Banking
Jaiz Bank ATM Custodian in Trouble for N33.8b Fraud
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A branch Automated Teller Machine (ATM) officer with Jaiz Bank, Mr Alfa Ibrahim, has been arraigned before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court.
The suspect was taken to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 9, 2019 on a one-count charge bordering on dishonesty to the tune of N33.8 million.
The money was said to belong to Jaiz Bank and was meant to be “loaded” into the bank’s ATM, but allegedly converted by the accused person to his personal use.
“That you, Alfa Ibrahim, while being Automated Teller Machine officer with Ja’iz Bank Plc, sometime in December 2017 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did dishonesty take the sum of N33,810,000 being the property of Ja’iz Bank without its consent and with intent of permanently depriving it of the said amount, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 270 of the Penal Code Law Kaduna State, 2017 and punishable under Section 271 of the same Law,” the count read.
However, when this charge was read to the suspect, he pleaded “not guilty” and the prosecuting counsel, Mr Esmond Garba, thereafter, urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial, and to remand the defendant in prison custody.
Defence counsel, Kaile Yusuf, however, asked the court to grant his client bail, arguing that Mr Ibrahim was on administrative bail by the EFCC and “he did not violate the bail conditions”.
While adjourning to February 14, 2019 Justice Khobo granted him bail in the sum of N10 million, and one surety in like sum who must be a resident within Kaduna metropolis.
Similarly, Muhammad Nalami was also arraigned before Justice Khobo on a two-count charge bordering on “conspiracy, breach of trust and fraud” to the tune of N17 million belonging to Niroy Nigeria Limited.
Nalami was alleged to have connived with Hafeez Adamu (currently at large), and collected N17, 054,000 from the company, for the supply of grains, but he failed to deliver on the goods. Efforts to get a refund also proved abortive.
Count two reads: “That you Muhammed Nalami and Hafeez Ya’u Adamu sometime in June 2017 in Kaduna within the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court did dishonestly misappropriate or convert to your own use the sum of N17, 045,000 property of Niroy Nigeria Limited meant for purchase of three trucks and 990 bags of white sorghum grains, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 293 of the Penal Code Law Kaduna State, and punishable under Section 294 of the same Law”.
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Esmond Garba urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial and asked the court to remand him in prison custody.
Defence counsel, Y.Y. Mai’adashi made an oral application for the bail of his client. The application was, however, opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Khobo, thereafter, adjourned to February 14, 2019 for “commencement of trial” and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody pending perfection of bail application.
In a related development, Abubakar Liman Ibrahim and his company, Infaq Global Investment Limited, were also on January 9, 2019 arraigned before the trial judge on a four-count charge bordering on false pretence and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of over N27, 000, 000 (Twenty Seven Million Naira).
Abubakar was alleged by Alkasim Rilwanu, to have defrauded him in N46, 551,000 business deal, in which he was to supply baking flour, oil and bags of rice.
Rilwanu alleged that after supplying the goods, he was paid N11.5 million and another N7,470,000 leaving a balance of over N27 million. However, Abubakar issued four separate Zenith Bank cheques for the balance, which were returned unpaid by the bank. Efforts to get back the money proved abortive.
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Esmond Garba, thereafter, asked the court to fix a date for commencement of trial while praying the accused be remanded in prison custody pending trial.
Counsel for the defence, Y.Y. Gwazawa, moved the motion for bail dated January 7, 2019, which was served on the prosecution on January 8, 2019.
Garba, however, raised objection to the application on the “basis of the magnitude of the offence”.
Justice Khobo, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N5 million and one surety in like sum who must be a resident within Kaduna metropolis, and adjourned to February 11, 2019 for “hearing”.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About N2 billion is expected to be used to finance renewable energy products for customers by the end of 2026 in an effort to accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
To meet this goal, Sterling Bank is launching Sterling Solar Financing Hubs inside StarTimes retail outlets to embed on-the-spot solar financing at the point of purchase.
From the N2 billion earmarked for this initiative, N600 million has already been used up.
Under this programme, customers can now walk into participating outlets, select their preferred solar solution, receive financial guidance from dedicated Sterling Solar Financing Advisors, and begin the financing process immediately, subject to the bank’s credit assessment.
The first phase of the rollout commenced this July with five Solar Financing Hubs across Lagos, located in Lekki, Ikeja, Festac, Surulere, and Victoria Island.
The network will expand rapidly to 46 StarTimes outlets nationwide before the end of the third quarter of 2026, with a view to extending the model to more than 200 StarTimes locations nationwide.
Both parties have promised to continue working together to democratise access to clean energy financing, empowering more Nigerians to solarise their homes and businesses while contributing to a greener future.
“Sterling exists to enrich lives, and we believe that access to clean, reliable energy should be within everyone’s reach. Through this partnership with StarTimes, we are democratising access to solar by bringing financing directly to the point of need, enabling more families and businesses to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of prohibitive upfront costs. This is about unlocking opportunity, improving livelihoods, and powering Nigeria’s future,” the Divisional Head of Renewable Energy and Mobility at Sterling Bank, Mr Darlington Nwankwo, said.
Also commenting, the Vice President of StarTimes Nigeria, Mr Eric Xiao, said, “With the rollout of the Sterling Solar Financing Hubs, we are doing more than just selling solar products; we are building a sustainable energy ecosystem. By integrating StarTimes’ extensive service network with Sterling Bank’s professional financial services, we are significantly lowering the barrier for Nigerian households and small businesses to access clean energy.
“Moving forward, we will continue to deepen this partnership, ensuring that more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, affordable, and smart energy solutions, ultimately turning our vision of energy accessibility into a reality for all.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour of Stanbic IBTC Bank made a detour to Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The event brought together business leaders, development partners and government representatives to discuss pathways for sustainable enterprise development across the South-West.
Participants engaged in practical masterclasses on export opportunities; access to finance and business growth strategies; gaining actionable insights into market expansion; trade documentation; credit readiness; financial record-keeping; and structured financing solutions designed to support long-term business success.
The Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Olajumoke Bello, informed participants that the programme is part of the lender’s commitments to supporting MSMEs through practical business education, strategic partnerships and improved access to growth opportunities.
The Executive Director of Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Remy Osuagwu, on his part, said, “Our ambition is to be more than a financial institution to Nigerian businesses. We want to be a trusted growth partner, providing the financing, business insights and advisory support entrepreneurs need to build sustainable enterprises and unlock new opportunities.”
Similarly, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, who reinforced the company’s commitment to enterprise development, highlighted the importance of providing businesses with the right support structures to enable sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we believe that sustainable economic growth depends on the success of small and growing businesses. That is why we are focused on providing access to finance, practical advisory support and the connections businesses need to move from ambition to scale,” he stated.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives, and Industry, Professor Soliu Adelabu, said the initiative was designed to support businesses and strengthen the state’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, praising the bank for its support for traders, entrepreneurs, and artisans in the state.
The Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs O.M. Shotonwa-Roagess, highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in expanding economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups across Oyo State. She noted that the ministry remains open to collaborating with organisations such as Stanbic IBTC, development partners and the private sector to drive financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic empowerment.
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour forms part of Stanbic IBTC’s broader commitment to empowering entrepreneurs through capacity building, financial inclusion and strategic business support, helping enterprises unlock new opportunities for growth and long-term success.
The Ibadan leg built on the momentum of previous tour stops in Katsina and Aba.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, says Nigeria anticipates remittances from citizens living abroad to increase by two-thirds in 2026 as it seeks to bolster its foreign-exchange reserves to $1 billion monthly.
“We are expecting that by the end of the year, we will hit about a billion Dollars a month from diaspora remittances,” he said at the 14th Annual BusinessDay CEO Forum in Lagos on Thursday, themed From Stability to Shared Prosperity.
Mr Cardoso said remittances are expected to be boosted from more than $600 million currently, banking on the CBN’s deliberate target at remittances to diversify reserve sources beyond oil earnings.
According to him, the apex bank engaged Nigerians abroad, banks and international partners to identify barriers to official remittance flows.
He said the lender subsequently reviewed policies to ensure easier movement of funds into and out of the country.
Mr Cardoso described the approach as providing free entry and free exit for foreign exchange.
He said the reforms helped double diaspora inflows within one year and exceeded initial expectations, also projecting annual remittances could reach about $8 billion if the current momentum was sustained, adding that the development reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and foreign exchange market.
Mr Cardoso said reforms introduced by the apex bank had restored stability in the foreign exchange market and improved investors’ confidence.
He identified exchange rate unification as one of the central bank’s major achievements under the reforms programme.
According to him, replacing multiple exchange rate windows with a market-driven system eliminated distortions and improved transparency.
Mr Cardoso said improved foreign exchange liquidity and stronger reserves were among the gains from the reforms.
He said Nigeria’s net external reserves had risen from about $3 billion at the start of the reforms to above $40 billion currently, noting that gross external reserves had grown to about $52 billion, representing about 10 months of import cover.
According to him, the reserves are designed to shield the economy from external shocks and excessive market volatility.
He said the reserves were not meant for routine interventions or day-to-day exchange rate management.
