The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced a new banking policy framework that raises the cost of ATM card issuance while cutting a wide range of other charges, in a move aimed at making financial services cheaper, clearer, and more accessible. It made this known in a circular signed by the Director of Financial …
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced a new money market benchmark, known as the Nigerian Overnight Financing Rate (NOFR). The move, announced on April 17, 2026, by the CBN, in collaboration with the Financial Markets Dealers Association (FMDA), aims to improve transparency and strengthen confidence in the financial system. It is designed to …
Seven Nigerian banks wrote off about ₦2.38 trillion in bad loans in 2025, as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) stricter stance on forbearance and loan classification forced lenders to clean up long-standing credit risks. A review of banks' financial statements reveals that the write-offs, which cut across Zenith Bank, First HoldCo, GTCO, Stanbic IBTC, …
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned Nigerians to be on high alert due to a surge in fraudulent messages and cyberattack attempts aimed at deceiving the public and compromising personal information. The warning was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Hakama Sidi-Ali, the Acting Director of Corporate Communications. According …
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced the Nigerian Overnight Financing Rate (NOFR) as the country’s new money market benchmark. It announced this in a statement issued on Friday, signed by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi Ali. The move is aimed at improving transparency, strengthening monetary policy transmission, and deepening the …
Nigeria’s gross external reserves have come under sustained pressure over the past month, shedding more than $1.18 billion between March 11 and April 9, 2026, amid persistent market interventions and rising global uncertainty. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shows the reserves declined from a peak of $50.03 billion on March 11 to …
A group of data protection advocates has sued the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a controversial directive restricting Nigerians to a one-time change of phone numbers linked to their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), arguing that the policy is unconstitutional and exposes millions to fraud risks. According to a report by The Nigerian Lawyer on …
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has dismissed claims that Polaris Bank is facing liquidation, describing the circulating report as false and misleading. In a post on X on Thursday, the apex bank reassured the public that the Nigerian banking system remains stable and secure. The CBN statement followed a viral claim that Polaris Bank …
The Nigerian banking sector has entered a new phase of financial strength with the completion of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recapitalisation exercise. The programme, aimed at boosting the resilience, competitiveness, and lending capacity of banks, required Nigerian financial institutions to raise their minimum capital by March 31, 2026. The results are nothing short …
In this interview, Professor Uche Uwaleke, President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, shares his insights on the recent recapitalisation of Nigeria’s banking sector. He discusses the importance of recapitalisation in strengthening the financial system, the benefits Nigerians can expect, and the potential risks involved. Professor Uwaleke, what role does recapitalisation play in …
