July 31, 2024
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced the review of capital plans of banks across the country in anticipation of the 2026 banking system recapitalization.
Banks were given a deadline of May 31, 2024 to submit their capital plans.
The review of capital plans of banks refers to the process of examining and assessing a bank’s financial strategies and projections for maintaining adequate capital levels.
This involves scrutinizing how the bank plans to allocate its capital, manage risks, and ensure its financial stability.
This disclosure was made by the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, who was represented by the Acting Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Simon Onojah, during the unveiling of the Nigeria Banking Sector Report by Afrinvest in Abuja on Wednesday.
The CBN governor noted the collaborative efforts between the CBN and the banks in scrutinizing their capital strategies.
“We are currently working with the banks, reviewing their capital plans, and other activities relating to their capital base,” he stated.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to bolster the resilience of Nigerian banks and ensure a robust financial system.
Cardoso also assured of the CBN’s commitment to facilitating foreign direct investments.
“We are also conscious of the fact that the capital that is going to be imported into the country, especially from foreign direct investors, and we are giving them assurance, we are working on the policy for that, that in the event their capital is not able to be taken up, they will not suffer any form of devaluation loss,” he explained.
This assurance is crucial for maintaining investor confidence and ensuring that foreign investments are safeguarded against potential devaluation.
The CBN’s collaborative efforts extend beyond the banking sector.
“The CBN will continue to collaborate with other institutions namely the NDIC, the SEC, the NGX, fiscal authorities, even the National Assembly,” Cardoso noted.
This multi-institutional cooperation, he said, aimed to ensure the successful implementation of the recapitalization exercise and maintain the integrity of the financial system.
Enforcement of stringent criteria for new shareholders, board members, and senior management is a priority for the CBN.
“We will rigorously enforce our Fit and Proper Purchasing Criteria for new shareholders, for board members, for senior management, to ensure that there are no illicit funds that will flow into the system, there are no unclean persons that will take possession of the Nigerian financial institutions,” Cardoso declared.
The CBN’s initiative is also expected to yield significant returns for investors.
Historical data indicates that investments in Nigerian bank shares have been highly lucrative.
“Investments in the Nigerian banks have historically yielded very high returns. Over the past years, between 2010 and 2015, records have shown that investments in bank shares yielded an average of 17 percent per annum,” Cardoso noted.
The recapitalization exercise is a pivotal strategy for the Nigerian government’s economic goals.
“The recapitalization exercise of the Nigerian banking sector is a pivotal strategy aimed at further strengthening the resilience of the Nigerian banks and promoting sound financial systems in Nigeria. Importantly, it will support the government’s goal to achieve a GDP of $1 trillion by 2030,” Cardoso explained.
Ike Chioke, Group Managing Director of Afrinvest, provided an in-depth analysis of the capital requirements for the banking industry.
“The entire banking industry is looking for an additional $3 billion to the N1.3 trillion they currently have as capital.
They will need to raise an additional N2.2 trillion, all the seven international banks, to bring that to about N3.5 trillion,” Chioke stated.
Chioke further detailed the capital gaps across different categories of banks.
“If you look at the national banks, their gap is N1.6 trillion in additional capital, to get them to N2.2 trillion. The regional as a group, their gap is N500 million, N445 million.
“The metro banks have a much lower gap of just only N200 million, whereas the non-interest banks, today they are reasonably well capitalized, their gap is only N14 million,” he explained.
The total funding gap for the industry is estimated at N4.1 trillion, a significant challenge that underlines the need for substantial capital inflows.
Chioke also touched on the potential impact of mergers and acquisitions, as well as the importance of paid-up capital and share premiums.
“Mergers and acquisitions will happen. We have not seen anybody trying to do any mergers and acquisitions.
And the last, but not the least, the license downgrade or upgrade.
When you want to think about bringing the Nigerian economy to $1 trillion. It’s not just the banks that will need to grow. Every other aspect of the economy needs to grow alongside of it,” he observed.
