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☆ Nigeria's Tinubu picks banker Cardoso as next central bank governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Felix Onuah | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ABUJA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - President Bola Tinubu has nominated the former head of Citibank in Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, to serve as the country's new central bank governor, days before its next interest rate meeting, a presidential spokesperson said on Friday. The central bank did not respond to a request for comment on whether Emefiele and his deputy governors had resigned. The central bank raised rates by a smaller-than-expected 25 basis points in July, contrary to analysts' expectations, under acting Governor Folashondun Shonubi, one of Emefiele's deputies. The central bank pursued unorthodox policies under Emefiele who kept the currency artificially strong, a policy backed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, which supported government borrowings on the international markets. He was a former commissioner for economic planning and budget in Lagos state when Tinubu was governor between 1999-2007.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Olayemi Cardoso, Godwin Emefiele, Tinubu, Cardoso, Ajuri Ngelale, Ngelale, Folashondun Shonubi, Emefiele, Muhammadu Buhari, Camillus Eboh, Chijioke Ohuocha, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Richard Chang, Jane Merriman, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Citibank, Central Bank of Nigeria, Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria, Lagos

☆ Nigeria's suspended cenbank governor to face fraud charges on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Camillus Eboh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele briefs the media during the MPC meeting in Abuja, Nigeria January 24, 2020. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsABUJA, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Nigeria's suspended central bank governor Godwin Emefiele will appear in a high court in Abuja on Thursday, when he is expected to enter a plea in a 20-count indictment, a government lawyer said on Wednesday. Government lawyers, on Tuesday, said they had filed additional graft charges against the governor, including allegedly "conferring unlawful advantages" and "unlawful procurement". Local papers said the central bank employee was a director in the private company. Emefiele, suspended by President Bola Tinubu in June, had already pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing a firearm illegally, which were subsequently withdrawn.

Persons: Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, Afolabi, Godwin Emefiele, Emefiele, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Camillus Eboh, Chijioke, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Nigeria's Central Bank Governor, MPC, REUTERS, Rights, Government, Thomson Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, Rights ABUJA, Lagos, Africa's

☆ Nigeria's Tinubu appoints investigator to probe central bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele briefs the media during the MPC meeting in Abuja, Nigeria January 24, 2020. REUTERS/Afolabi SotundeCompanies Tinubu Square Sa FollowABUJA, July 30 (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has appointed a financial watchdog to investigate the central bank, weeks after he suspended its governor, a copy of a letter from the president showed on Sunday. Tinubu on June 9 suspended Godwin Emefiele, who was then detained by state security agents for allegedly misappropriating funds and a "criminal breach of trust." In a letter dated July 28, Tinubu appointed the chief executive of Nigeria's Financial Reporting Council as special investigator of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other government-owned entities. The investigator was to "provide a comprehensive report on public wealth currently in the hands of corrupt individuals and establishments."

Persons: Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Godwin Emefiele, Dele Alake, Felix Onuah, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Christina Fincher Organizations: Nigeria's Central Bank Governor, MPC, REUTERS, Nigeria's, Central Bank of Nigeria, Thomson Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, ABUJA

☆ Fact Check-Video shows Labour Party’s Lamidi Apapa, not former bank governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of Lamidi Apapa, factional chairman of Nigeria’s Labour Party (LP), being jeered outside court has been miscaptioned on social media, with posts falsely claiming the clip The video shows Lamidi Apapa, factional chairman of the Labour Party, leaving court and being jeered, not suspended central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele. One post here has the caption: “End Of The Wicked, Emefiele In The Court.”Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele on June 9, citing an ongoing investigation of his office and planned financial sector reforms (here). However, the video was posted by TikTok account @Nationwide380 on May 17, 2023, before Emefiele was suspended as bank governor (here). It in fact appears to show Lamidi Apapa, the Labour Party’s factional chairman, leaving the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on May 17 over a battle for control of the party with National Chairman Julius Abure. The video shows Lamidi Apapa, factional chairman of the Labour Party, leaving court and being jeered, not suspended central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele.

Persons: Apapa, Lamidi Apapa, Godwin Emefiele, They’re, ”, Bola Tinubu, Emefiele, Julius Abure, Abure’s, Read Organizations: Nigeria’s Labour Party, Labour Party, Social, Labour, Reuters Locations: Nigeria

☆ Fact Check-Miscaptioned video shows Nigeria state governor’s cars, not central bank head
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Footage of luxury cars outside the home of a former Nigerian state governor is circulating with false captions that they belong to Nigeria’s central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, who was recently suspended from his role. Social media users claim the video shows cars outside Emefiele’s home (here and here). “Video Trends of Suspended CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele Residents With Flirts of Cars,” one caption reads (here). The Zamfara state government ordered Matawalle to return all state vehicles in his possession but he refused, a spokesperson for the current governor reportedly said on June 9 (here). The video of luxury cars was filmed outside the residences of former Zamfara governor Bello Matawalle.

Persons: Godwin Emefiele, Bola Tinubu, Bello Matawalle, Matawalle, Read Organizations: Social, Zamfara, Premium Times, YouTube, Reuters Locations: Nigerian

But investors, burned by previous reforms that ultimately proved hollow, say it will take time to build trust and listed myriad questions over the final shape of the economy. Tinubu is from the same party as predecessor Muhammadu Buhari, dubbed "Baba Go-slow" for his pottering pace - taking six months to appoint cabinet members. Nigeria's international dollar bonds and the country's stock market have been boosted by the speedy reforms. Reuters GraphicsInvestors also worry about low tax receipts and falling oil output - structural reforms that will take far longer to sort. Meanwhile interest rates, which Tinubu has said he would like to see fall, were hiked by 50 bps last month to 18.5%.

Persons: Bola, Temilade, Bola Tinubu's, Tunde Ajileye, Muhammadu Buhari, Godwin Emefiele, Goldman Sachs, Andrew Matheny, John Mumo, Joe Delvaux, Amundi, Delvaux, Tinubu, Patrick Curran, Rachel Savage, Libby George, Karin Strohecker, Nick Macfie Organizations: Nigeria's, REUTERS, Central Bank, Reuters, Reuters Graphics, Tellimer, Thomson Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, JOHANNESBURG, LONDON, Lagos, Blakeney, Africa

ABUJA, June 14 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank allowed the naira currency to drop as much as 36% on the official market on Wednesday, days after the central bank governor who oversaw much-criticised multiple exchange rates was suspended. The naira hit a record low of 750 to the dollar on the official market, Refinitiv Eikon data showed, down from a previous low of 477 naira to the dollar struck on Tuesday. Traders said the central bank had removed trading restrictions on the official market. Central bank governor Godwin Emefiele was suspended late last week, after new President Bola Tinubu criticised Emefiele's handling of the currency and monetary policy at his inauguration. Tinubu has called on the central bank to work towards a unified exchange rate, rather than the multiple exchange rates Emefiele oversaw to keep the naira artificially strong.

Persons: Godwin Emefiele, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Emefiele, Charlie Robertson, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Rachel Savage, Karin Strohecker, Alexander Winning, Chizu Organizations: Traders, FIM Partners, Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Central, Lagos, Johannesburg, London

☆ Nigeria swears in lawmakers, focus shifts to president's cabinet nominees
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ABUJA, June 13 (Reuters) - Nigeria's new lawmakers were sworn in on Tuesday following February elections, setting the stage for President Bola Tinubu to submit cabinet nominees in a process likely to signal how he intends to tackle a struggling economy and growing insecurity. The swearing-in ceremony in the capital Abuja also saw Tinubu's allies elected as Senate President and House Speaker, to mark the official start of legislative duties for newly elected officials. Nigeria's Senate wields significant influence in Nigeria's bicameral legislature, including scrutinizing and confirming the president's cabinet nominees. Tinubu has up to the end of July to name his cabinet but his aides say the president could submit some names as soon as next week. His choice of finance, petroleum and defence ministers as well as national security adviser would be closely watched.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Godwin Emefiele, Elisha Bala, Camillus Eboh, William Maclean Organizations: Senate, Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Abuja, Gbogbo

☆ Nigeria's security agency detains suspended central bank governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Macdonald Dzirutwe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LAGOS, June 10 (Reuters) - Nigeria's suspended central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele has been detained and is being held in custody for investigative reasons, the police's Department of State Services (DSS) said on Saturday. The country's new President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele with immediate effect on Friday, a measure the government said was linked to an ongoing probe of the governor's office and to planned reforms in the financial sector. "The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is now in its custody for some investigative reasons," the DSS statement said. Under Nigerian law, the permanent removal of a central bank governor from office would require a vote by the Senate. Economic analysts expect a series of changes at the central bank, including a gradual devaluation of the naira.

Persons: Godwin Emefiele, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Emefiele, Razia Khan, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Alex Richardson, Mike Harrison, Helen Popper Our Organizations: police's Department of State Services, of State Services, Central Bank of Nigeria, Senate, Standard Chartered, Thomson Locations: LAGOS, Africa, Middle East, Nigeria

☆ Nigeria's President Tinubu suspends central bank governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Felix Onuah | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ABUJA, June 9 (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has suspended central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele with immediate effect, following ongoing investigation of his office and planned reforms in the financial sector, the head of the government said on Friday. Tinubu criticised Emefiele's handling of the currency and monetary policy at his inauguration last week and called on the central bank to work towards a unified exchange rate. "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended the Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, from office with immediate effect," the government said in a statement. Emefiele has been directed to hand over operations to the deputy governor, who will act as the central bank governor pending the conclusion of investigation and the reforms, the statement said. On Wednesday, the central bank allowed the naira to weaken by 2% on the official market to a record low.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Godwin Emefiele, Tinubu, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Emefiele, Muhammadu Buhari, Felix Onuah, Chijioke Ohuocha, Marguerita Choy, Chris Reese Organizations: Central Bank Governor, Financial, Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria CNN —Nigeria was forced Wednesday to delay plans to replace its banknotes with a redesigned currency after chaotic scenes at ATMs as millions of people struggled to get their hands on the new cash. The new naira notes are, however, “fortified with security features that make them difficult to counterfeit,” President Buhari said last year. Across the country, banks have increasingly become targets of mounting anger over the frustrating search for the new naira notes. Angry Nigerians vandalise Bank premises over frenzy of new naira notes. Nigerians are desperately relying on their banks to distribute new bills after the February 10 deadline to exchange the old currency saw many scrambling to deposit their old notes.

☆ Nigeria's central bank extends deadline to turn in old naira notes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ABUJA, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank will extend by 10 days a deadline for swapping old naira currency notes, it said in a statement on Sunday. Nigerians will now have until Feb. 10 to turn in 1,000 ($2.17), 500 and 200 naira notes. The central bank (CBN) started releasing newly designed notes last month but many say they cannot find them at banks or cash machines. Nigerian legislators and opposition presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar had called on the central bank to extend the Jan 31 deadline. About 1.3 trillion naira in old notes has been deposited into the bank since the announcement in October, the bank has said.

☆ Nigeria launches domestic card scheme in cashless bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ABUJA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank on Thursday launched a domestic card scheme to rival foreign cards like Mastercard and Visa, hoping to enhance its drive to make Africa's biggest economy a cashless society and save the country foreign transaction fees. The announcement by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Godwin Emefiele follows the bank's decision last year to phase out old higher denomination bank notes. Emefiele told a virtual launch of the "AfriGo" card scheme that although penetration of card payments in Nigeria had grown over the years, many citizens remained excluded. AfriGo is owned by CBN and Nigerian banks and Emefiele said that Nigeria was joining China, Russia, India and Turkey in launching a domestic card scheme. International card service providers like Mastercard and Visa would not be stopped in Nigeria, he added.

☆ Nigerians unimpressed with resigned Naira banknotes
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says that the redesigned notes will replace notes currently in circulation by Jan. 2023. But many locals are not impressed, describing the supposedly redesigned banknotes as a mere color revamp, given their similarities to the old notes. “Snapchat filter, waste of time and resources, so a whole CBN cannot employ experts to redesign the naira notes. The Nigerian leader added that replacing the current currency with the redesigned notes will help to combat the hoarding of funds outside of the banking system. Old naira notes will be completely phased away by the end of January next year, the CBN says, as locals scramble to deposit their old notes at commercial banks.

☆ Nigeria hikes rate to highest level to head off inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Macdonald Dzirutwe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

read moreBut with inflation at its highest in 17 years, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele said the Monetary Policy Committee had to continue with an aggressive stance. Tuesday's rate hike, the third in a row, means the central bank has delivered a total 400 basis-point increase this year, its most hawkish in a single cycle, analysts said. 1/2 A view shows Nigeria's Central Bank headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria November 22, 2020. "It also felt that an aggressive rate hike would slow capital outflows and likely attract capital inflows and appreciate the naira currency," Emefiele added. Responding to reporters' questions, Emefiele declined to rule out further rate hikes to fight inflation.

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