- Safiu Kehinde
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operational licences of the Aso Savings and Loans Plc and the Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc. over alleged violation of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020 and the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria.
This was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
As contained in the statement, the affected mortgage banks were alleged to have failed in meeting the minimum paid-up share capital requirement for the category of the bank licence granted to them.
They were also reported to be undercapitalised with insufficient assets to meet their liabilities.
These infractions, coupled with their failure to comply with several directives and obligations imposed upon them by the CBN, were cited by the apex bank as reasons for the revocation of their licences.
The CBN held that the revocation was in accordance with the power vested on it by the BOFIA Act 2020 and the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria.
The statement read in; “As part of its efforts to re-position the mortgage sub-sector and promote a culture of compliance with relevant laws and regulations, the Central Bank of Nigeria, in exercise of the powers conferred on it under Section 12 of BOFIA 2020, and Section 7.3 of the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria has revoked the licenses of Aso Savings and Loans Plc and Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc.
“The affected institutions had violated various Sections of BOFIA 2020 and the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria, including:
“Failure to meet the minimum paid-up share capital requirement for the category of the bank licence granted to them by the CBN
“Having insufficient assets to meet their liabilities;
“Being critically undercapitalised with a capital adequacy ratio below the prudential minimum ratio as prescribed by the CBN; and
“Failure to comply with several directives and obligations imposed upon them by the CBN.
“The CBN remains committed to its core mandate of ensuring financial system stability.”