By Dipo Olowookere

Banking services will not be interrupted throughout the Easter public holidays, from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026, for any reason, Ecobank Nigeria has assured its customers.

In a message over the weekend, the member of Africa’s leading pan-African banking group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, said customers would continue to enjoy quality service delivery during the period.

It noted that its secure and robust digital platforms would remain fully operational to support financial activities during the festive period.

All digital channels, including the Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Business App, USSD *326#, Ecobank Online, OmniPlus, Omnilite, EcobankPay, Ecobank Cards, ATMs, PoS terminals, and over 35,000 Ecobank Xpress Point agent locations nationwide, will remain accessible throughout the holiday, the financial institution further said, urging customers to conveniently conduct transactions at any time using this wide range of digital solutions.

Ecobank customers were encouraged to maximise the bank’s alternative channels for transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases, card services, and account management.

They were also advised to stay vigilant by shopping only on trusted websites; avoiding the sharing of PINs, passwords, and one-time passwords (OTPs); refraining from banking on public Wi-Fi networks; being cautious of urgent or emotionally charged messages; and regularly monitoring their account activity.

“Customers will continue to enjoy a full bouquet of services during the holiday, including local and international funds transfers, bill payments, airtime top-ups, merchant payments, balance enquiries, account statements, and cardless cash withdrawals via ATMs,” the Head of Products & Analytics, Consumer & Commercial Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Victor Yalokwu, stated.

“We understand that festive seasons come with increased financial activity, and our priority is to ensure our customers enjoy fast, reliable, and secure banking wherever they are.

“Our digital channels are designed to support uninterrupted transactions, and we have strengthened our systems to guarantee optimal performance throughout the Easter break,” he added.

Mr Yalokwu noted that, “Ecobank remains committed to providing innovative financial solutions and exceptional customer service. We wish all our customers and partners a peaceful and joyful Easter celebration.”

By Dipo Olowookere

Customers may have difficulty accessing the digital platform of Polaris Bank, known as VULTe, during the Easter holidays from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026.

This is because the financial institution is carrying out system maintenance on the platform in its effort to ensure users enjoy a better banking experience.

In a notice over the weekend, the lender said “access to VULTe may be limited,” but it provided an alternative, which is the PolarisXperience.

Polaris Bank, which expressed regret over “any inconvenience” this action may cause its customers, said the “scheduled system maintenance” would happen from 10 pm to 8 am daily, promising that normal service would return after the maintenance.

“In continuation of our commitment to delivering a seamless and improved banking experience, we will be conducting a scheduled system maintenance during the Easter holidays.

“During this period, access to VULTe may be limited. We have provided an alternative channel, PolarisXperience:

“Please go to our website to onboard or use it as an existing user. You can also use this link: (https://elogin.polarisbanklimited.com).

“We regret any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Normal service will resume after the maintenance,” parts of the notice seen by Business Post read.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has selected cNGN, Flutterwave, Juicyway, KoinKoin, KuCoin, and Paystack for the initial phase of its pilot supervision programme for virtual asset service providers (VASPs).

In a statement, the apex bank said the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen oversight of anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CFT), and counter-proliferation financing (CPF) risks within the financial system.

The CBN explained that the move aligns with its enhanced AML/CFT/CPF framework and is backed by key legislations, including the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, the CBN Act, and the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.

“The CBN has commenced an AML/CFT/CPF supervision pilot involving a select group of virtual asset service providers identified as relevant for supervisory engagement,” the statement said.

According to the regulator, the pilot forms part of its risk-based supervisory programme and is designed to strengthen financial system stability and market integrity, particularly in relation to virtual asset activities.

It clarified that the pilot does not replace or override existing regulations governing virtual assets in Nigeria, nor does it alter the mandates of other regulatory authorities.

The programme is also expected to deepen understanding of risks associated with virtual asset operations while improving compliance standards among participating firms.

“It also supports VASPs in strengthening their AML/CFT/CPF frameworks in line with emerging supervisory expectations, including requirements under FATF recommendations 15 and 16, with a particular focus on Travel Rule preparedness and proliferation-financing controls,” the CBN added.

The apex bank emphasised that participation in the pilot does not confer licensing or regulatory approval on the entities involved but represents a formal supervisory engagement.

Under the scheme, participating firms are required to submit monthly AML/CFT/CPF supervisory key performance indicators (KPIs), engage with the CBN and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, and undergo reviews covering governance, customer onboarding, sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, and cross-border activities.

They are also expected to demonstrate credible implementation plans for compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Travel Rule.

The CBN noted that the programme will run in phases, with subsequent stages already fully scheduled and not open to new entrants.

It added that all data submitted by participating firms would be treated as confidential supervisory information in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and its internal confidentiality standards.

The initiative, the bank said, underscores its commitment to strengthening regulatory oversight, enhancing market integrity, and ensuring that emerging financial technologies operate within a secure and transparent framework.