General News
NNPC’s Withdrawal of $1.2Bn Triggers Panic in Banks

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has withdrawn $1.2 billion (N240 billion) from banks, triggering more dollar liquidity squeeze in the money market and causing the value of the naira to depreciate further at the parallel market, according to New Telegraph.
The NNPC reportedly wrote to the lenders last Tuesday, intimating them of its intention to transfer its domiciliary accounts to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
A top NNPC official, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the withdrawal yesterday. He said the decision to move the accounts to the CBN stemmed from the ongoing probe of the corporation, stressing that it was to harmonise all “their accounts.”
A CBN official, who also asked not to be named because he has no clearance to speak on the issue, corroborated the NNPC official’s statement.
He said the NNPC’s directive to transfer its funds to the Central Bank was in order given the fact that the CBN is a banker to the government and that the oil corporation is also an institution of the government.
He, however, said the funds would boost the CBN’s reserves and improve its ability to stabilise the naira, which has received severe bashing at the parallel market, where forex end users that do not need documentation source for their dollars.
Besides, he said the decision to move the NNPC accounts to the CBN might not be unconnected with the ongoing probe of the oil swap deal and NNPC.
But the withdrawal of the funds has continued to jolt the money market, as banks, which had already created assets with the dollars, were said to be running helter-skelter to restructure the mis-matches that had been created with the NNPC funds.
According to New Telegraph, a treasurer in one of the tier-one banks said lenders may have to start calling back their dollar loans extended to customers.
“This is a serious problem for us because the CBN has not been selling dollars to banks and we have used the dollars being recalled by NNPC to pay for trade obligations to customers offshore,” said another senior treasurer of a tier-two bank.
Renaissance Capital, a leading investment banking firm originating from Russia that operates in high-opportunity emerging and frontier markets, few days ago, put the shortfall in the forex market, which the apex bank had not been able to meet at $4 billion.
This has exerted enormous pressure on the parallel market, where N243 exchanged for a dollar yesterday. The official exchange rate, however, remained stable at N196.95 per dollar.
Since June 24 when the markets started reacting to the CBN’s latest policy to restrict access to foreign exchange for certain categories of importers, the naira has declined against the dollar almost on a daily basis.
Although most analysts are predicting another devaluation to around N210, Non-Deliverable Forwards – currency derivatives traded offshore – pointed to it being priced at around N255-N261 to $1 before the end of the year.
Just last week, the release of part of the N400 billion funds approved by the Federal Government to clear the backlog of salaries in states and local governments had further worsened the fortunes of the ailing naira.
Aminu Gwadabe, president, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), said the demand for dollars had surged as individuals rushed to convert their naira to dollars.
He said: “There is a lot of demand with the recent injection of cash by the government. Part of the funds is being converted to dollars.”
Similarly, another BDC operator, who asked not to be named, said, “The scarcity is really serious; there is no dollar anywhere. So, people who have the money are buying available dollars with a view to later selling at a higher rate.” As at April, the CBN had spent $4.7 billion in defending the naira. Last February alone, it used at least $3.4 billion in fixing the exchange rate.
Nigeria’s reserves, according to the latest data on the banking watchdog’s website, is $29.95billion as at last Monday, which is totally at variance with the $31.89 billion announced by the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, last week during his meeting with the Senate.
Some critical stakeholders in the economy, including the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Limited, Bismarck Rewane, had stressed the need for a further devaluation of the naira.
For instance, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, , contended that the CBN needed to let the naira devalue because the foreign- exchange trading restrictions had started to harm growth in the economy.
“People just don’t believe the CBN has what it takes to sustain the exchange rate at the present level.
The market needs to reopen. You cannot peg the naira at a level that the whole world knows is unrealistic.
“We are in a situation where Nigerian banks are shopping for foreign exchange in the international market. We need to bite the bullet and move on, or there will be repercussions over the long term,” he said.
But reacting to the steady decline in the value of the naira on the parallel market last Thursday, Mr. Ibrahim Mu’azu, CBN’s Director, Corporate Communications, stated that the apex bank would not be distracted by the development and would not take it into consideration in determining the exchange rate.
He said the volume of trading in foreign exchange taking place in the market was so marginal that it should not be used to determine the naira’s rate.
New Telegraph had reported last week that the banking watchdog had begun probing banks to ascertain those that have complied with its directive on the transfer of public sector revenue accounts to the CBN account.
The investigation followed the expiration of the June 30, 2015 deadline that the banking watchdog set for the exercise.
General News
FG Launches Virtual Privacy Academy

The Nigerian government has launched the Virtual Privacy Academy, a new digital training platform designed to deepen data protection and privacy policies in the private and public sectors.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, unveiled the initiative during the 8th annual conference of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities, which began yesterday in Abuja.
The three-day conference, titled “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies,” drew attendees from over 30 African countries, as well as Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
Dr. Tijani emphasised that the academy is part of Nigeria’s strategy to capitalise on the benefits of the digital economy by providing actors with the tools they need to navigate hazardous data governance landscape.
According to Tijani, this project would provide Nigerians with the opportunity to gain practical skills in data protection.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, highlighted Nigeria’s recent data governance milestones during his address.
He stated that the Commission had completed over 5,000 compliance assessments, opened 223 investigations, and assisted 12 organisations with rehabilitation.
Dr. Olatunji urged African countries who have yet to pass data protection laws to do so, emphasizing that “strong data protection frameworks are not barriers to innovation, but enablers of a resilient and inclusive digital economy.”
General News
Afreximbank to Fund African Energy Bank with $19bn

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said that the Afreximbank would invest $19 billion to fund the African Energy Bank.
He said the $19 billion would go a long way toward tackling and overcoming energy poverty, driving economic growth, and improving the lives of millions of people.
The minister disclosed this while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Pavilion, hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, U.S with the theme “Africa’s Energy Renaissance: Leveraging Innovation and Natural Gas for Sustainable Development.”
He said that by pooling resources, African countries can invest in large-scale energy projects.
Also, the minister stressed the need for Africa to develop cohesive policies tailored to its unique circumstances, warning that fragmented approaches would be ineffective in addressing the escalating energy deficit.
“This conference is not a jamboree. It is a platform for Nigeria, and by extension, Africa — to showcase its vast potential,” Lokpobiri said.
He underscored the importance of regional collaboration, highlighting the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) as a strategic entity established to devise shared solutions for the continent’s energy challenges.
According to him, the prevailing global discourse on energy transition is largely influenced by geopolitical considerations.
In response to this challenge, he announced that APPO is in the process of establishing the African Energy Bank to bridge funding gaps and ultimately free the continent from energy poverty.
During a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart, Lokpobiri advised Ghana to draw lessons from Nigeria’s past experiences in the energy sector, particularly in avoiding early missteps.
In his address, Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Abdullahi, acknowledged Nigeria’s leading role in the region.
He stated that while Ghana is a relatively new player in the oil and gas sector, it is eager to learn from Nigeria’s experiences and reforms, especially in the areas of local content development and climate policy.
“We will continue to consult Nigeria as we build a successful oil and gas industry. The collaboration between both countries remains strong. For his part, PETAN Chairman Wole Ogunsanya emphasised the significance of Nigeria’s presence at OTC.
He said: “This year’s event, under the Nigerian Pavilion, is set to highlight Africa’s growing role in the global energy sector.
“OTC 2025 promises to bring together top-tier industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders at the world’s largest energy event.”
General News
NIPOST Suspends Cash Transactions Nationwide

Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has declared July 1, 2025, as the deadline for phasing out cash transactions across all its offices nationwide.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Frank Alao, director of Corporate Communications,NIPOST.
The move is part of a broader reform initiative aimed at transforming NIPOST into a more innovative, efficient, and digitally driven organisation.
The management explained that the reforms are aligned with global best practices and tailored to meet the demands of Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy, as well as the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Alao stated, “We are assuring Nigerians of a revitalised NIPOST that delivers superior service and embraces the future.
“A major highlight of the reform package is the transition to a fully cashless system. Beginning July 1, 2025, all post office counters nationwide will no longer accept cash payments for their services. Customers will be required to use approved electronic channels for all transactions.
“This is a crucial step in our modernization journey, one that ensures safer, faster, and more transparent service delivery.”
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