Business
More Stringent Measures for LGs as Daily Withdrawal Pegged at N.5m from June
The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit has said no cash withdrawal exceeding N500,000 per day could be made from any local government account with effect from June 1, 2019, noting that any other transaction must be done through valid cheques or electronic funds transfer.
The agency also promised sanctions for any commercial bank which allowed transactions from any local government account without monies first reaching the LG account.
The NFIU in an emailed statement by its acting Chief Media Analyst, Ahmed Dikko, on Monday, directed all financial institutions, relevant stakeholders, public servants and the public to ensure full compliance with the provisions of the guidelines which had been submitted to financial institutions and relevant enforcement agencies.
It stated that the directive was sequel to findings which indicated that cash withdrawals and transactions of the State and Joint Local Government Accounts posed the “biggest corruption, money laundering and security threats at the grassroots levels and to the entire financial system and the country as a whole.”
The anti-graft agency further explained that the measures were necessitated by the threats of isolation of the Nigerian financial system by other international financial systems on account of the deficiencies in the nation’s anti- money laundering and counter-terrorism financing implementation.
The NFIU explained that it would not allow the system to suffer the deliberate and expensive infractions or violations by public officials and private business interests.
It said, “Henceforth, all errant individuals and companies will be allowed to face direct international and locally targeted sanctions, in order not to allow any negative consequences to fall on the entire country.
“To be precise, with effect from 1st June, any bank that allows any transaction from any local government account without monies first reaching a particular local government account will be sanctioned 100 per cent both locally and internationally.”
“In addition, a provision is also made to the effect that there shall be no cash withdrawal from any local government for a cumulative amount exceeding N500, 000 per day. Any other transaction must be done through valid cheques or electronic funds transfer.”
The agency further disclosed that the complete guidelines had been released to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and Chief Executive Officers of all banks and other financial institutions.
“Any state government that is willing to seek any expert economic advice in the unlikely event of these guidelines constituting an inconvenience to the management of the state can work with the NFIU or CBN,” the statement added.
The Chairman, Human Resource Development Centre, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, described the initiative as right step in the right direction, saying it would curb free flow of money and financial crimes.
He added that it would promote better accountability and forestall a situation where state governors hijack local government accounts.
Suraju said, “This will strongly encourage and provide all the necessary support for the anti-corruption agencies and the NFIU in this regard. The CBN, the ICPC and the EFCC must also rise up to this challenge by ensuring that they collaborate with and support the NFIU in achieving this.
“Not only the liable local government officials should be investigated and prosecuted; the bank concerned should also not only be fined but also prosecuted accordingly.
“If this is effectively enforced, it will allow for the operations of the local government account by local government officials. And also to track where governors are usurping the powers of the local government chairmen.”
But the Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Mr Debo Adeniran, said the N500,000 daily cash withdrawal threshold might be too low for the operations of LGAs.
He advocated that it be moved up to about N2.5m.
“I think the cash withdrawal limit should be moved up to about N2.5m because there are occasions when for network reasons some payments have to be made.
“Even we, in the civil society organisation, sometimes we want to pay honorarium or transport support for those who attend our programmes and sometimes, we have more than 1,000 people and we want to pay each participant N1, 000. We cannot do transfer in all the cases because it will be cumbersome.
“So, N500,000 is too little for local governments. For individuals, that is the limit. For a local government, I think it should be more than that.”
On its part, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, said the initiative should not be limited to the LGAs but should be extended to the state and federal levels.
SERAP’s Deputy Director, Mr Kolawole Oludare, said, “The NFIU directive though welcome as an anti-corruption strategy is somewhat misplaced in the light of grand corruption at the state and federal levels.
“Corruption and attendant money laundering is better curbed at not only the local government but also all levels of government by the abolishment of security votes.”
The Punch
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.
Ecobank Nigeria, an affiliate of the leading pan-African banking group, Ecobank Group, has announced a comprehensive suite of innovative financial solutions designed to support all key stakeholders within the education ecosystem. These offerings are aimed at driving financial inclusion, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth across the sector.
For school owners and educational leaders, Ecobank offers cash-backed loans to support both operational and capital expenditures. These are complemented by treasury management tools that enhance financial oversight, along with digital collection platforms that ensure seamless and efficient school fee processing. Teachers and non-teaching staff also stand to benefit significantly. Ecobank provides salary access tools that enable timely and flexible income management, career development programs to support continuous professional growth, and financial wellness plans designed to promote long-term financial stability.
Suppliers and partners within the education value chain benefit from tailored financial solutions such as invoice factoring for improved cash flow, inventory financing to maintain operational continuity, and marketplace visibility to expand their reach and business opportunities within the sector.
Speaking at the unveiling event in Lagos, Kola Adeleke, Executive Director, Commercial and Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to empowering the education sector with practical financial solutions that address real-world challenges, enabling all participants, from institutions and educators to families and partners, to thrive.
“Our integrated financial and non-financial propositions form part of a broader strategy to strengthen our leadership in the education financing space, while contributing meaningfully to national and continental goals around access, equity, and excellence in learning. We have designed these solutions to meet the diverse needs of school proprietors, teaching and non-teaching staff, students, and parents. Ecobank is committed to empowering the education sector through seamless collections, access to credit, and a suite of sustainability-focused offerings. Education is a pillar of national development, and we recognize the sector as an integrated system of needs and opportunities. Our goal is to support this system not just with financing but also with digital tools, career development programs, and sustainability initiatives,” he said.
Also speaking, Adebukola Ademiluyi, Head of Education, Faith, and Social Services at Ecobank Nigeria, highlighted the bank’s commitment to affordable and inclusive financing options. She noted that by integrating smart financing with sustainability, digital infrastructure, and inclusive participation, Ecobank is pioneering a full-service banking model tailored to the realities of Africa’s education sector.
“More than just funding, we are enabling seamless school management systems through API partnerships that digitize operations such as student registration, staff payroll, inventory management, and parental communication. We also place strong emphasis on supporting parents and guardians, providing financial planning tools, access to student loans, merit-based scholarships, and child progress monitoring systems. These innovations are designed to ease financial burdens and deepen parental involvement in their children’s academic journeys,” she said.
Zenith Bank Plc has retained its position as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year, in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks’ Rankings, published by The Banker, Financial Times Group, United Kingdom.
This ranking places Zenith Bank Plc as the 581st Bank globally, with a Tier-1 Capital of $2 billion.
The global rankings, published in the July 2025 edition of The Banker, was based on the 2024 year-end Tier-1 capital of banks. This is the primary basis for most international organizations’ assessments of banks.
Commenting on this achievement, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, said, “We are thrilled to have retained our position yet again as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 capital for the 16th consecutive year. This achievement is a reflection of the bank’s robust financial performance, prudent risk management and steadfast dedication to delivering exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders”.
She thanked the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for his visionary and transformative leadership which has played a pivotal role in cultivating a resilient and thriving institution. She also expressed her deepest appreciation to the bank’s esteemed customers for their continued loyalty to the Zenith brand, the Board for the sound corporate governance, and the staff for their relentless & tireless efforts in ensuring the bank’s success.
Tier-1 Capital describes capital adequacy, the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s perspective. According to the ranking, Tier-1 Capital, as defined by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) guidelines, includes loss-absorbing capital, i.e., common stock, disclosed reserves, retained earnings, and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned. A strong Tier-1 capital ratio boosts investor and depositor confidence, indicating the Bank is well-capitalised and financially stable.
According to the audited financial results for the 2024 financial year presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), the Bank recorded a double-digit growth of 86% in gross earnings, increasing from N2.13 trillion in 2023 to N3.97 trillion in 2024. This growth was driven by a 138% increase in interest income, supported by investment in high-yield government securities, and growth in the Bank’s loan book.
Zenith Bank’s profit before tax (PBT) rose by 67%, reaching N1.3 trillion in 2024 from N796 billion in 2023. This performance saw the bank record an unprecedented total dividend payout of N195.67 billion at N5.00 per ordinary share in the 2024 financial year.
