- Safiu Kehinde
The Managing Director and CEO of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Gbenga Alade, has disclosed that the debt recovery agency has repaid about N3.6 trillion to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) since inception.
Alade made the disclosure at a media parley in Lagos.
As contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, the AMCON boss maintained that the N3.6 trillion repayment was made after initial payment of N1.7 trillion to purchase the toxic assets of banks.
He however held that the agency is still owing the CBN about N3 trillion.
Alade said AMCON restructured the banks by offloading toxic assets from their books and injecting fresh funds, aligning with corporate insolvency restructuring principles.
He added that with this mechanism, bank depositors retain their deposits because they have confidence in the financial system, assuring banks’ ability to honour their obligations while AMCON manages the acquired Eligible Bank Assets (EBAs) preparatory to their disposal.
The CEO noted that the law establishing AMCON upsets and reverses the contractual rights and securities law hierarchy by conferring priority to AMCON in disputes with bank debtors over collateral and contracts.
“As part of our recovery strategy, we have commissioned some foreign asset tracers who will help us locate where some of these obligors have hidden their assets across the globe.” He said.
Speaking on the financial performance of the corporation since he assumed duties as the helmsman, Alade said the corporation recorded total revenue of N156.25 billion and total operating expenses of N29.04 billion, remarking that total operating revenue/revenue ratio was 19 percent.
Alade said projected total revenue for 2025 will be N215.15 billion while projected total operating expenses will be N29.06 billion with total operating/revenue ratio will be in the region of 13.5 percent.
“It is important to stress that the corporationhas done tremendously well, especially when compared to other notable government-owned Asset Management Corporations around the world.
“Based on the balance at purchase, AMCON outperformed other Asset Management Corporations all over the world by achieving over 87% in recoveries despite the unique challenges associated with debt recovery in Nigeria.
“The Malaysian Danaharta, which is adjudged one of the best performing Asset Management Corporation’s only achieved 58%.
“The Chinese Asset Management Corporation, despite its stricter laws, achieved just 33%. Only the Korean Asset Management Corporation (KAMCO) South Korea has achieved more recoveries than AMCON, with about 100%. This was due to their brute force with which they chased the obligors.
“Despite KAMCO’s recovery records, the agency is still operational to date with slight realignments in its mandate. Other noted Asset Management Corporations that have transitioned into a perpetual institution of the various governments include, China Asset Management Company, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) USA, and KFW Germany. So, gentlemen, without sounding immodest, AMCON has done well, and we will not relent until all the outstanding debts are fully realised,” Alade said.
He said the current EXCO of the corporation has engaged seasoned consultants to carry out a comprehensive audit review of all AMCON cases across the Courts – the Federal High Court (FHC), which is our Court of first instance, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
Alade maintained that the leadership of the judiciary at the three layers of the courts share the pain of AMCON, and deeply understands the challenge that the obligors pose to AMCON.
Consequently, all the courts, according to him, have approved the New Practice Direction for AMCON debt recovery.
In addition, the FHC has also created the Insolvency Units in the bid to fast-track all AMCON cases that are pending in different courts.
The CEO also noted that the corporation’s recovery efforts have been strongly supported by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-GCFR, the judiciary, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, the Board of Directors of AMCON, the EFCC, the Police, the ICPC, the National Assembly, the Media and a host of other sister agencies of government.
He said the corporation, “will continue to go about its recovery mandate with the fear of God, love of country, and complete adherence to the rule of law.”
The AMCON boss urged members of the public to dismiss any false narratives the debtors might plan to propagate through the media as he reaffirmed the agency’s commitment in recovering all the debts they owe.
“Let me also alert you that, as we are tightening the noose through the Courts on the obligors and deploying our strategies, most of the debtors would want to leverage the media to misinform the public.
“Please note that most of them took the loans with no intention whatsoever to repay the debt. So, I beg you, no matter the skewed narration they peddle in the newsrooms, kindly take it with a pinch of salt, and touch base with us because we have the accurate records, which is evident in some of the landmark cases that we have won against many of the obligors.
“Yes, the wheel of justice grinds slowly sometimes, but with patience and dedication, we have continued to make progress.
“Our cases have also contributed to the development of jurisprudence in the country with the publication of the first set of the AMCON Legal Compendium – a compilation of AMCON cases at both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.” He said.