Banking
Banks’ lending to Nigerian economy drops by N368bn
By Laz IBEABUCHI
LAGOS– BANK’s lending to the Nigerian economy depreciated by 2.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2012.
This was in contrast to an improvement of 8.3 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2012.
According to the Economic Report for the Second Quarter of 2012, released by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the total amount lent by banks dipped by N368 billion from N13.68 trillion recorded at the end of the first quarter of 2012 to N13.313 trillion at the end of the second quarter.
The decline, according to the report, is as a result of a significant decline in bank’s lending to the Federal Government, a development which dampened the
effect of an increase recorded in lending to the private sector.
At the end of the second quarter, the report disclosed that banking system’s claims on the Federal Government declined by 213.2 per cent to negative N1.381 trillion, compared to a decline of 11.3 per cent in the preceding quarter.
The CBN blamed the decline in banks’ claims on the federal government to the banks’ decision to reduce their holdings in government securities, especially Treasury Bills and bonds, noting, however, that the Federal Government, however, remained a net lender to the banking system at the end of the review quarter.
However, the CBN disclosed that banking system’s credit to private sector rose b4.1 per cent to N14.694 trillion, in contrast to the decline of 0.4 per cent at the end of the first quarter of 2012.
The CBN attributed the increase in credit to the private sector on a 3.9 per cent appreciation in claims to the core private sector.
Furthermore, the CBN, in the report, stated that net foreign assets of the banking system appreciated by 3.0 per cent at the end of the second quarter, compared with an increase of 2.4 at the end of the first quarter, attributing this to the increase in CBN’s holdings.
Continuing, the report stated, “At the end of the review quarter, other assets (net) of the banking system declined by 4.7 per cent to negative N 7.355 trillion, compared with the decline of 2.6 and 10.4 per cent at the end of the preceding quarter and the corresponding quarter of 2011, respectively. The development reflected, largely, the fall in unclassified assets of the CBN.”
The report further disclosed that currency in circulation stood at N1.364 trillion, dropping by 4.8 per cent, compared with a decline of 8.5 per cent at the end of the first quarter, due to a 12.6 per cent reduction in currency outside the banking system in the second quarter.
The report said, “Total deposits at the CBN amounted to N6.469 trillion, indicating an increase of 15.7 per cent, in contrast to a decline of 7.1 per cent at the end of the preceding quarter.
“The development reflected largely the 20.9 per cent increase in Federal Government deposits. Of this total, the shares of the Federal Government, banks and ‘others’ were N4.714 trillion (72.9 per cent), N1.149 trillion (17.8 per cent) and N607.30 billion (9.3 per cent), respectively.
“In line with the trends in DMBs’ deposits with the CBN, the Reserve Money (RM), increased by 0.2 per cent to N2.513 trillion, from N2.507 trillion at the end of the preceding quarter.
Banking
Millions of customers still stranded worldwide 24 hours after GT Bank online operations suffered attacks
By Yemie ADEOYE
GT Bank, one of Nigeria’s leading banks, with operations across Africa and the United kingdom, and with an asset base of about US$3.11 trillion is under a cyber attack which has left millions of its customers across the world stranded in the last 24 hours.
The bank which was renowned for its seamless online operations at inception has suffered dwindling online efficiency in recent years and this current attack didn’t come as a surprise to many of its numerous customers. However, it is becoming worrisome that over 24 hours after its online operations went down, the bank has not been able to arrest the situation and restore its online services.
Several customers of the bank took to their X (formerly known as twitter) handles to express their frustrations at the bank, as several of the customers in the diaspora are unable to access their accounts and carry on with their transactions. A customer , Jeff55 who lamented on his X handle about the development, stated that it is a thing of shock that a bank of this size couldn’t afford to have the necessary tools and experts to ensure a full protection of its online operations in this age and time.
Another customer Dimma stated that while Cybersecurity training may seem tedious, the recent #GTBank hack is a stark reminder that everyone is just a click away from a devastating attack.
Several media organisations had reported that hackers have stolen GT Bank website, and intercepted customers Data in massive phishing operation.
At the time of filing this report, Biztellers.com.ng checks on the banks website shows that it is still down and unaccessible, and neither GT Bank media and communications unit nor any of its agencies or surrogates have commented officially on the development.
Banking
Tinubu commends increased crude production to 1.61 mbpd
Says output surge buoyed by reforms he announced in May 2024 to address gaps in PIA
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday declared a resurgence in the oil & gas industry, commending the increased crude production to 1.6 million barrels per day.
The president, who said this in a national broadcast, maintained that the resurgence was buoyed by the reforms he announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Nigeria’s crude oil output got a boost to 1.61 million barrels per day in July 2024 through the president’s directive and the industry leadership provided by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Acknowledging what he called a resurgence of the once-declining oil and gas industry in his Sunday-morning broadcast to the nation, President Tinubu said that oil investors are coming back to Nigeria.
He said; “Our once-declining oil and gas industry is experiencing a resurgence on the back of the reforms I announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act. Last month, we increased our oil production to 1.61 million barrels per day, and our gas assets are receiving the attention they deserve. Investors are coming back, and we have already seen two Foreign Direct Investments signed of over half a billion dollars since then.
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“Fellow Nigerians, we are a country blessed with both oil and gas resources, but we met a country that had been dependent solely on oil-based petrol, neglecting its gas resources to power the economy.
We were also using our hard-earned foreign exchange to pay for and subsidise its use. To address this, we immediately launched our Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (CNG) to power our transportation economy and bring costs down.
This will save over two trillion Naira a month, being used to import PMS and AGO and free up our resources for more investment in healthcare and education.
“To this end, we will be distributing a million kits of extremely low or no cost to commercial vehicles that transport people and goods and who currently consume 80% of the imported PMS and AGO.
“We have started the distribution of conversion kits and the setting up of conversion centres across the country in conjunction with the private sector. We believe that this CNG initiative will reduce transportation costs by approximately 60 per cent and help to curb inflation.”
Banking
FBN Holdings On Course For AGM
Plans are in top gear for the 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the FBN Holdings Plc.
The management made this disclosure in a notice it filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Thursday, where it averred that it has not been served with any court order against the proposed AGM.
According to notice, which was signed by the acting Company Secretary, Adewale Arogundade, FBN Holding said, “The attention of FBN Holdings Plc (the Company) has been drawn to recent media reports purporting that the Company has received a Court Order stopping it from holding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for August 15, 2023.
“We confirm that this assertion is a false narrative as the Company has, as at the date hereof, not been served with any court order to stop the forthcoming AGM.
“Suffice to mention that the AGM is a statutory meeting of Shareholders that must be held in accordance with the law, further to which the Company will notify the regulators and the public as appropriate if there is any lawful order to restrain the Company from conducting same.
“We hereby assure our esteemed Shareholders that the AGM shall hold on August 15, 2023, as planned and we look forward to their attendance and active participation at the meeting.”
However, court orders published in national dailies showed that the Federal High Court in Lagos had issued an order against the financial institution, barring it from holding its 11th AGM.
The order was entered pursuant to a petition by Olusegun Onagoruwa, in suit No: FHC/L/CP/1271/2022. It was addressed to the bank and some other bank officials.
It read, “Take notice that unless you obey the directives in the judicial order contained in the order made on July 15, 2022, by the Federal High Court, Lagos, by refraining from proceeding with the 11th Annual General Meeting of FBN Holdings Limited proposed for August 15, 2023, from seeking approval to issue or raise share capital in any manner whatsoever, from appointing or confirming the appointment of new directors, or in any other manner taking any step towards implementing, actualising enforcing resolution of the 10th Annual General Meeting of FBN Holdings Plc held on June 20, 2022, or in any other manner overreaching, disobeying or undermining the said order of a court, you will be guilty of contempt of court and you will be liable to be committed to prison and to there imprisoned.”
Biztellers brought you a report that a segment of shareholders had staged a protest at the headquarters of the bank on Monday, calling for the AGM to be held, as well as soliciting regulatory interventions.
It is expected that at the AGM, FHN Holdings is poised to breathe life into plans to seek shareholders’ approval to raise N150bn fresh capital via a rights issue and elect new directors including billionaire, Femi Otedola and Samson Ariyibi among other resolutions.