E-Financial
Polaris Bank MD, Abiru, Retires
Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank Limited, has announced his retirement from the service of Polaris Bank, effective August 31, 2020, having successfully completed his second two-year tenure at the helm of the Bank.
In an emotion-laden farewell message to the staff of the Bank, Mr. Abiru explained that having served meritoriously in the banking industry for nearly three decades, he had resolved to retire to enable him contribute his quota in other areas of the society.
Sharing his scorecard while serving as the CEO of the Bank, Mr. Abiru noted: “It gives me great pleasure to say that, with the support of the Board, Executive Management and all of you, we have delivered on the mandate given to us by the Central Bank of Nigeria upon assumption of office in 2016.”
Going down memory lane, he reminded staff of the Bank’s poor state before he assumed office in 2016 as the Group Managing Director of the erstwhile Skye Bank.
He noted that all prudential ratios were out of compliance with regulatory requirements, Capital was negative, the loan book was mostly delinquent, while liquidity faced deposit attrition. Furthermore, the IT infrastructure was dilapidated and employee morale was low, resulting in erosion of public confidence.
He praised the staff for working with him to reverse the trend and bring about an institution that has become a compelling case study in corporate turnaround within Nigeria’s financial services industry. In his words: “We have reversed almost all regulatory ratios for good and currently rank amongst the very best in the industry.
“There can be no better testament to the much-improved state of the Bank than the full year 2019 results in which the Bank posted Profit After Tax (PAT) of N27billion. To buttress the fact that this is sustainable, the Bank’s first half 2020 result showed a PAT of over N18billion, despite the tremendous headwinds brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He went on to say: “We also commenced the refreshment of the Bank’s IT infrastructure, which had largely become outdated and dilapidated due to years of under-investment.
As a result of the successful completion of the first phase of the IT Refresh Program, which consisted mainly of upgrade of the infrastructure and digital platforms, and relocation of the Bank’s Data Centres to Tier III data locations as mandated by CBN regulations and in line with global best practices, the Bank’s customers are now experiencing significantly improved service delivery.
“In addition, by introducing and committing resources to the Agency Banking model, we have contributed in no small measure to deepening financial inclusion for the unbanked and under-banked throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria.”
He restated that today’s Polaris Bank has been successfully positioned as a bank of choice in Nigeria due to the work that has been put in by the various stakeholders including the loyal customers of the Bank.
On the issue of leadership succession, Mr. Abiru said, “During this period leading to my final disengagement, I will work closely with the CBN, the Board of Directors and Executive Management of our Bank to ensure a seamless transition and smooth handover to my successor.”
Tokunbo Abiru was appointed the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the then Skye Bank in July 2016.
Before his appointment, he had served in several capacities in some of the leading Banks in Nigeria’s banking industry, including at one time as an Executive Director in First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
He was at various times appointed as Non–Executive Director in some leading companies, including Econet (now Airtel) Mobile Networks Limited, and FBN Capital Limited (now FBN Merchant Bank Limited).
Mr Abiru has also had a brief stint in public service, having served from 2011 to 2013 as the Honorable Commissioner of Finance for Lagos State Government under the dynamic and transformational leadership of Governor Babatunde R. Fashola (SAN).
Following the establishment of Polaris Bank in September 2018, the Central Bank of Nigeria affirmed the performance of the Bank’s Board of Directors, and reappointed Mr. Tokunbo Abiru to lead the new Bank; a position he held until opting for voluntary retirement from the Bank.
Polaris Bank is a future-determining Bank committed to the delivery of industry-defining products for individuals and businesses.
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.
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.
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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