alliance with the Supreme Court judgement on the recirculation of the old N500 and N1000 notes as legal tender.

The apex bank, in a statement signed by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin on Monday, directed banks to uphold the validity of the old notes as pronounced by Nigeria’s highest court.

Investors King had earlier reported that on March 3, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the old naira notes remain as legal tender till December 31, 2023. However, Nigerians became confused when their banks rejected the old naira notes telling them that CBN is yet to issue a directive on the matter.

The CBN’s directive came after President Muhammadu Buhari criticised the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) for opposing the court judgement.

The President had said Emefiele has no excuse to disobey the supreme court saying that the CBN need not expect the president’s directive on the matter before complying with the ruling.

Buhari debunked the notion that he directed CBN governor and the Attorney-General to disobey the court order, reiterating his belief in democracy and prevalence of the rule of law.

The statement by the presidency read, “Since the President was sworn into office in 2015, he has never directed anybody to defy court orders, in the strong belief that we can’t practise democracy without the rule of law and the commitment of his administration to this principle has not changed.

“Following the ongoing intense debate about the compliance concerning the legality of the old currency notes, the Presidency, therefore, wishes to state clearly that President Buhari has not done anything knowingly and deliberately to interfere with or obstruct the administration of justice.

“The President is not a micromanager and will not, therefore, stop the Attorney General and the CBN governor from performing the details of their duties in accordance with the law. The directive of the President, following the meeting of the Council of State, is that the bank must make available for circulation all the money that is needed and nothing has happened to change the position.

After the open rebuke and dissociation on the naira saga by President Buhari, the CBN sent a directive to the commercial banks and alerted the citizens of its acceptance of the supreme court order after the long silence.

The CBN statement read, “In compliance with the established tradition of obedience to court orders and sustenance of the rule of law principle that characterised the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, and by extension the operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as a regulator, Deposit Money Banks operating in Nigeria have been directed to comply with the Supreme Court ruling of March 3, 2023.

“Accordingly, the CBN met with the Bankers’ Committee and has directed that the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes remain legal tender alongside the redesigned banknotes till December 31, 2023. Consequently, all concerned are directed to conform accordingly.”

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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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Banking Sector

FBN Holdings Announces Key Director Appointments

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Femi Otedola

FBN Holdings PLC, a leading financial services group in Nigeria, has disclosed significant appointments within its Board of Directors.

FBN Holdings Plc Appointments:

  1. Mr. Olusola Adeeyo – Non-Executive Director: With an illustrious career spanning over four decades in Corporate Banking, Treasury, Financial Advisory, and transformational leadership, Mr. Olusola Adeeyo brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He is currently the Chairman of Astral Waters Limited, a prominent water bottling and delivery company licensed by NAFDAC. Mr. Adeeyo’s extensive background includes founding management team involvement in building and nurturing Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited (IBTC), now Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc.
  2. Mr. Viswanathan Shankar – Independent Non-Executive Director: With over 44 years of global financial sector experience, Mr. Viswanathan Shankar brings a wealth of expertise to FBN Holdings. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Gateway Partners, a private equity and alternative investments manager focused on dynamic growth markets. Previously, Mr. Shankar served as CEO – Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Americas, and was a member of the global board of Standard Chartered Plc.

First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) Appointments:

  1. Mrs. Remilekun Adetola Odunlami – Non-Executive Director: Mrs. Odunlami boasts over 30 years of extensive experience in enterprise risk management, compliance, and general management. She has held leadership positions at CitiBank Nigeria Limited and served as Executive Director, Chief Risk Officer at FirstBank.
  2. Mr. Anil Dua and Mrs. Fatima Ibrahim Ali – Independent Non-Executive Directors: Mr. Dua brings over 50 years of vast experience in portfolio and risk management, while Mrs. Ali has over 15 years of experience in strategic business planning, marketing communications, and socio-economic development.

These appointments underscore FBN Holdings’ commitment to strengthening its governance structure and positioning for sustained growth in Nigeria’s financial.

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