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Economy

SEC, CBN Fine 5 Banks for Market Violations

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By Leadership

Five commercial banks operating in Nigeria have been sanctions by the apex financial sector regulating bodies in Nigeria, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Leadership newspaper is reporting.

The banks were fined N213.7 million between January and June 2017 over 26 market infractions.

The sanctions vary from commercial banks failure to detect single Biometric Verification Number (BVN) wrongly linked to accounts owned by different individuals, late rendition of Returns to CBN, failure to comply with CBN’s Know-Your–Customers (KYC) requirement, among others.

Of the five commercial banks, two leading banks in the country were severely sanctioned by CBN with a total sum of N100 million for failing to detect single BVN wrongly linked to accounts owned by different individuals.

LEADERSHIP can exclusively report that commercial banks often contravene regulating bodies requirement, knowing that the sanctions imposed are minimal from profit generated.

Findings revealed that Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc incurred the highest market infractions, a total of 10 while Access Bank Plc has two market infractions.

Between January to June of 2017, Stanbic IBTC Holdings was sanctioned N40.7 million in 10 market infractions by CBN and SEC.

According to information obtained by LEADERSHIP, CBN imposed a penalty of N14 million on Stanbic IBTC Holdings over the bank’s failure to notify the CBN within 30 days of the re-deployment of staff.

Also, “SEC imposed a penalty of N4.51 million for the failure to obtain the approval of SEC to utilize the custodian function of the Bank and to hold securities owned by its clients in a nominee account and accept payment on behalf of its clients from individual issuers of securities in contravention of Rule 61(2a) of SEC Rules and Regulations.

“SEC observed violations of the Section 135 (1) & (2) of the Investment and Securities Act 2007 and imposed a penalty of N100,000.

“CBN imposed a penalty of N75,000 on the bank for the late rendition of its daily FINA returns for  February 01, 2017, February 03, 2017 and  February 13, 2017

“CBN imposed a penalty of N10 million on the Bank for the following breaches: (a) Deployment of an offsite Automated Teller  Machines (ATM) without CBN approval- E-business; (b) The returns for ATM cards sent to CBN on FINA were different from the returns provided for the examiners review at the bank- E-business; (c) Not fully complying with Section 3.8 of the Prudential Guidelines as it relates to the information requirement of the Credit print out-Credit; (d) CBN declined the clearance of a staff member who had been blacklisted, the staff member was still in the employment of the bank as at the time of the examination.

“CBN imposed a penalty of N2 million for contravening the CBN circular which is in respect to the repatriation of exports proceeds.

“CBN imposed a penalty of N4 million for the following breaches: (a) Late reporting of 29 suspicious transactions in a timely manner to the relevant authorities; (b) Untimely reporting of Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) to the relevant authorities.

“A penalty was imposed by CBN for the untimely rendition of the daily returns (FINA) for the period of 17 – 31 March, 17 – 31 May, 2017 – N50,000.

“CBN imposed a penalty of N4million for consummating a transaction of N16.35 billion without obtaining CBN approval and for contravening CBN circular.”

Fidelity Bank Plc was sanctioned N57.9 million for six market infractions.

The bank was sanctioned N40 million by CBN for multiple Account to a BVN and N10million for untimely & Non rendition of STRS.

Also, CBN imposed a fine of N4 million and N2 million in respect of KYC Non-Compliance  while SEC imposed a fine of N1.2 million for Late Submission of Annual Financial Report.

In addition, Fidelity bank paid N700, 000 for Late Payment and Account default Of Bank A/Acct 2016 financial year.

However, United Bank for Africa Plc was penalized N40 million for failing to detect single BVN wrongly linked to accounts owned by different individuals and N1 million for late rendering of returns on international cards.

The leading pan-African bank, was penalized N2 million for failing to promptly refund excess charges against the accounts of a customer and introduction of unauthorised monthly maintenance charges respectively.

Lately, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) contravention four market infraction of the CBN, totalling N10.05 million in six months of 2017.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

Economy

Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres

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By Adedapo Adesanya

The supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased by 55.4 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October.

This was contained in the November 2025 fact sheet of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Monday.

The data showed that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent or 37.4 million litres to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October.

The significant increase in petrol supply last month was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited into the Nigerian market from both the domestic and the international market.

Domestic refineries supplied in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.

The NMDPRA noted that no production activities were recorded in all the state-owned refineries, which included Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, in the period, as the refineries remained shut down.

According to the report, the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.

Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities, and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October, which spilled into November.”

On gas, the average daily gas supply climbed to 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November 2025, from the 3.94 bscf/d average processing level recorded in October.

The Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 also maintained a stable processing output of 3.5 bscf/d in November 2025, but utilisation improved slightly to 73.7 per cent compared with 71.68 per cent in October.

The increase, according to the report, was driven by higher plant utilisation across processing hubs and steady export volumes from the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny.

“As of November 2025, Nigeria’s major gas processing facilities recorded improved output and utilisation levels, with the Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 processing 3.50 billion standard cubic feet per day at a utilisation rate of 73.70 per cent.

“Gbaran Ubie Gas Plant processed 1.250 bscf per day, operating at 71.21 per cent utilisation, while the MPNU Bonny River Terminal recorded a throughput of 0.690 bscf per day during the period. Processing activities at the Escravos Gas Plant stood at 0.680 bscf per day, representing a 62 per cent utilisation rate, whereas the Soku Gas Plant emerged as the top performer, processing 0.600 bscf per day at 96.84 per cent utilisation,” it stated.

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Economy

Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out

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Secure Electronic Technology

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The proposed share reconstruction of a local gaming firm, Secure Electronic Technology (SET), has been suspended.

The Lagos-based company decided to shelve the exercise after negotiations with potential investors crumbled like a house of cards.

Secure Electronic Technology was earlier in talks with some foreign investors interested in the organisation.

Plans were underway to restructure the shares of the company, which are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

However, things did not go as planned as the potential investors pulled out, leaving the board to consider others ways to move the firm forward.

Confirming this development, the company secretary, Ms Irene Attoe, in a statement, said the board would explore other means to keep the company running to deliver value to shareholders.

“This is to notify the NGX and the investing public that a meeting of the board of SET held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as scheduled, to consider the status of the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation as approved by the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 16, 2025.

“After due deliberations, the board wishes to announce that the proposed share reconstruction will not take place as anticipated due to the inability of the parties to reach a convergence on the best and mutually viable terms.

“Thus, following an impasse in the negotiations, and the investors’ withdrawal from the transaction, the board has, in the interest of all members, decided to accept these outcomes and move ahead in the overall interest of the business.

“The board is committed to driving the strategic objectives of SEC and to seeking viable opportunities for sustainable growth of the company,” the disclosure stated.

Business Post reports that the share price of SET crashed by 3.85 per cent on Tuesday on Customs Street on Tuesday to 75 Kobo. Its 52-week high remains N1.33 and its one-year low is 45 Kobo. Today, investors transacted 39,331,958 units.

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Economy

Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers

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Clea Payment platform

By Adedapo Adesanya

Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched.

During its pilot phase, Clea processed more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.

Clea addresses persistent challenges that African importers have long struggled with, including limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments by offering fast, transparent, and direct USD settlements, completed without intermediaries or banking bottlenecks.

Founded by Mr Sheriff Adedokun, Mr Iyiola Osuagwu, and Mr Sidney Egwuatu, Clea was created from the team’s own experiences dealing with unreliable international payments. The platform currently serves Nigerian importers trading with suppliers in the United States, China, and the UAE, with plans to expand into additional trade corridors.

The platform will allow local payments in Naira with instant access to Dollars as well as instant, same-day, or next-day settlement options and transparent, traceable transactions that reduce fraud risk.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Adedokun said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”

Mr Osuagwu, co-founder & CTO, added, “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”

According to a statement shared with Business Post, Clea is already working with shipping operators who refer merchants to the platform and is also engaging trade associations and logistics networks in key import hubs. The company remains fully bootstrapped but is open to strategic investors aligned with its mission to build a trusted global payment network for African businesses.

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