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ePayment Stakeholders Gear for Cashless Initiative Relaunch

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Stakeholders in the epayment ecosystem have pledged their readiness to cope with challenges that may arise with the reintroduction of charges on cash withdrawals.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in a circular to all Deposit Money Banks directed that with effect from April 1, 2017, banks in the states where the cashless policy was already operating, Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Abia, Kano, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory, would begin to impose charges on deposits and withdrawals above N500,000.

Mrs. Regha Onajite, chief executive officer, Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (EPPAN) said: “The reintroduction of the cash processing fees is a means to help the Central Bank achieve its goal on transforming the nation to a country where we depend less on cash than on other modes of payments. Studies have shown that processing cash comes with a very high premium; these monies can be used for other things. Cash has its disadvantages such as security etcetera and those who have swung over to the digital side can tell you how convenient digital payments are.

“Ever before the introduction of the cashless policy the CBN has carried out its research and found that less than 10% of our population will be affected by this policy. For individuals, how many people do really pay or receive more than Five Hundred Thousand Naira on a daily basis? Cash processing fees are not punitive; it’s just a means of allowing people pay the price of their obsession to cash. We can spend money without necessarily touching cash.

“We understood the need for a break with the policy at the initial kick off. As an insider I can attest to the fact that we were all set and geared to go. But as a listening industry we had to step back when there was a cry for a little more time to get people to get used to the system. You can say now that there has been a lot of improvement in the system and the infrastructure is better than 2012 when we started. A lot of improvement has gone into the system in terms of policies, innovations and standardizations.

She added that, to cover lost ground, arrangements have been made to sensitize and mobilize the Nigerian citizens to understand the benefits of a cashless Nigeria and to adopt alternative payments modes instead of cash. E-PPAN will be going round the country in partnership with CBN and other stakeholders. With this adoption will be faster and in no time lost grounds will be covered quickly.

Reacting to this development, Tunde Ogungbade, managing director, Global Accelerex, said: “I believe that this is a welcomed development for all stakeholders, particularly, merchants and financial institutions.  The cost of cash management according to CBN was about N192B in 2012.  I have no doubt that now that number is much higher.  The various cashless options available in Nigeria today, especially via channels such as PoS and NIP, can help save this large cost related to cash management.  This will also help bring the estimated 65% of cash in circulation, considered to be outside of the formal economy into the banking system.  Finally, the risk of theft and loss will drastically reduce further, especially in the hinterland.  Today, most merchants fail to recognize the cost of cash management on their business.”

James Agada, Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc, said that in several places such as US, Europe and even in India, ATMs and PoS devices are not even deployed by banks alone. It is the mixture of deployers that led to increased ATM penetration.

“Independent deployers and ATM networks treat ATM deployment and operation as a business proposition — they provide a value, people appreciate the value and pay for it. And in every business, there is growth when the business is inherently profitable, what users pay exceeds the cost to provide the service. An analysis of the share of market of independent ATM deployers across the globe shows clearly that where there is a strong, independent deployer presence, the ATM penetration is also high. And independent deployers only get in the game where it is profitable.”

 


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E-Financial

Lagos State Appoints MoneyMaster as Payment Partner for “Ounje Eko” Programme

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“Ounje Eko”, the food price discount initiative of the Lagos State Government, has appointed leading payment service bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank Limited (MMPSB), as its collaborator in the bid to ensure ease of payments at the market.

MoneyMaster is one of the Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Payment Service Banks (PSBs) to promote financial inclusion across Nigeria.

Under the partnership, MMPSB will apply its cutting-edge payment solution to engender easy payment and reconciliation in order to make   the experiences of Lagosians who will be getting their food supplies from the markets pleasurable. Its payment solution is also all-encompassing and ensures real time value to payment destinations.

The mobile bank was appointed as the collection and payment partner for “Ounje Eko” Food Markets programme which is a government initiative serving the five divisions of Lagos State. Consequent on this, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank will collect payments in 57 LCDAs in the state.

The partnership gives credence to the quality of payment solutions that MoneyMaster is reputed for in its services to its growing business clientele in private and public sectors.

 


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E-Financial

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is investigating irregular foreign exchange transactions and forward contracts valued at approximately $2.4 billion.

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

The  inquiry follows an extensive audit by Deloitte, which scrutinized $7 billion in dollar debts accumulated under the bank’s previous leadership.

In the aftermath of the 294th Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja, Yemi Cardoso, governor of CBN,  disclosed to journalists that the investigation, supported by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, among other security bodies, aims to clarify the legitimacy of these FX allocations identified as problematic by the audit.

“It was determined that a number of these transactions did not qualify…they were outright illegal. The law enforcement agencies are now looking into those transactions that as far as we are concerned, are not valid to be paid,” Cardoso detailed, emphasizing the unlawful nature of these forex deals.

The crux of the investigation lies in the audit findings that a significant portion of the scrutinized transactions lacked proper documentation and, in many instances, were deemed outright illegal.

However, the unfolding investigation has raised concerns within the organized private sector, with some entities contemplating legal action against commercial banks for unresolved forex bids.

Despite these tensions, Governor Cardoso reassures that the foreign exchange market remains open and transparent, inviting stakeholders to address their forex needs through the official channels.

Furthermore, Cardoso clarified the distribution of fertilizers to farmers as a one-off measure and not indicative of a shift back to direct interventions by the CBN, underscoring a commitment to strategic, regulatory governance rather than direct market involvement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed deposit money banks in the country to expedite action to increase their capital base from the current ₦25bn.

CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN, stated this during the apex bank’s 294th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Tuesday in Abuja, when the MPC hiked the interest rate by 22.75% to 24.75%.

The apex bank chief said the MPC examined developments in the banking sector and expressed satisfaction that the industry remained stable. The committee, however, said to guard against risk, commercial banks in the country should accelerate their recapitalisation efforts.

Cardoso said, “The MPC also reviewed developments in the banking system and noted that the industry remains safe, sound, and stable. The committee thus called on the bank to sustain its surveillance and ensure compliance of banks with existing regulatory and macro-potential guidelines.

“The MPC also enjoined the banks to expedite actions on the recapitalisation of banks to strengthen the system against potential risks in an increasingly globalised world.”

 

 

 

 


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