Business
Expert Tasks CBN On Micro-Finance Banks’ Capital Requirements
The Chairman of Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), Miss Modupe Ladipo, has advised Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to raise capital requirements for microfinance banks to drive financial inclusion.
Ladipo gave the advice at the Accion Micro-finance Bank Financial Inclusion Conference held in Lagos, recently
The Tide source reports that the conference had the theme: “Making Financial Inclusion a Certainty in Nigeria by 2020”.
The year 2020 Financial Inclusion targets to provide universal financial access to all working age adults by 2020.
According to the EFInA boss, although more than 50 micro-finance policies have been formulated to drive financial inclusion, a research conducted in 2016 shows that 41.6 per cent of Nigerians are financially excluded.
“In 2008, research conducted by EFInA revealed that about 53.5 per cent were financially excluded but CBN monetary policies such as mobile money transactions, agency banking system and micro-insurance reduced it to 29.1 in 2014.
” But as at 2016, the percentage of the financially excluded shot up to 41.6 per cent,” she said.
She claimed that the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM)’s micro insurance policy had not impacted much on financial inclusion.
The micro-finance expert said that there was an urgent need for CBN to increase capital requirements for micro-finance banks so that more Nigerians could be brought into the financial net through micro-finance.
“How many Nigerians will benefit from N20 million capital requirement for unit micro-finance banks?” she asked.
The Managing Director of ACCION Micro-finance Bank, Mrs Olubunmi Lawson, said that the bank would continually drive financial inclusion using digital process.
She said that the bank had granted N6 billion loans to 169,000 customers since it was established in 2006.
“The bank also has 60 branches including in seven states.”
The Tide source reports that Accion Micro-finance Bank was established to economically empower micro-entrepreneurs and low income earners by providing financial services in a sustainable, ethical and profitable manner.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.