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Otedola, Odukale First Bank Leadership Tussle Excites CBN

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First Bank Leadership Tussle

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has expressed satisfaction with the power tussle between Mr Femi Otedola and Mr Taiwo Hassan Odukale, over who owns the single largest shareholding in First Bank of Nigeria, also known as FGN Holdings Plc.

The duo recently became a news item over the issue after it was announced that Mr Otedola was now the single largest shareholder in the financial institution. The company later released a statement, stating that Mr Odukale was the largest shareholder.

On Tuesday, after the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting for 2021, the Governor of the CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, while addressing reporters, said the development was a testament to the positive decisions taken by the apex bank to keep First Bank alive.

A few months ago, the CBN sacked the board of FBN Holdings and First Bank of Nigeria Limited, its flagship bank, over a leadership tussle.

It was after the news that Nigerians knew that the central bank had been providing funds to the company as an intervention in order not to make it collapse because of huge non-performing loans (NPLs) bedevilling the organisation.

Justifying its decision to provide funding support to the lender on Tuesday, Mr Emefiele said First Bank, as the oldest bank in Nigeria, was too big to fail.

According to him, “If anything happens to First Bank, it means something has happened to the Nigerian banking system. That is why we are taking advice on how to get the bank afoot seriously.”

He then declared that First Bank was too big to be owned by an individual, adding that the tussle was good because “six years ago, as I said, because of an aggressive build-up of NPLs, the share price of First Bank was about N2. We took it up. Then, everybody was running away from the shares of First Bank.

“We have cleaned the balance sheet now, people are seeing that the money-making machine, First Bank, is back on its feet. They are in the race for profitability. They are now competing for the shares of First Bank. As of the last time I checked over the weekend, the share price was more N11.

“Why should I quarrel about that? “I am happy to see that they are competing for the shares. Of course, we all know that First Bank is so large that no single person can own it. In running the banks, they should see themselves as representing others.”

The leadership tussle between the two billionaires seems to have been put to rest after the clarification made by the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

First Bank had earlier said Mr Hassan-Odukale controlled a 5.36 per cent cumulative equity stake in the company through direct and indirect shareholding, stating that it was more than the 5.07 per cent holding of Mr Otedola.

Mr Hassan-Odukale’s stake rose to 5.36 per cent because of the addition of the stake of Leadway Pensure Limited, which he also has an interest in.

But PenCom explained that the shares of FBN Holdings purchased by Leadway Pensure belonged to Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders and not Mr Hassan-Odukale because the funds actually belonged to a pool of investors, who are mainly Nigerian workers.

Banking

Telcos Begin Deduction of USSD Banking Service Fees from Airtime Balance

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Nigerian Banks

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian banks have started charging Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) fees from airtime balance of their customers as against their bank accounts after a tussle over unpaid backlogs.

One of such messages from GTCO said, “Dear Customer, please be informed that effective June 18, 2025, the N6.98 USSD fee will be deducted from your airtime balance, no longer from your bank account. Thank you”

Giving more explanation, a statement by the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo, and the group’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Damian Udeh said this change followed the guidelines of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for USSD pricing and service, developed with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other partners.

It was further explained that under the new system, telecom companies will charge customers directly from their airtime at the rate of N6.98 for every 120 seconds of USSD use, noting that users will receive a message to give their consent before any money is deducted, and charges will only apply for successfully completed sessions.

Mr Adebayo assured that USSD banking services will still work as usual, as long as users have enough airtime.

“USSD services play a vital role in expanding access to financial services, particularly for unbanked and underbanked populations.

“However, the previous corporate billing model, where banks were billed by telecom operators, led to prolonged disputes over unpaid charges, service interruptions and uncertainty for customers.

“To address these challenges, the NCC’s 2025 determination introduced the End-User Billing (EUB) model, which allows mobile network operators to charge customers directly for USSD sessions.

“To achieve the implementation of the EUB model, the CBN and NCC have stipulated that only banks that meet certain regulatory and operational conditions are permitted to migrate,” Mr Adebayo noted, advising users to contact their telcos for connection problems and to reach out to their banks for issues related to transactions.

“To ensure a smooth transition, we urge subscribers to follow support guidelines, and alternative digital banking channels such as mobile apps, internet banking, and ATMs remain fully operational,” he said.

Mr Adebayo added that ALTON will keep working with the NCC, CBN, banks, and other partners to ensure the new system is fair and beneficial to everyone, especially customers.

This new method is being introduced because of the ongoing dispute between Nigerian banks and telecom operators over unpaid USSD fees.

In December 2024, the CBN and NCC told mobile network operators and banks to settle the N250 billion debt related to USSD services.

Telcos had threatened to stop USSD services if the banks didn’t pay up. In January, the NCC warned that USSD services might be suspended and said it might release a list of banks that still owed telecom operators.

On January 15, telcos were ordered to disconnect the USSD codes of nine banks by January 27 because of their unpaid debts.

Later, on February 28, MTN Nigeria announced that it had received N32 billion out of the N72 billion owed by banks as part of the USSD debt repayment.

This development is expected to ensure that no more rifts occur between both institutions.

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Banking

Reps Probe CBN’s Anchors’ Borrowers Programme, NIRSAL, BoI Schemes

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Reps Stoppage of Forex Sales

By Adedapo Adesanya

The House of Representatives is investigating the N1.12 trillion spent on the Anchors’ Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) alongside the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank for N215 billion spent on agro-businesses, as well as the Bank of Industry (BoI) for disbursing N3 billion to 22,120 smallholder farmers through the Agriculture Value Chain Financing Programme.

The House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security led by its Chairman, Mr Chike Okafor, during an investigative hearing on the alleged misuse of government interventions and agricultural funding by departments, agencies, schemes, and programmes of the federal government, raised concerns that of the 24 participating financial institutions (PFIs) who disbursed the amount for the APB, only nine had indicated any interest in following up with the probe.

He said one of the key oversight mandates of the committee is to ensure proper implementation of intervention programmes by relevant government bodies related to food security and nutrition.

“We are probing how the CBN through the Anchors Borrowers Programme disbursed about N1.12 trillion to 4.67 million farmers involved in either maize, rice or wheat farming through 563 anchors.

“The CBN should note: we are aware that you have about 24 participating financial institutions (PFIs) through which you disburse these humongous amounts. I am also aware that you have written to 24 of them but we have evidence of only nine. So, please note. And also some of those PFIs have tried to make contact.

“Second point we are probing how NIRSAL disbursed N215, 066, 982, 074.50 so far to facilitate agriculture and agribusinesses, and also the Bank of Industry how you disbursed N3 billion to 22, 120 smallholder farmers through the agriculture value chain financing programme,” he said.

“One of the key oversight mandates of the Committee on Nutrition and Food Security is to ensure proper implementation of intervention programmes by relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and agencies of government related to food security and nutrition. Investigations, monitoring of resource allocation, advancement of new laws, and strengthening of existing ones among others, on matters related to nutrition and food security.

“These are comprehensively contained in the committee’s jurisdiction as captured in the standing order of the House. Please, note that nutrition and food security are twin issues that cannot be separated and have been on the front burner of the renewed hope agenda of the present administration.

“The creation of this committee on Nutrition and Food security is a legislative response to join forces with the executive arm of government and other stakeholders to tackle these issues and make Nigeria a food-secured and nourished populace,” he stated.

A representative of NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, Mr Charles Bassey, said insecurity was a major challenge to the successful implementation of their loan scheme, adding that in trying to determine who was qualified to benefit from the intervention, they paid attention very closely to laid down guidelines.

“It was based on those guidelines that we disbursed these funds. Some of the challenges that they have written about include insecurity challenges. A couple of them had pointed to the fact that after they had invested the funds in agricultural business, they were not able to go back to the farms because of the experience of banditry and herdsmen.

“These delayed their seasonal interventions and harvesting. Some also pointed to natural disasters such as flooding and drought which affected them. A few of them actually asked for restructuring of the loan facility to allow them time to repay accordingly,” Mr Bassey said.

On his part, Group Head, Agric Finance and Solid Minerals, Sterling Bank, Mr Olushola Obikanye, said they had repatriated N113,490,756,332.54 to the CBN and were not owing under the scheme.

“Therefore, the total fund repatriated to the Central Bank of Nigeria is the cumulative of the undisbursed funds that were returned and the disbursed funds that were returned. The total funds repatriated to the central bank stood at N113,490,756,332.54. It leaves Sterling Bank with an outstanding of zero Naira zero Kobo that we are owing under this scheme,” he said.

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Regulatory Forbearance Directive Only for Limited Banks—CBN

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cbn governor yemi cardoso external reserves

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has clarified that the recent moves regarding regulatory forbearance is limited to limited banks.

A few days ago, the CBN issued a directive to banks in the country, particularly those in possible distress, prohibiting them from paying dividends to shareholders and issuing bonuses to directors.

This development led to the banking index recording losses over the last two days at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

In a statement on Wednesday, the central bank affirmed the strength of the Nigerian banking sector, noting that it issued routine transitional guidance for select institutions.

In the new circular, the apex bank clarified that it introduced time-bound measures for a small number of banks still completing their transition from the temporary regulatory support provided, mostly in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This step is part of the CBN’s broader, sequenced strategy to implement the recapitalisation programme announced in 2023. The programme, designed to align with Nigeria’s long-term growth ambitions, has already led to significant capital inflows and balance sheet strengthening across the sector,” said the statement signed by Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, the acting Director of Corporate Communications at CBN.

The CBN also noted that most banks have either completed or are on track to meet the new capital requirements well before the final implementation deadline of March 31, 2026.

“The measures announced apply only to a limited number of banks. These include temporary restrictions on capital distributions, such as dividends and bonuses, to support retention of internally generated funds and bolster capital adequacy. All affected banks have been formally notified and remain under close supervisory engagement,” it added.

The apex bank said to support a smooth transition, it has allowed limited, time-bound flexibility within the capital framework, consistent with international regulatory norms, adding that Nigeria generally maintains Risk-Based Capital requirements that are significantly more stringent than the global Basel III minimums.

“These adjustments reflect a well-established supervisory process consistent with global norms. Regulators in the U.S., Europe, and other major markets have implemented similar transitional measures as part of post-crisis reform efforts.”

“Nigeria’s banking sector remains fundamentally strong. These measures are neither unusual nor cause for concern; they are a continuation of the orderly and deliberate implementation of reforms already underway.

“The CBN will continue to take all necessary actions to safeguard the sector’s stability and ensure a robust, resilient financial ecosystem that supports sustainable economic growth,” parts of the statement affirmed.

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