CBN to sanction banks backing unlicensed foreign firms

The Central Bank of Nigeria has said it will sanction banks assisting the operations of unlicensed foreign firms.

It stated on Monday in its ‘Guidelines for the regulation of representative offices of foreign banks in Nigeria’, signed by the Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Muhammad Musa.

‘Any CBN regulated entity found to be assisting, supporting, harboring or facilitating the presence and/or operations of an unlicensed international financial institution in Nigeria shall be liable to severe sanctions including suspension or revocation of their banking licence,”.

According to the guidelines, tepresentative offices of foreign banks served an important purpose of showcasing the brand and services of its parent company.