The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued a circular to guide licensed Microfinance Banks (MFBs) on financial activities they cannot carry out in their financial operations.
The apex bank, in a circular signed by Ibrahim Tukur for Financial Policy and Regulations Department issued on Thursday cautioned the MFBs to desist from offering non-permissible activities, especially foreign exchange and wholesale banking transactions.
The circular, titled ‘Cessation of non-permissible activities by MFBs’, indicated that the apex bank had noted that some MFBs were engaging in non-permissible activities which pose risk to the financial system.
The apex bank stated: “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has observed the activities of some MFBs that have gone beyond the remit of their operating licenses by engaging in non-permissible activities, especially wholesale banking, foreign exchange transactions and others.
“Given the comparatively low capitalization of MFBs, dealing in wholesale and/or foreign exchange transactions are a significant risk with dire consequences for financial system stability thus, therefore, become imperative to remind all MFBs to strictly comply with the extant Revised Regulatory and Supervisory Guidelines for MFBs in Nigeria 2012 (the guidelines).
“For the avoidance of doubt and consistent with the permissible activities of specialized micro-institutions
“MFBs are strictly prohibited from foreign exchange transactions; MFBs are to primarily focus on providing financial services to retail and/or micro clients; Microcredit and retail transactions carried out by MFBs are limited to 500,000 per transaction for tier 2 unit MFBs and N1,000,000 for other categories; and Micro credit facilities shall constitute a minimum of 80 per cent of total loans portfolio for MFBs”, it added.
The banking system regulator vowed to continue to monitor developments in the MFB sector and apply severe regulatory sanctions for breaches of extant regulations, including revoking the licence of non-compliant MFBs in line with section 19 of the guidelines.
