By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Seven mortgage banks operating in Nigeria have been blacklisted by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) over non-compliance with housing loan guidelines.

In a circular dated August 11, 2025, signed by the Head of Benefits and Insurance Department, Obiora Ibeziako, the regulator directed the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) to immediately stop accepting or processing equity contribution applications from the real estate banks.

It was learned that the lenders failed to generate the loans for which pension funds had been approved.

According to the notice, the affected institutions as Jigawa Savings & Loans Limited, FHA Mortgage Bank Limited, Delta Trust Mortgage Bank Limited, AG Mortgage Bank Limited, Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc, First Trust Mortgage Bank Limited, and Mutual Alliance Mortgage Bank Limited.

“Following the cited letter, the commission instructs that Pension Fund Administrators, including Closed Pension Fund Administrators and Pension Fund Custodians, immediately stop accepting or processing equity contribution applications submitted by the following Primary Mortgage Banks,” a part of the disclosure stated.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Pioneer non-interest financial institution in Nigeria, Jaiz Bank Plc, has announced a change to its brand identity, adopting new colours and logo to reflect its vision for the future.

In a statement signed by its Company Secretary, Mr Mohammed Shehu, it was disclosed that the new colours are deep blue, yellow, and grey.

In the statement, Jaiz Bank noted that, “The rebranding reflects our renewed commitment to empowering individuals, businesses, and communities with smarter financial solutions.

The Islamic lender, which said it’s committed to innovation, trust, and customer-centric banking, said, “The new brand represents more than just a colour and logo change; it is a reflection of the bank’s evolution and aspirations building a future-ready bank that is agile, inclusive, and deeply connected to the needs of our customers.”

“The new colours and logo represent Trust, Stability, Professionalism, Energy, Optimism, Visibility, Balance, and Sophistication,” it emphasised.

While “inviting stakeholders, partners, and customers to join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter, Jaiz Bank noted that rebranding became effective today, Tuesday, August 19, 2025.”

It described the “strategic transformation” as a “significant milestone in the bank’s journey to better serve its customers, embrace digital innovation, and expand its footprint in the financial services industry.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

For its consistent commitment to the highest levels of data privacy, security, and compliance, Access Bank Plc has been awarded the ISO/IEC 27701:2019 Certification for Privacy Information Management Systems.

The scope of the certification encompasses the management, processing, and protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) related to customers, employees, and third parties across the entire organisation.

It covers all physical and digital assets, processes, and information systems engaged in the collection, storage, processing, sharing, and disposal of PII throughout the bank.

The Statement of Applicability, version 15.0, dated March 27, 2025, demonstrates Access Bank’s role as both a PII Controller and a PII Processor, ensuring a robust framework for safeguarding sensitive information at every stage of its lifecycle.

The certification is referenced under ISMS Certificate, No. IS 583140 and affirms that the lender operates a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS), which fully complies with the rigorous requirements of ISO/IEC 27701:2019.

It reflects the bank’s proactive approach to privacy management, its investment in state-of-the-art security infrastructure, and its commitment to building trust with stakeholders and the broader community.

“Achieving the ISO/IEC 27701:2019 certification is a testament to Access Bank’s proactive approach to information security, Data Protection and Privacy, which reflects our commitment to safeguarding the trust our customers place in us, and our culture of continuous improvement.

“It demonstrates our dedication to adopting global best practices and reinforces our position as a leader in privacy information management across the financial services sector.” The Chief Information Security Officer/Data Protection Officer of Access Bank, Favour Femi-Oyewole, said.

Also, the Executive Director for IT and Digitisation at Access Holdings Plc, Lanre Bamisebi, said, “Securing the ISO/IEC 27701:2019 certification marks a pivotal milestone in Access Bank’s journey to embed privacy and data protection at the heart of our digital strategy. It also underscores the strategic investments we continue to make in digital innovation.

“This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to building resilient systems that not only meet global standards but also anticipate the evolving expectations of our customers and regulators. It is the result of deliberate cross-functional collaboration and a forward-thinking approach to governance and trust.”