•Urges Nigerians to follow up information
By Omodele Adigun and Henry Uche
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) said it has paid a total of N1.393billion to 36,163 depositors of 110 closed Micro-finance Banks (MFBs) and three Primary Mortgage Banks (PM Bs) as at September 22, 2023.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had recently revoked the operating licences of the affected MFBs and PMBs, followed afterward by NDIC liquidation .
The Managing Director/CEO of NDIC, Bello Hassan, disclosed this while addressing reporters at the weekend in Lagos during the NDIC Special Day at the just concluded Lagos International Trade Fair.
Bello, represented by his Director of Communication/ Public Affairs Department, Bashir Nuhu, stated that NDIC would not relent in keeping up with its mandate to boost the confidence of bank depositors.
Speaking on the theme of the Fair: ‘Connecting Businesses, Creating Values’ ,Bello explained that payments of the statutory insured sums are still ongoing, and depositors with funds exceeding the insured limit would receive liquidation dividends after the recovery of debts and the sale of the closed banks’ physical assets.
He stated: “The Corporation is currently in the process of verifying and paying liquidation dividends to depositors and stakeholders of 20 banks in liquidation including Allied Bank, Peak Merchant Bank, Commerce Bank, Continental Merchant Bank, Financial Merchant Bank, Fortune Bank, Gulf Bank, Hallmark Bank, Icon Merchant Bank, Liberty Bank, Nigeria Merchant Bank, North South Bank, Premier Commercial Bank, Prime Merchant Bank, Progress Bank, and Merchant Bank.”
The NDIC boss advised eligible customers to visit NDIC website for more information and download verification forms at www.ndic.gov.ng and submitted compliants to [email protected], saying.
“While NDIC continues to collaborate with CBN in ensuring effective supervision of banks and adherence to prudential thresholds and the Code of Corporate Governance for banks to the safety and stability of the Nigerian banking system, I call on the public, especially businessmen, to always ensure that their funds are saved in licensed banks and to avoid patronage of wonder banks and ponzi schemes which always leave their victims with untold stories.” He added that NDIC in its efforts to boost depositors’ confidence in the financial landscape has continued to address genuine cases of infractions and complaints in relation with their respective insured institutions.
“A helpdesk has been set up for depositors of failed banks to find out where and how to access their deposits and process their claims accordingly” he added.