E-Financial
CBN Probes Failed MBA Forex Scheme with N171Bn

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that the MBA Forex Trading and Capital Investment company received in its account, a total of N171,128,219,041 made by 125,397 investors.
The MBA forex scheme which promises to give a 15% return on investments to depositors however, crumbled in November, leaving its investors hanging with promises of return of deposited capital.
In a legal suit with Number FHC/PH/MIsC/35/2021, filed before the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on the 10th of February, 2021, the CBN prayed the court to stop all debit transactions from MBA accounts.
This development prompted the court to issue an order on the 11th of February that any MBA forex accounts maintained in any bank in the country be frozen to enable the CBN to investigate the matter.
It was gathered that about 39 Naira bank accounts were maintained in Access Bank, EcoBank, FCMB, GTB, Suntrust, Stanbic IBTC, Sterling Bank, UBA, Union Bank, Unity Bank and Zenith Bank. Others are 8 dollar accounts domiciled in FCMB, Ecobank, Stanbic IBTC, UBA and Sterling Bank.
Several allegations were laid against the MBA company.
It was alleged that Maxwell Odum, MBA founder, allegedly mismanaged investors’ funds by paying billions of naira to the account of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy.
According to several sources, this has helped him to receive General Overseer’s Presidential handshake.
According to the court documents filed by the Apex bank, the company has a total of 14 branches which include Aba with 3,159 investors and deposits of N3,721, 930,689; Abuja with 10, 992 investors and deposits of N20, 508, 696,314; Allen Lagos with 10,164 investors and deposits of N13, 068, 196, 850; Asaba with 3,406 investors and deposits of N4,177,475,745; Benin with 6,170 investors and deposits of N7,016,573,157, Calabar with N2,839 investors and deposits of N3,377,292,827 and Eliozu Port Harcourt branch with 30, 138 investors and deposits of N41, 956,413,079.
Others are Enugu with 2,560 investors and deposits of N6, 972, 471, 039; Lekki with8,826 and deposits of N14, 224,187,177; Owerri 1 with 2, 545 and deposits of N2, 908,274,471; Owerri 2 with 5,276 investors and deposits of N6,752,547,834; Uyo with 2,948 investors and deposits of N4,274,056,414; Warri with 7, 213 investors and deposits of N9,766,552,367 and Port Harcourt waterlines branch with 29,151 investors and deposits of N32,403,449,045.
According to the CBN, investors from Port Harcourt made up 43.45 per cent of the total investors.
The MBA has since reacted to the development, informing its investors that it will be constrained to refrain from any further actions or statements that may affect or influence the ongoing investigation as the matter is now before the court.
The MBA forex company, in a message to its clients, said, “We have gathered that the actions of the Central Bank of Nigeria are well within the confines of their statutory obligations and was instigated by some investors against our earlier advise.
“These disruptions have interfered with our plans and incapacitated the steps we have initiated towards the realization of the repayment of capital investments. We may not be able to continue to comment on any matter relating to our operations pending the determination of the investigation initiate by the Central Bank of Nigeria”.
E-Financial
Fidelity Bank grows PBT by 167.8% to N105.8 billion in Q1 2025

Fidelity Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading Tier-1 financial institutions, has announced a remarkable financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, recording a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N105.8 billion, representing an impressive growth of 167.8% compared to N39.5 billion in Q1 2024.

Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, MD/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc
The bank’s unaudited financial statements, released on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on April 30, 2025, highlight a substantial increase in Gross Earnings, which rose to N315.4 billion, marking a year-on-year growth of 64.2% from N192.1 billion in the same period last year.
Growth in interest income was primarily led by 38.6% yoy (7.4% ytd) expansion in earning assets base, while the increase in non -interest revenue came from FX-related income, trade and commission on banking services, etc., supported by increased customer transactions.
Commenting on the bank’s performance, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, stated, “We started the year with triple-digit growth in profit and sustained the momentum in our earning assets growth.
This performance shows the resilience of our business model and reinforces our confidence in delivering a better result in the 2025 financial year.”
Other areas of the unaudited financial statements, equally show a marked improvement with Total Deposits growing by 11.1% ytd to N6.6tn from N5.9tn in December 2024, driven by 10.6% ytd growth in low-cost deposits to N6.1tn, which represents 92.2% of total customer deposits. Local currency deposits increased by 2.0% ytd while foreign currency deposits increased by 21.4% from $1.9bn in December 2024 to $2.3bn.
Net Loans and Advances increased by 5.0% ytd to N4.6tn. The growth in the bank’s Loan Book was skewed to LCY Loans as cost of risk declined to 0.6% from 1.5% in 2024FY.
“Beginning the year with such positive momentum reinforces our commitment to supporting the growth of individuals and businesses, while enhancing our financial sustainability. As we go into the rest of the year, we remain focused on building a resilient banking franchise with a diversified earnings base,” Onyeali-Ikpe added.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine.
Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
E-Financial
SEC Launches Capital Market Technology Survey

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled a technology adoption assessment survey for registered capital market operators as part of efforts to deepen innovation and efficiency in the Nigerian capital market.
In a circular, the SEC stated that the exercise was designed to evaluate the level of adoption of advanced technologies among CMOs operating within the Nigerian capital market.
According to the notice, “The following technology adoption survey is designed by the Commission to assess the adoption of advanced technologies among registered Capital Market Operators.”
The SEC directed all registered operators to log into the e-portal at using their current access credentials to complete the survey. The exercise will run for two weeks, from 5 to 20 May 2025.
Speaking recently on the role of innovation in the capital market, Emomotimi Agama, director-general of the SEC, urged stakeholders to embrace technology as a catalyst for growth, improved transparency, operational efficiency, and market resilience.
He noted that the SEC recognises the emergence of new financial products and services driven by technological advancements, and remains committed to adapting its regulatory framework to meet the evolving needs of the market.
According to him, the commission’s approach to innovation is anchored on three pillars: investor safety, market deepening, and problem-solving aimed at building a robust and efficient capital market ecosystem.
Agama also highlighted the commission’s Regulatory Incubation Programme, which allows fintech startups to operate within a controlled environment for one year while appropriate rules are developed to govern their activities.
He said the programme is part of the SEC’s broader strategy to support innovation while safeguarding market integrity and investor interests.
E-Financial
IMF Confirms Nigeria’s Full Repayment of $3.4bn COVID-19 Loan

International Monetary Fund (IMF) ,has confirmed that Nigeria has fully repaid about US$3.4 billion loan it got in April 2020 under the Rapid Financing Instrument to help alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp fall in oil prices.
IMF said the loan has been repaid as of April 30, 2025 in a statement issued in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on Thursday.
However, IMF said Nigeria is still expected to honour some additional payments in forms of Special Drawing Rights charges hat will amount to US$30 million annually.
“In line with the IMF’s Articles of Agreements, these charges, levied at the SDR interest rate, which is updated at the beginning of each week, apply to the difference between Nigeria’s SDR holdings (SDR 3,164 million) (US$4.3 billion) and its cumulative SDR allocation (SDR 4,027 million) (US$5.5 billion)
“The net payment of the charges stops when Nigeria’s SDR holdings reach the cumulative allocation amount,” IMF said in the statement. Online fitness
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