Economy
Cardoso: 14 Banks Fully Met CBN’s New Capital Requirement
Cardoso: 14 Banks Fully Met CBN’s New Capital Requirement
Cardoso: 14 banks fully met CBN’s new capital requirement. The CBN introduced a new minimum capital base requirement for banks, with tiers depending on licence type.
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso, says 14 Nigerian banks have fully met the new capital requirement in the ongoing recapitalisation exercise.
Mr Cardoso said this on Tuesday in Abuja, while presenting a communiqué from the 302nd meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN.
The CBN introduced a new minimum capital base requirement for banks, with tiers depending on licence type.
Before then, the last major bank recapitalisation exercise in Nigeria was in 2004, when the CBN raised the minimum capital requirement for all banks from N2 billion to N25 billion.
This was a significant increase that led to a major consolidation in the banking sector, as the number of banks was reduced from 89 to 25 through a series of mergers and acquisitions.
In the current recapitalisation exercise, commercial banks with international authorisation now have a new capital requirement of N500 billion.
Commercial banks with national authorisation have ₦200 billion as a capital requirement, and commercial banks with regional authorisation have ₦50 billion.
Merchant banks have a requirement of ₦50 billion, non-interest banks (national) ₦20 billion, and non-interest banks (regional) ₦10 billion.
According to Mr Cardoso, members of the MPC acknowledged the significant progress in the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise, as 14 banks have fully met the new capital requirement.
“They, therefore, urged the CBN to continue the implementation of policies and initiatives that would ensure the successful completion of the ongoing recapitalisation exercise,” he said.
He stated that the committee further noted the successful termination of forbearance measures and waivers for single obligors, which have helped promote transparency, risk management, and long-term financial stability in the banking system.
The MPC reassured the public that the impact of removing forbearance is transitory and does not pose a threat to the soundness and stability of the banking system, prices, or other domestic developments.
Mr Cardoso had earlier announced the decision of the MPC to reduce the monetary policy rate (MPR) by 50 basis points to 27 per cent from 27.50 per cent.

CBN
The committee also adjusted the standing facilities corridor around the MPR to +250/-250 basis points and adjusted the cash reserve ratio (CRR) for commercial banks to 45 per cent from 50 per cent.
It, however, retained the CRR for merchant banks at 16 per cent, while keeping the liquidity ratio unchanged at 30 per cent.
According to the CBN governor, the committee introduced a 75 per cent CRR on non-TSA public sector deposits to enhance liquidity management.
He said the committee’s decision to lower the MPR was predicated on the sustained disinflation recorded in the past five months.
He said the decision was also informed by projections of declining inflation for the rest of 2025 and the need to support economic recovery efforts.
Economy
Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition
Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition
Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.
The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.
Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.
He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.
“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly
“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”
Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.
Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.
He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.
Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.
Crime
EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video
EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video
EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.
Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC
Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.
The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026
Economy
Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.
Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.
Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.
Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.
She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.
“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”
Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.
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