E-Financial
AMMBAN Decries Illegal Taxes on Mobile Money & Bank Agents by Local Govt. Councils

Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents of Nigeria (AMMBAN) has frowned at intimidation, disruptions and molestation of its members across the country by local government councils/LCDAs officials and their contractors on the basis of collection of levies and daily tolls.
This extortion according to AMMBAN is coming in the wake of a Pandemic which has brought the World economy to its knees with no exception to its members and their activities. “We have also observed with disdain, an attempt by these ‘meritless contractors’ to categorize our activities with lotto business.
In a statement made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek and signed by Oluwasegun Elegbede, national public relation officer of AMMBAN, the association described actions of the local governments and their contractor as a display of high level of ignorance as Mobile Money and Bank agents are not involved in any ‘game of luck’ but a National and somewhat ‘thankless’ assignment of ensuring financial services are extended to the majority of the excluded population in Nigeria.
“In the bid to provide financial services to the last mile, agents bear a plethora of overhead expenses, part of which are Stamp duty charges and VAT.
“This is in addition to legally recognized local government trade permit and State’s Personal Income Tax.
“Any levy or toll outside these is devilish and anti-people. A case in view is the one playing out in Agbado/Oke Odo, a LCDA in Lagos State, championed by Messrs Trilling Volant Services. AMMBAN is using this medium to inform all stakeholders that we object to the contractor’s move and have nothing whatsoever to do with them.
AMMBAN noted that it will never involve itself in deals that will subject its teeming members to more hardship in the course of deepening financial inclusion.
“It is our belief that if no succour is provided to us in these times when we could do with all the push we could get, we shouldn’t be made to bear more than we have on our plates.
We are also calling on CBN, SANEF, EFINA and other relevant agencies who have toiled and sweated to reach this milestone in our financial inclusion drive to rise up and intervene so that our labour and collective efforts will not be in vain as this developments threatens the existence of last mile drivers of financial inclusion.
“We appeal to our members Nationwide to remain calm and not be intimidated while we strive to overcome yet another battle in this selfless quest of financially including 80% of our population within the set time frame. We shall not relent until victory is achieved,” the statement added.
E-Financial
NDIC Begins Final Settlements to Creditors of Liquidated Premier Bank

Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has begun the final phase of liquidation for the defunct Premier Commercial Bank, initiating the payment of liquidation dividends to verified creditors, nearly 25 years after the bank’s closure.
Premier Commercial Bank had its operating license revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on December 20, 2000, following findings of financial instability and regulatory non-compliance.
Since then, the NDIC has overseen the bank’s liquidation process under a winding-up order from the Federal High Court, which designated the corporation as the official liquidator.
In a public announcement, the NDIC invited all eligible creditors to visit any of its zonal offices between June 2 and June 27, 2025, to verify and claim their entitlements.
This move marks a critical milestone in the final settlement of claims related to the bank’s collapse.
To facilitate the verification process, creditors are required to present proof of deposit or shareholding, such as a passbook, chequebook, term deposit certificate, or bank statement.
Additionally, valid identification documents must be submitted, including a driver’s license, international passport, national identity card, NIN slip/card, voter’s card, or a formal identification letter from a traditional ruler or local government chairman.
The NDIC assured the public that the ongoing settlement is part of a broader effort to bring closure to longstanding claims resulting from Premier Commercial Bank’s liquidation. The process, according to the corporation, has been designed to ensure efficient disbursement to all verified stakeholders.
Premier Commercial Bank is one of 53 deposit money banks whose licenses were revoked by the CBN between 1994 and 2018 due to various violations and signs of financial distress.
These closures were followed by legal procedures appointing the NDIC to manage asset recoveries and creditor settlements.
By initiating this final phase of payment, the NDIC is reaffirming its commitment to financial system stability and depositor protection while calling on all affected individuals and institutions to complete verification processes promptly to receive their due compensation.
E-Financial
SEC Directs Companies to Honour Unclaimed Dividend Requests

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has directed all public companies and Registrars to stop treating unclaimed dividends older than 12 years as “statute-barred”, especially those dating from before the enactment of the Finance Act 2020.
The directive reaffirms the provisions of Section 60 of the Finance Act, which mandates that dividends unclaimed for over six years be transferred to the Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund (UFTF), where they remain accessible to shareholders pending claims.
The Commission said that shareholders are entitled to continue to claim their dividends that are not statute-barred (that is not above 12 years) before December 31, 2020 “when the Finance Act 2020, came into effect.”
According to the SEC in a Circular, “The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the fact that paying companies and their Registrars have continued to treat unclaimed dividends of public companies that are older than 12 years as being “statute-barred” without recourse to the provisions of the Finance Act 2020.
“In response to various inquiries on the subject, the Commission hereby clarifies as follows: The import of the provisions of Section 60 of the Finance Act 2020 (December 31, 2020), is that, where dividends declared by a public company quoted on the Nigerian Exchange Limited remained unclaimed for a period of six years or more, such dividends are expected to be transferred to the Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund (UFTF) to be held in trust and managed pending when the shareholder presents a claim for such unclaimed dividends.
“Pending the setting up and operationalisation of the UFTF by the Federal Government, pursuant to its powers under Sections 3 (4) (e) and 93 of the Investments and Securities Act 2025, the Commission hereby directs public companies and their Registrars to continue to honour all requests by shareholders for the payment of unclaimed dividends as described above, with effect from December 31, 2020”.
The Commission therefore directed public companies and Registrars to effect immediate compliance with the directive and submit periodic reports on same in the manner prescribed in the Commission’s Rules and Regulations.
E-Financial
FIRS Launches Revised SOP to Streamline Tax Payment

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has revised its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as part of efforts to improve consistency, transparency, and service delivery in tax administration across the country.
According to a statement on Monday in Abuja by Mr. Collins Omokaro, Special Adviser on Communication Strategy and Advocacy to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, the revised SOP offers a unified framework for core tax processes including registration, payment, audit, and enforcement.
“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step toward a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.
He explained that while FIRS field offices have long operated with good intentions, inconsistent methods across different locations often created confusion for taxpayers.
The revised SOP, he said, is designed to eliminate such disparities by providing a single, clear roadmap for operations in all of the Service’s over 300 offices nationwide.
More than just a procedural manual, the new SOP is described as a statement of institutional direction, reflecting values that define the future of the Service.
Omokaro quoted Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman of FIRS, as saying that “This SOP is not just a technical document—it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people.”
The SOP update is one component of a broader reform agenda underway at FIRS, which aims to transform the agency into a fully service-oriented institution.
The changes are also aligned with the ongoing digital transformation within the agency, which is intended to harmonize human and technological systems for faster, more reliable, and taxpayer-friendly service delivery.
Internally, the SOP is expected to enhance operational efficiency and provide a foundation for improved staff training, clearer guidance, and stronger evaluation systems. Omokaro noted that every FIRS employee is expected to study, implement, and embody the procedures outlined in the new document.
“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” he said.
The SOP reform is being introduced as part of the Service’s broader mission to reposition itself as a modern tax authority grounded in accountability, consistency, and a shared sense of national purpose.
The move comes as the FIRS continues to modernize its processes, improve tax collection efficiency, and foster a culture of voluntary compliance—all aimed at strengthening revenue mobilization to support Nigeria’s development agenda.
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