Banking
Cashless Policy: No Going Back on Deposits Charges—CBN
By Adedapo Adesanya
Despite the recent criticisms that trailed the re-introduction of processing fees on deposits and withdrawals on certain thresholds by individual and corporate bank customers in seven states of the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it won’t back down.
The apex bank had directed deposit money banks in the country to begin implementation of this cashless policy from Wednesday, September 18, 2019 and since then, many have lambasted the CBN.
Governor of the central bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, while briefing journalists at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) two-day meeting on Friday in Abuja, said this cashless policy was not new and that since its first introduction in 2012 and withdrawal in 2014, Nigerians had five years to bring their cash into the banking space.
“Fees on excess cash withdrawals are not new and have been in place since July 2012. Deposit fees are also not new.
“They have been in place since inception but later withdrawn in 2014 following feedback on the need for stakeholders to fully embrace electronic payment before implementation
“We believe that after five years and with all the options and channels that are currently available that we need to really embrace the best practices by saying we should go cashless in Nigeria,” the CBN chief said during the briefing monitored by Business Post.
Based on data between 2012 and 2018, Mr Emefiele said the cost of currency management in 2014 reduced by 13 percent following the first introduction of the policy including charges on both deposits and withdrawal in the ‘six cashless states’ throughout 2013.
However, Mr Emefiele disclosed that due to the suspension of the policy on deposit charges in 2014, currency management cost went up from 2015 and increased year-on-year basis to 2018 at an annual rate of 33 percent.
Mr Emefiele further noted that the policy was put in place to encourage the use of electronic means of transaction and reduce but not eliminate cash-based transactions.
“It is in the public’s interest to promote an efficient payment system via the cashless policy which helps to reduce the punitive cost of cash processing passed on to money deposit banks”
He noted that the strategy will help promote an open and transparent system because “Cashless policy also improves transparency in financial dealings and reduction in crime such as advanced fee fraud, graft, ransom fee payment, and extortions.”
He also said that since the pilot of the cashless policy that electronic transactions had increased substantially within the Nigerian economy.
According to Mr Emefiele, “POS transactions increased by 4692 percent and we are talking about N2.27 trillion from just N48.6 billion in 2012 to N2.3 trillion at the end of 2018”
He added that electronic transfers increased significantly by 1967 percent or N76.5 trillion from N3.8 trillion in 2012 to N80.4 trillion in 2018. Cheque transactions had also reduced by 32 percent by about N2.45 billion from 7.48 billion in 2012 to 5.03 billion in 2018.
He then disclosed that financial access funds, ATMs, Agents, and Mobile Cash across each of the six cashless policy states all witnessed exponential growth.
Business Post reports that based on the new policy, individual customers would only be required to pay 2 percent fee on deposits above N500,000 and 3 percent on extra amount above N500,000 when withdrawing.
For corporate customers, they would pay 3 percent on deposits above N3 million and 5 percent on withdrawals above N3 million.
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.
