Banking
Stanbic IBTC Bank Stops Deposit Slips for Cheque, Cash Deposits
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The management of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has deployed some changes on its Cash Deposit Process and Cheque Truncation System (CTS) portal, which includes the elimination of cash and cheque deposit slips in branches.
A statement issued by the lender explained that this was done to enhance customers’ experience and make them control their financial transactions.
Stanbic IBTC Bank said among other key features of the new offering are proper customer data collection, reduction in the presentation of stale and post-dated cheques and activation of cheque deposit receipt functionality on the CTS portal.
However, deposits for accounts such as electricity bills, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Customs, and Lagos Inland Revenue Service, among others, still maintain the use of customized deposit slips.
The initiative, tagged “Speak Your Transactions,” became operational for cash deposits on August 13, 2018 and August 20, 2018 for cheque deposits. The purpose of the initiative is to further embed the Stanbic IBTC Group’s “Go-Green” culture as it continues on the paperless journey and empower its customers to speak their transactions.
Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Dr. Demola Sogunle, said the new initiative is in fulfilment of the bank’s commitment to improving customer experience, work efficiency, data quality and ensure all improvement opportunities are maximized to the customers’ benefit.
“This is another initiative that speaks to our determination to consistently reinvigorate our systems and procedures in order to provide bespoke financial solutions to our clients.
“As a service business, we recognize that customer satisfaction is a cardinal operating principle and there is no better way of showcasing this than empowering our customers and enhancing their banking experience,” Sogunle said.
He added that as a member of the Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank by assets, Stanbic IBTC will continue to leverage on the 155-year experience, expertise and strong financial clout of the mother brand to deliver superior sustainable shareholder value by meeting the needs of its clientele. “Our ultimate goal is to continue to render best-in-class service to our customers and also play a leading role in driving their growth”.
Regarding cash deposits, the process entails some simple steps in which the bank teller receives the customer’s account name and number, and subsequently validates the details provided by the customer and then receives cash to be lodged in.
Thereafter, the teller processes the request and prints duplicate receipts that are handed over to customer. After endorsement of both copies by the customer, the teller appends his/her signature and stamps the receipts; then hands over a copy to the customer while the duplicate is kept as evidence of processed transaction.
For outward clearing cheques, only one receipt is printed, stamped and given to the customer. At the point of truncating the cheque on CTS, the teller is required to input the cheque issuance date and present the posted cheque on CTS to the authorizer and prints a copy for the customer.
Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc is part of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, a member of Standard Bank Group, a full service financial services group with a clear focus on three main business pillars – Corporate and Investment Banking, Personal and Business Banking and Wealth Management. Standard Bank Group is the largest African bank by assets and market capitalization. It is rooted in Africa with strategic representation in 20 countries on the African continent.
Standard Bank has been in operation for over 155 years and is focused on building first-class, on-the-ground financial services institutions in chosen countries in Africa; and connecting selected emerging markets to Africa by applying sector expertise, particularly in natural resources, power and infrastructure.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) says it has paid the insured deposits of about 700,000 customers of the defunct Heritage Bank and has commenced the reimbursement of depositors of 46 microfinance banks (MFBs) whose operating licences were recently revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The chief executive of NDIC, Mr Oludare Sunday, made this known on Wednesday during a retreat for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters in Lagos.
He said the corporation immediately began settling the insured deposits of customers after the CBN revoked the licences of the 46 microfinance banks and appointed the NDIC as their provisional liquidator.
“We are working on those. The CBN revoked the licences, and we were appointed as the provisional liquidator. We have started paying depositors of those banks, and gradually we intend to cover all the insured depositors,” he said.
Mr Sunday explained that the NDIC’s responsibility extends beyond paying insured deposits to recovering outstanding loans owed to the failed institutions and disposing of their assets to generate funds for the settlement of uninsured depositors.
“Our function as liquidator involves the payment of guaranteed sums. Thereafter, we go after those who owe the institutions and have not paid. We also ensure that we sell the available assets and realise their investments towards paying the uninsured portion of the deposits. So, we have started paying the guaranteed deposits. What we are doing now is also realising the assets of those institutions,” he stated.
Although he declined to disclose the exact number of depositors of the failed microfinance banks who had been reimbursed, Sunday said the Corporation was working with the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) to identify depositors through their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to ensure seamless payments.
“So, the more accounts we discover, the more payments we make,” he added.
Providing an update on the liquidation of Heritage Bank, the NDIC chief said about 700,000 depositors had already received their insured deposits, while efforts were ongoing to trace other customers whose identities could not be verified from available records.
He attributed the challenge to legacy accounts created before the introduction of the BVN system, as well as incomplete customer records inherited from banks that were later merged into Heritage Bank.
“If you know Heritage Bank, you know it is an amalgamation of several banks, including the acquisition of Enterprise Bank in 2014. So, if you think of banks like Guardian Express and Spring Bank, they are all part of Heritage Bank.
“There are depositors we have not been able to trace, and this is an opportunity for them to come forward. I am sure many of us did the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and may have left some money in an account, but there was no BVN then.
“Even the addresses we had were sometimes things like ‘opposite filling station.’ How do you trace such a person? Once they come forward, and for those we have been able to identify from the institution’s database, we have been paying them,” he explained.
Mr Sunday added that the Corporation would continue to recover outstanding loans and dispose of Heritage Bank’s assets to generate funds for the payment of liquidation dividends to depositors whose balances exceeded the insured limit.
Earlier in his remarks, he described the NDIC as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s financial safety net, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between regulators and the National Assembly as the banking sector responds to recapitalisation efforts and rapid financial technology developments.
According to him, while the ongoing banking recapitalisation programme has strengthened the resilience of financial institutions, it must be complemented by sound corporate governance, effective risk management, strict regulatory compliance and robust supervision to safeguard long-term financial system stability.
He also disclosed that more than 98 per cent of depositors, representing over 281 million accounts across insured financial institutions, are fully protected under the NDIC’s deposit insurance scheme.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Zenith Bank Plc is investigating an incident involving unauthorised access to customers’ data, noting that the breach does not involve financial information and has not compromised its banking services or digital channels.
In an email sent to customers on Wednesday, the bank stated that the incident was part of a broader global cyberattack affecting multiple international organisations across various sectors.
The lender stated that it immediately activated its incident response protocols and intensified its cybersecurity and remediation efforts upon discovering the incident.
“This incident is part of a broader, global cyber-attack targeting multiple international organisations across various sectors. Upon discovery, we promptly activated our incident response protocols, cybersecurity actions and remediation efforts,” the bank said.
The bank reassured customers that its banking services and digital channels remain secure and fully operational.
As a precautionary measure, Zenith Bank advised customers to remain alert to potential phishing attempts and other forms of social engineering.
“As a precaution, we encourage our customers to remain vigilant against phishing emails, text messages, or phone calls, and never to disclose their password, PIN, One-Time Password (OTP), or other security credentials to anyone,” the bank said.
The incident is the latest in a series of cybersecurity challenges facing Nigerian financial institutions, with banks in recent months suspending their social media operations over impersonation and other fraudulent activities.
Earlier in April, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) said it was investigating alleged data breaches involving Sterling Bank, Remita and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Nigerian banks have long been prime targets for cybercriminals because of the vast amounts of customer data and financial transactions they handle every day.
While many attacks have traditionally sought to steal funds, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting personal information, which can be used for identity theft, phishing schemes, account takeovers and other forms of financial fraud.
Cybersecurity threats have increasingly targeted Nigerian banks in recent years. In 2025, Union Bank of Nigeria warned customers about fraudulent websites and phishing campaigns designed to steal login credentials and personal information by impersonating the bank.
In August 2024, Guaranty Trust Bank experienced a domain-related security incident that temporarily disrupted access to its official website, although the lender assured customers that their deposits and banking services remained secure while it resolved the issue.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Mr Femi Otedola, has affirmed plans to increase his 26 per cent holding in the organisation to 51 per cent, confirming a planned takeover of Nigeria’s oldest banking institution.
Mr Otedola spoke in an exclusive interview with Nairametrics published on Monday, giving a rare direction following recent speculations about the financial institution.
The milestone followed a series of share acquisitions, as Mr Otedola sought to tighten his grip as the company’s largest shareholder following the recent acquisition of additional shares worth N222.21 billion.
In the interview, the mogul said he has invested more than N600 billion of his personal wealth in First HoldCo, describing the move as a “long-term generational commitment” rather than another turnaround investment he would eventually exit.
Responding to speculation that he intends to consolidate his position in the group, Mr Otedola hinted that his investment journey is far from over.
“My investment threshold is always over and above 51 per cent,” he said. “One of my key investment principles is that firm shareholder control, with due regard for minority interest, is a key ingredient to executing reforms and restructuring to deliver value to all stakeholders.”
The businessman said the same strategy had guided his investments in African Petroleum Plc, later renamed Forte Oil Plc, where he gradually increased his shareholding from 28 per cent to 75 per cent before exiting the company in 2019.
He said he also increased his stake in Geregu Power Plc from 51 per cent to 95 per cent before reducing it to 77 per cent after the company’s public listing.
“I am on the same trajectory with First HoldCo Plc,” Mr Otedola said.
“To date, I have invested over N600 billion of my personal wealth in First HoldCo Plc — a figure that speaks not to speculation, but to unflinching confidence in the institution’s future, fundamentals and an unwavering personal commitment to its success.”
Mr Otedola said his decision to invest in First HoldCo came at a time when the institution was facing one of the most challenging periods in its history.
The billionaire steadily increased his investment in the group, accelerating his share purchases in 2026. His stake grew from 6.68 billion shares (15.95 per cent) in June 2025 to 8.06 billion shares by March 2026, then to 9.28 billion shares by June after acquiring about 1.22 billion shares in one quarter. A further purchase through Calvados Global Services last month lifted his holdings above 10 billion shares for the first time.
