Business
Don’t Release Paris Club Refund to Outgoing Govs, NLC, Others Tell FG
The Nigeria Labour Congress and some civil society organisations have advised the Federal Government to delay the disbursement of the N649 billion Paris Club refund to states until after the inauguration of incoming governors on May 29.
The advice followed the disclosure by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, on Thursday that the Federal Government was set to disburse the outstanding N649.434 billion to states. Speaking at a press conference on the activities of her ministry, Ahmed said the money was the last tranche of the refund.
She said, “For the final phase of the Paris Club debt refund, the total sum of N649.434bn was verified by the ministry as the outstanding balance to be refunded state governments.
“The payments made by the Central Bank of Nigeria as of March 2019 is N691.56bn. The increase in CBN payments partly arose from the exchange rate differential at the point of payment. Although some states still have outstanding balances, they will be refunded in due course.”
But reacting to the development, the President of the NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, told our correspondent on Friday that the union’s recommendation to the Federal Government would be to delay the disbursement of the money till after May 29, when the newly elected governors would have been sworn in. He said the reasons border on accountability and the manner the previous refunds were used by some governors.
Wabba said, “The incumbent governors have a few days to go, so I am of the strong view that the money should actually be given to the incoming governors who would start on a clean slate and address substantial issues in governance.
“Clearly, some of the outgoing governors would like to use the money to pay severance allowances, which I think is not a priority, and you know that some of the states have spent huge amount of money on their build-up for the 2019 elections.”
The Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project also said the disbursement of the money should be deferred until after May 29.
SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, in an interview with our correspondent, said, “Since many of them are in the twilight of their tenure, the payment should be delayed till after the inauguration of new governors.
“If somebody has only a couple of days (11 days) to the end of his tenure, why give them an opportunity to superintend that volume of money.”
The President of the Campaign for Democracy, Bako Usman, told Saturday PUNCH that paying the money to states where governors did not account for the money received earlier could be counterproductive.
But the Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Mr Debo Adeniran, said both returning and new governors could not be trusted but that the Federal Government should set up a monitoring team that would track the money from when it is disbursed to when it is used.
He said, “We know the kind of politicians we have and we cannot trust them, both incoming and outgoing. The incoming governors could see it as a welcome package while the outgoing ones may see it as severance benefit.”
The Punch
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has announced a change in the date of its 15th Annual Autism Conference. The 2025 GTCO Autism Conference, originally scheduled to commence on Tuesday, 15th July, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, 16th July, following the public holiday just declared by the Federal Government of Nigeria in honour of the memories of the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
While the conference will now take place as a one-day event on Wednesday, 16th July at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, the one-on-one consultations will proceed as earlier scheduled, from Thursday, 17th to Saturday, 19th July, at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.
Themed “From Awareness to Action: 15 Years of Advancing Autism Inclusion,” the conference is the flagship event of GTCO’s Orange Ribbon Initiative and serves as a platform for engagement, education, and support for children and adults living with autism, their families, and caregivers.
Speaking about the initiative, the Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, stated:
“The Orange Ribbon Initiative began in 2009 as our commitment to advocate for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and to support the families and caregivers who nurture them. What started as a simple but focused effort has grown to shape how we advocate, how we listen, and how we respond. This is the foundation upon which the Autism program is built—one that champions acceptance, encourages early intervention, and advocates for a future where every child is given the opportunity to thrive.”
Mr. Agbaje added: “Now in its fifteenth year, the GTCO Autism Programme remains committed to advocacy, support, and empowerment. We have been building a space for dialogue, learning, and transformation—not just for the autism community, but for all of us working towards a more compassionate society.”
At a recent press briefing, the Chief Communications Officer of GTCO Plc, Oyinade Adegbite, also reaffirmed the Group’s unwavering support for autism advocacy. She noted that while this year’s conference will now be a one-day session, it remains packed with impactful conversations and expert insights. Additionally, three days of free consultations with specialists will be available to provide direct support to families and individuals affected by autism.
GTCO appreciates the understanding and support of stakeholders and participants in light of this date change and remains committed to creating a more inclusive world for children and adults living with autism.
We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a meaningful and impactful conference on Wednesday, 16th July 2025.
UBA Rewards Customers as It Celebrates 10 Years of Digital Partnership Success with VERiCASH
Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, is celebrating a decade of impactful digital transformation through its strategic partnership with leading fintech firm, VERiCASH. The collaboration, which birthed the award-winning UBA Mobile App, has revolutionised digital banking across the continent – delivering seamless, secure, and user-friendly experiences to millions of customers.
To commemorate this significant milestone, UBA is launching a special promo for its mobile app users as a way of appreciating their loyalty and sustained engagement. The promo is designed to reward customers for their continued trust in UBA’s digital platforms and reaffirms the bank’s commitment to driving innovation and excellence.
With over 10 million downloads, the UBA Mobile Banking App ranks amongst the most downloaded apps in Nigeria, reinforcing the bank’s status as a digital trailblazer across the continent.
Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, who spoke on the success of the partnership, highlighted the global standards of the app which has been instrumental in bridging financial gaps and aiding inclusion in over 20 countries.
He said, “This partnership with VERiCASH has been instrumental in positioning UBA as Africa’s premier digital banking institution, which is indicated by the amount of downloads and transactions we have processed in the past years.
“We made banking accessible to the unbanked, enabling millions of Africans to participate in the formal financial system from the comfort of their homes which reflects our commitment to financial inclusion and our vision of becoming Africa’s global bank,” Fashola added.
Chairman, CIT VERiCASH, Ashraf Zaki, who expressed his organisation’s delight at partnering with UBA over the past 10 years explained that the collaboration represents the pinnacle of possibility when innovative technology meets visionary banking leadership.
“Our collaboration with UBA over the past decade has been transformative, not just for both organizations, but for the entire African banking landscape. We’ve witnessed firsthand how UBA’s commitment to innovation, combined with our technological expertise, has created a digital banking experience that rivals the best in the world” Zaki said.
Also speaking on the partnership, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, expressed immense gratitude to the customers who have used the app, and unveiled the Special UBA/VERiCASH Celebratory Promo.
“We are deeply grateful to our over 10 million app users who have been with us on this incredible journey. Your trust, feedback, and loyalty have been the driving force behind our continuous innovation and improvement” Ladipo said.
Continuing, she said, “To celebrate this milestone, we’re launching a promo where customers can win 10 times the airtime purchased. For 10 weeks, simply buy airtime via the UBA Mobile Banking App, and you could be one of 10 daily winners!.”
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology
UBA Group senior executives recently concluded the Group’s Half Year Business Review. Held at global headquarters in Lagos Nigeria, Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, brought together executives responsible for UBA’s twenty-four countries of operation.
It was an opportunity to restate the Group’s pan-African strategy, and commitment to further expanding the Group’s coverage across high potential markets across Africa, while also deepening its operations in its existing twenty African presence markets. With over 51.7% of Group revenues from ex Nigerian operations, UBA’s journey to being Africa’s most diversified financial services group was clearly in evidence,
The international strategic intent reinforces with the Group’s intention to deliver innovative financial solutions to its fast-growing global customer base. The strategy demonstrates UBA’s unique position as Africa’s global bank and ability to leverage growth opportunities in emerging and leading African markets.
The Group commenced its Pan African journey, with its entry into Ghana in 2004, followed by rapid expansion into 18 additional African markets. Today, as a resilient and future-focused institution, UBA continues to push boundaries by connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa.
Mr Alawuba highlighted the Group’s expansion plans, disclosing that the Group is excited about the vast opportunities that the new markets present, a testament to UBA Group’s confidence in the African economy, providing world-class banking services that meet the continent’s evolving needs.
“UBA’s vision is clear – we are building a truly global institution anchored in Africa, but serving customers across continents. Further strategic expansion positions us to unlock new opportunities, support intra-Africa trade, and deliver world-class banking experiences wherever our clients choose to do business,” Alawuba said.
“In Europe, UBA has operations in the United Kingdom and upgrading its license in France, expanding its capacity to serve cross-border trade, investment flows, and the African diaspora, complementing our over 40-year presence in NY. These moves signal a clear message of UBA’s intent to reshape the competitive landscape”, Alawuba further said.
As part of the Group’s plan to expand its global presence, UBA, in January, announced plans to open operations in Saudi Arabia.
Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees’ group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.
