Business

Citibank Grants N500m Loan To Microfinance Bank

Published

9 years ago

July 10, 2017

The Citibank has granted a N500 million loan to Accion Microfinance Bank (Accion MFB) as part of efforts to promote the development of the microfinance sector in Nigeria.
The bank’s Country Public Affairs Officer for Nigeria and Ghana, Lola Oyeka, made the announcement in a statement she issued in Lagos, recently.
According to her,the grant will fund Accion’s loan portfolio and support the development of approximately 5,000 micro and small enterprises in the country.
She also said the loan agreement would support the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).
According to her, it will also reduce the number of excluded population by bringing them into the formal banking fold.
She further stated that the loan was part of a long-term business partnership between the Citi Inclusive Finance, Citi’s specialised unit for microfinance and inclusive finance transactions.
The bank’s country public affairs officer also named the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the U.S. government’s development finance institution as part of the partnership.
The partnership intends to provide financing in local currencies to leading microfinance institutions operating in frontier and emerging markets around the world, according to her.
The bank cited a survey by the Enhancing Financing Innovation and Access (EFInA), stating that as at 2012, about 39.7 per cent or 34.9 million adult Nigerians were excluded from financial services.
CBN’s NFIS focuses on working with financial institutions to increase access of the unbanked population to banking products under affordable terms and conditions.
This is with the overall objective to empower people, promote savings culture, increase productivity and reduce poverty.
Citibank, Nigeria CEO, Akin Dawodu, reinstated the bank’s commitment to working with Microfinance partners in support of the national financial inclusion strategy.
“This, we intend to do by availing credit to micro and small enterprises in Nigeria.
“We are delighted to partner with microfinance enablers such as OPIC and Accion MFB for the benefit of SMEs and micro-entrepreneurs, thereby contributing to the economic development of the country,’’ Dawodu said.
MD/CEO Accion MFB, Mrs Bunmi Lawson, said funding from Citibank would enable the MFB to expand its financial services to a larger number of micro-entrepreneurs across the country.
“This will lead to economic empowerment and job creation for more Nigerians.
“We hope that other financial institutions will emulate Citibank by providing loans to the Microfinance banks which will, in turn, ensure that we truly meet the credit needs of the average Nigerian entrepreneur.
“Accion MfB core values, business philosophy and methodology have continued to distinguish it as the leading Microfinance Bank in Nigeria,’’ Lawson said.
Accion Microfinance Bank is listed on the London Stock Exchange as one of the companies to inspire Africa in 2017.
It has won the Lagos State Enterprise (LEAD) award for Best Microfinance Bank in Lagos State multiple times.
It has also won the EFInA award for the Service Provider that Deepens Financial Inclusion in Nigeria for its impact on socio-economic development.
“OPIC is committed to helping underserved populations gain access to more finance opportunities,’’ said Acting OPIC President and Chief Executive Officer, Dev Jagadesan.
“OPIC recognises the positive impact that microfinance institutions have on local economies throughout frontier markets.
“We are proud to partner with Citi and Accion Microfinance Bank to expand access to financial services in Nigeria.’’
Citibank, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions.
It provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, and securities brokerage among others.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

12 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

12 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.