The scrutiny of banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria may harm investors confidence in the capital market, stakeholders have said. The apex bank would be auditing the 24 banks out of which 10 had passed through the process, which led to five banks’ CEOs getting the sack.

The CBN wielded the big stick against the banks’ CEOs for allegedly failing to recover about N1.2 trillion loans, of which margin loans amounted to N456.2 billion.

The CBN governor promised that the auditing exercise of the banks would end by mid September.

The zonal chairman of shareholders Association, Mr. Aderemi Oyepeju, said that the issue had further dampened investor confidence in the capital market, as the five banks were put on full suspension while the others are still being audited.

He pointed out that as at Monday, August 17, 2009 investors were dumping their shares, especially banking stocks. According to the National Secretary of Nigerian Shareholders’ Solidarity Association, Mazi Robert Igwe, the exercise will affect investor confidence and reaction to the market but that it is a good development for the Nigerian economy.

He urged the CBN to carry out strict and periodic checks on the banks after the current exercise, saying that it is a good thing to strengthen the banks.

He stressed that there was need to ensure that the action taken by the CBN does not create a backlash that will create further problems within the banking system. Igwe noted that the decision taken by the market regulators to place the affected banks on full suspension would worsen investor confidence in the market and in the banking stocks.

The shareholders pointed out that the banking sector affects all other sectors of the economy. The stock market is generally down and this is as a result of the announcement within the banking sector that is impacting negatively on the stocks on the Exchange. He assured investors that after the exercise there will be rebound of the market and investor confidence.

Commenting on the issue, Mr. Vincent Ukoh, a stockbroker with Securities Trading and Investments Limited, said that there is panic among investors in the capital market and for now investors are not willing to put their money in the capital market.

“They are watching to see the direction of the CBN and the market”, Ukoh said. He stressed that the banking sector accounts for more than 50% capitalisation of the market.

“It is a good sign to strengthen the banks. The pains might be there but in the long run investors would get to understand that there is a lot to be confident about”.