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Lagos Guber: Emefiele Not Involved in Politics or Supporting Gbadebo—CBN

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Godwin Emefiele Exchange Rate

By Dipo Olowookere

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reacted to a report by a national newspaper alleging that its Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, was plotting to get back at the president-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu, by ensuring that the candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, fondly called GRV, defeats the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Mr Tinubu is believed to be in control of Lagos State, which is the commercial capital of Nigeria, since 1999, when he was elected as the governor of the state.

Though his term ended in 2007, according to reports, he has been actively involved in who leads the state, from Mr Babatunde Fashola (the current Minister of Works and Housing) in 2007 to former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2015 and the incumbent Mr Sanwo-Olu, who now seeks another four-year term in office.

In the February 25, 2023, presidential election, Mr Tinubu, for the first time, lost Lagos State to the candidate of LP in the contest, Mr Peter Obi. This unsettled his camp and has put Mr Sanwo-Olu under pressure over fears that another protest vote could chase him out from Alausa this weekend.

Last year, Mr Emefiele attempted to clinch the presidential ticket of the APC but was stopped by the court, which held that he could not remain as the CBN chief and be involved in politics.

This fuelled calls for his resignation and cast doubt on his Naira redesign and cashless policies, which some politicians, including allies of Mr Tinubu, said were targeted at the president-elect.

Today, a newspaper with ties to Mr Tinubu published a story alleging that the apex bank boss was plotting to ensure the president-elect loses control of Lagos State in the governorship election this Saturday.

According to the report, Mr Emefiele has provided funds to the candidate of the Labour Party to prosecute the election and unseat the ruling party.

However, the acting Director of Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr Isa Abdulmumin, refuted these claims, stressing that his boss is not partisan.

“The attention of the CBN has been drawn to a story published in The Nation newspaper of Monday, March 13, 2023, edition, alleging that the Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has launched a fresh plot against president-elect.

“The aforementioned story went further to allege that the Governor has made a certain amount of money available to a candidate ahead of the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial poll.

“We wish to inform members of the public that this story is completely false and malicious as the CBN Governor does not know and has never met or even spoken with Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, either in person or through a proxy.

“We wish to reiterate that the CBN Governor does not take part in politics and, therefore, urge anyone with contrary information to prove the Governor wrong by providing any facts.

“As such, the Governor and his team at the CBN should be allowed to focus on their assigned job with a view to achieving the statutory mandate of the bank,” the statement said.

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Boko Haram: Senate Seeks Speedy Military Deployment to Borno, Yobe

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Boko Haram attack lake chad UN

By Adedapo Adesanya

Amid the resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe States, the Senate on Tuesday asked the military to urgently redeploy personnel and advanced equipment to tackle terrorists in the areas.

The resolution followed the recent killing of over a dozen soldiers in Marte town of the Monguno Local Government Area on Monday, May 12, and a subsequent assault early Tuesday on Gajiram, the headquarters of the Nganzai Local Government Area.

In a motion raised by the Senate Chief Whip, Mr Tahir Munguno, lawmakers claimed while two-thirds of the local government areas in Borno were once under Boko Haram control, collaborative efforts between the Nigerian military and civilian joint task force had successfully reclaimed the territories.

They, however, said the restored peace has led to a relocation of the tactical command to the North-West, where the military is combating kidnapping and banditry.

Expressing concern over the militants’ evolving tactics, Mr Munguno highlighted the use of modern technologies by the group, including drones and an increase in the deployment of improvised explosive devices, which have led to high civilian and military casualties, disrupting transportation networks.

The Senate urged the military high command to swiftly redeploy sufficient troops to the North-East and ensure they are adequately equipped with modern technology to effectively combat the renewed threat, as well as mandate the committees on the army and air force to monitor and ensure compliance with this directive.

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PenCom Targets 20 Million Pension Contributors by 2027

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Nigeria's pension assets

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said it hopes to achieve about 20 million pension contributors by the end of year 2027, as against the over 10.65 million it currently counts.

The Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, said this over the weekend at the Pension Industry Leaders’ Retreat in Lagos.

According to her, the target would be achieved through the expansion of Personal Pension Plan (PPP) formerly known as Micro Pension Plan (MPP); constant engagements with stakeholders; enforcement of pension compliance certificates, especially by state governments amongst other initiatives.

She noted that the retreat has provided opportunities for the industry to adopt new strategies, stating that the resolutions reached will be fully implemented before the end of first quarter 2026.

On pension contributions, she said the industry expects a 50 per cent growth, stating that pension growth is essential for economic growth and development.

As of February 28, 2025 the pension fund assets was N23.27 trillion and Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders 10.65 million.

Recall that recently, the pension regulator announced the recovery of N1.58 billion from defaulting employers through enhanced enforcement efforts as total pension assets under management (AuM) surpassed N23 trillion as of February.

The DG also announced state remittances had also improved, reflecting a greater adoption of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

Ms Oloworaran noted that in spite of these advancements, challenges remain, as only 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had enacted laws to implement the CPS.

“Six states operate hybrid schemes, while another six have bills at advanced legislative stages.

“Notable progress has been made in Katsina, Yobe, Bauchi, and Abia states. However, full implementation of the CPS is currently limited to eight states,” she explained at the First Run 2025 Consultative Forum for States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) held in Kano in late April.

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CBN Warns Against Fictitious Persons Offering Contracts, Grants

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CBN IMTOs

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has again reacted to the activities of individuals and groups falsely claiming to represent or act on its behalf, warning Nigerians against falling for these schemes.

According to the Acting Director of Corporate Communications at the CBN, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, in a statement, these persons continue to circulate fictitious offers of contracts, loans, grants, intervention funds, and other financial benefits allegedly issued or endorsed by the CBN.

“Despite the public advisory issued on November 18, 2024, through the Bank’s official channels and news outlets, these misleading schemes have persisted, targeting unsuspecting members of the public with false and deceptive narratives,” the statement said.

“The CBN wishes to reiterate that it has not authorised, licensed, or appointed any individual, group, or organisation to act as an agent or intermediary in offering contracts, financial grants, or intervention funds to the public. The CBN also does not endorse or support such claims in any form.

“Members of the public are advised that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) does not award contracts or disburse funds through unsolicited communications such as emails, phone calls, SMS, WhatsApp, or any social media platform. It also does not request payment of fees in exchange for contracts, grants, or financial interventions, nor does it engage intermediaries or third parties to offer financial services or opportunities to the public.

“If you are approached by individuals or entities making such claims, we strongly advise that you do not engage with them. Instead, such incidents should be reported immediately to the relevant law enforcement agencies or the nearest CBN Branch.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria remains committed to safeguarding the financial interests of the Nigerian public and continues to work closely with security agencies to investigate and address fraudulent activities,” the statement said.

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