In a bid to ease investor concerns and support a seamless shift from pandemic-era policies, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reiterated the robustness of the country’s banking sector. On Tuesday, the apex bank disclosed that it had issued routine transitional guidance to certain banks still navigating post-regulatory forbearance measures.
According to a statement signed by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, the move is part of the CBN’s phased strategy to implement the banking sector recapitalization programme introduced in 2023.
“These time-bound measures are tailored for banks completing the transition from temporary regulatory support,” the CBN explained. “They are aligned with Nigeria’s long-term economic growth ambitions.”
The recapitalization initiative, which sets a final compliance deadline of March 31, 2026, has already spurred notable capital inflows across the sector. The CBN noted that most banks are either fully compliant or on track to meet the new capital thresholds ahead of schedule.
Despite the central bank’s reassurance, the Nigerian equities market continued to reflect investor anxiety. The NGX All-Share Index dropped by 0.30% to settle at 114,910.16 points, while market capitalization fell by 0.25% to close at ₦72.50 trillion.
The CBN maintains that the recapitalization programme is crucial to bolstering the resilience and global competitiveness of Nigerian banks.
