E-Financial
Pencom Move to Ensure Pension Remittances, Targets Informal Sector Operators
The National Pension Commission is taking urgent steps to enforce remittances of pension deductions by employers and to widen its public awareness of the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) in other to encourage participation among operators of the informal sector, in the country.
Mr. Dauda Ahmed, the Head of Micro Pension Department, said in Abuja, yesterday, that MPP was a veritable tool against poverty at old age, which he observed has been the worst challenge of people employed in the informal sector.
He spoke on, “The Micro Pension Plan: Bringing Financial Security at Old Age to the Doorsteps of the Informal Sector,” at the 2022 workshop for journalists.
According to him, “MPP is the solution to old age poverty. This is a pension plan in which contributions are so flexible that they are done at one’s pace so that those engaged in the informal sector can have something to fall back on when they are old.
“MPP is voluntary and will improve the standards of living of the elderly, as it provides a regular stream of income of benefits at old age.”
According to him, Pencom recognized that the income of those employed in the informal sector was irregular and that as such the MPP has been designed in a simplified way such that its contributions also had a leeway to make contributions when they have income.
MPP, he explained, has been structured into two with 60 percent of the contributions going into the retirement benefit and the 40 percent going into a contingency account.
Mr. Ahmed explained that the 40 percent contingency segment could be drawn down at will, within two days of request, once the contributor had maintained the account for at least three months.
He added that based on the extent of provisions of the Pension Reform Act, it was not possible to convert an account of a formal sector contributor to an informal one but that the provision could be reviewed in favour of those who would be interested in migrating to the informal sector accounts.
The Head, of the Benefits and Insurance Department, Mr. Obiora Ibeziako, in his presentation said that contributors had two options Programme withdrawals from their Retirement Savings Accounts or Annuity.
According to him, the current pension administration has been designed to ensure a better quality of life in retirement and therefore urged members of the public to take advantage of it.
For decades, financial institutions have struggled to communicate the depth and breadth of their services in a single, coherent message.
FCMB Group’s latest TVC, The Power Of The Group, masterfully accomplishes this by placing its subsidiaries at the heart of the narrative.
The ad opens with a heated basketball game with a lone basketballer then pans out to the full force of the 5-woman team, subtly introducing the idea of collaboration. As the story unfolds, viewers are taken on a journey across Taraba, Abuja and Lagos States, each symbolising a key aspect of FCMB’s ecosystem.
The imagery of the drummers playing on Mambila Plateau reinforces the brand’s message: success is not achieved in isolation—it’s built through strategic partnerships.
From banking to consumer finance, investment management to investment banking, the TVC seamlessly weaves in elements from all arms of the FCMB Group, making it clear that power lies in collaborative innovative efforts.
The tagline ‘The Power Of The Group’ encapsulates the campaign’s essence, reinforcing the importance of unity in financial empowerment.
The production process was an extensive undertaking, requiring 4 months of production and a team of over 1,000 industry professionals.
The investment, said to run into hundreds of millions, underscores the bank’s commitment to delivering not just a commercial but a landmark campaign that defines its brand for years to come.
As the industry takes note, FCMB Group’s approach could redefine how corporate Nigeria tells its story.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reminded banks, payment service banks, and fintech companies of their obligations to comply with applicable sanctions regimes.
These sanctions include the United Nations Consolidated Sanctions List, the Nigerian Sanctions List in line with the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and guidelines on targeted financial sanctions related to terrorism and its financing.
This was contained in a letter dated April 17, 2025 and signed by Amonia Opusunju for the director of the Compliance Department.
The CBN directed all financial institutions to ensure strict adherence to sanctions lists maintained at both international and national levels.
According to the apex bank, financial institutions are expected to regularly update their systems to identify designated persons or entities and prevent the misuse of financial platforms to facilitate illegal transactions.
The letter read: “Financial Institutions are required to maintain a robust and dynamic sanctions compliance framework that enables them to Identify and respond promptly to updates or changes across all applicable sanctions lists; Prevent the use of their systems and platforms for transactions involving designated individuals or entities; Conduct real-time screening of customers, transactions, and beneficial owners; and File appropriate reports with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and notify the CBN, where necessary.”
The CBN’s directive also covers real-time screening of customers, transactions, and beneficial owners.
Institutions are to report suspicious activities to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and notify the apex bank where necessary, the apex bank warned.
According to the bank, non-compliance with the regulations could attract sanctions in form of enforcement actions or regulatory penalties.
It added that sanctions compliance frameworks must be periodically reviewed and aligned with prevailing laws and regulatory expectations.
The CBN advised all financial institutions to take note of the guidance and act accordingly.
“This letter serves as a regulatory reminder and all Financial Institutions are expected to ensure continued compliance with applicable laws and CBN directives,” the apex bank stated.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says preliminary investigations revealed that Crypto Bridge Exchange, aka CBEX, engaged in promotional activities to create a ‘false perception of legitimacy’ to entice ‘unsuspecting’ Nigerians.
About N1.3trillion was reportedly wiped out from the investors’ account after the platform, which boasted of giving investors 100 per cent Return On Investment in 30 days crashed on Monday.
The SEC stated that CBEX was not granted registration by the commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange.
In a circular dated April 17, 2025, the commission stated that its attention was drawn to recent media reports/publications on the activities of CBEX (Crypto Bridge Exchange).
According to the SEC, “The commission hereby clarifies that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.”
The agency said, “Preliminary investigations carried out by the commission have revealed that CBEX engaged in promotional activities to create a false perception of legitimacy, in order to entice unsuspecting members of the public into investing monies, with the promise of implausibly high guaranteed returns within a short timeframe.”
The SEC emphasised that pursuant to the provisions of Section 196 of the Investments and Securities Act 2025, the commission would collaborate with relevant law enforcement agencies to take appropriate enforcement action against the CBEX, its affiliates and promoters.
“The commission uses this medium to remind the public to REFRAIN from investing in or dealing with any entity offering unrealistic returns or employing similar recruitment-based investment models.”
Dr. Emomotimi Agama, director general, SEC, had recently said the commission is launching a more forceful and coordinated enforcement regime against unregistered and illegal “phony” investment schemes, otherwise known as ponzi schemes.
Agama said with the newly enacted Investments and Securities Act, 2025 (ISA 2025), the Commission now has enhanced powers to prosecute Ponzi schemes and their promoters.
He said investigations were ongoing on CBEX, adding that promoters of the failed scheme will not go scot-free.
Agama said the new law has given the commission more powers and blocked loopholes in emerging areas of virtual and digital assets.
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