Business
We Have Not Conducted Any New Recruitment – Immigration Boss
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mrs Rose Uzoma last Thursday said she was not aware of any new recruitment exercise into the service this year, contrary to reports.
Uzoma negated the claim at a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja, while reacting to an allegation of irregular recruitment exercise into the NIS.
On Monday, the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, issued a statement cancelling ongoing recruitment exercise in the service citing “apparent controversy trailing the exercise”.
The minister also directed that all appointment letters issued and documentation carried should be cancelled until the Prison ands Immigration Board meets to consider the waiver granted the NIS to recruit.
But Uzoma put the blame on a media report which she said falsely reported about an “ongoing recruitment exercise”.
“The recent publication gave a very wrong impression; I want to put it on record that the Nigeria Immigration Service has not issued a single employment letter to any Nigerian this season. “It is only two weeks ago that we got approval from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation to recruit and even when we had that approval, my minister travelled out of the country, she said.
“So, we are in the process of arranging this recruitment exercise. We needed also to get consent from the Federal Character Commission. “We just got this approval from the Federal Character Commission on the procedures that we intend to adopt on the 24th,’’ she said.
The comptroller-general said the story on the irregular recruitment was published on the same day the service received approval for recruitment from the Federal Character Commission.
She described the publication as unfair and a move to malign her character.
Uzoma noted that employment statistics showed that the North Central zone of the country topped the work force of the service with 5,144 employees,.
She said that the South South zone had 4,306 employees with the North West zone accounting for 4,089 employees.
The statistics also placed the South East zone in fourth position with 3,415 employees and the South West zone with 3,267 workers.
According to her, the North East zone accounts for 3,095 employees.
Uzoma, however, said Ebonyi was the most disadvantaged state followed by Zamfara, Abuja and Sokoto states.
“Before that publication came out, we were discussing with the Federal Character Committee of the National Assembly because we noted that there are 12 states that seemed disadvantaged.”
She added that the 12 states that were disadvantaged did not have too many immigration officers on the nominal role of the service and that Nigerians would be notified of the commencement of the impending recruitment exercise.
Uzoma insisted that there was no rift between her and the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, noting that the publication was intended to cause disharmony between them.
“I am not aware of any disagreement between me and my honourable minister; as far as I am concerned, we are working very well and the minister has not complained to me about any promotion exercise.” she said.
Uzoma said promotion exercises in the service were usually done following the due process and were always conducted by the Board of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Civil Defence, Prisons and the Federal Fire Service.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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