E-Financial
SEC Laments Number of Financially Excluded Nigerians
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has lamented the non-participation of those in the grassroots in the financial sector, noting that this has affected the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.
Mary Uduk, SEC’s Acting Director-General, stated this during its financial inclusion sensitization programme in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, on Thursday.
Uduk, who was represented by Head of Investor Education at the commission, Francis Okafor, stated that the sensitization programme hopes to enlighten those at the grassroots, and educate them on how to invest in the Capital Market and the financial industry.
She said the target of the commission is to ensure that by the end of this year, every area council in Abuja is reached.
Uduk said: “The last sensitization programme for this year will be held in Abaji area council. We want to ensure that by the end of this year, every area council in Abuja is reached.
“If you buy shares, you are sure to get it back (dividends). Pension is not only for civil servants, but also for business people through the Micro Pension Scheme; that is why we have partnered PenCom.
“In Kano we talked about commodity ecosystem and non-interest finance. It was quite successful in Kano.
“Commodity Ecosystem is all about commodities – agricultural products. In the hay days of this country, we had things like the groundnut pyramids etc., today, those thing have died down. Beyond oil, Agriculture is a sector that can bring this country into limelight.
“We hope to establish and increase commodity exchange that will compete, if not better than what we have today in the stock exchange.
“A committee has submitted a report on the Commodity Ecosystem; we are currently at the implementation stage.
“We have partners and collaborators under financial inclusion. We have the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Commission (NDIC), National Pension Commission (PenCom), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) etc.”
The apex regulator of the capital market encouraged participants to embrace collective investment schemes like the Esusu and others that are regulated by SEC. Explaining that the Sukuk which is a non-interest finance scheme, is not a purely religious arrangement that excludes everyone else, urging participants to engage it.
Head of Awareness Unit of Micro Pensions Department of PenCom, Mr. Emeka Onuora, said: “Micro pension is part of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). It is a coverage extension of the CPS.
“We have always placed emphasis on those that are working in government offices under the CPS; this time around, we want to include individuals working on their own. We want to educate them on the need to make provisions for their retirement regardless of whether they are working on their own.
“For the Micro Pension Scheme (MPS), you have to be registered to get started just like you get registered under the CPS with Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).
“When it comes to making payments (contributions), you can use your phones, ATM cards, USSD, banks, etc.
“For the Micro Pension Scheme, you are not compelled on the amount you have to pay or the frequency of payment. You can pay in daily, weekly or monthly.
“The MPS has incentives such that you have access to a certain percentage of your contributions for everyday expenses; this amounts to 40%. The other 60% is kept for your pension and is being invested by the Pension Fund Administrator so that when you retire, you are guaranteed your pension.”
E-Financial
Lagos State Appoints MoneyMaster as Payment Partner for “Ounje Eko” Programme
“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.
E-Financial
CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is investigating irregular foreign exchange transactions and forward contracts valued at approximately $2.4 billion.
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.
E-Financial
CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation
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.
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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CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering