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Reaffirms Commitment to Stronger Shariah Governance in Non-Interest Finance Sector

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BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Shariah governance, regulatory clarity, and risk management within the non-interest financial services industry as part of ongoing efforts to sustain financial stability, public confidence, and the orderly growth of the sector.

The commitment was reiterated during the 2nd Annual Interactive Session between the CBN Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE) and the Advisory Committees of Experts (ACE) of Non-Interest Financial Institutions (NIFIs), held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at the CBN Auditorium in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, the Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Dr. Rita Ijeoma Sike, described the session as a strategic platform designed to deepen the credibility, resilience, and soundness of Nigeria’s non-interest financial services industry.

According to Mr. Ikeazor, the engagement builds on the achievements of the inaugural session and reflects the CBN’s continued resolve to maintain a sound, credible, and resilient non-interest financial system driven by robust governance, effective compliance, and prudent risk management practices.

He noted that Non-Interest Financial Institutions have become increasingly important in Nigeria’s financial system by offering ethical and Shariah-compliant alternatives to conventional banking. He added that the institutions are making significant contributions to financial inclusion, real sector financing, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development, and shared economic prosperity.

However, the Deputy Governor cautioned that the sector’s rapid growth, increasing sophistication, and expanding interconnectedness also expose it to unique challenges. These include Shariah non-compliance risks, governance concerns, operational vulnerabilities, and emerging technological threats, all of which could undermine public confidence and the credibility of the industry if not effectively managed.

He explained that the establishment of FRACE and the mandatory constitution of ACEs across all NIFIs were aimed at institutionalising a harmonised and resilient governance framework for the sector. He stressed that continuous engagement between FRACE and ACEs remains critical in ensuring that regulatory expectations are properly understood and consistently implemented.

“The objectives of today’s session include fostering the institutionalisation and effective operation of a robust Shariah governance system within Non-Interest Financial Institutions, and providing a structured platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration,” he stated.

In his remarks, the Deputy Chairman of FRACE, Prof. Bashir Aliyu Umar, said the interactive session was organised to strengthen governance within the sub-sector and encourage constructive engagement between FRACE and the ACEs of NIFIs. He commended the CBN for reviving the initiative, which was first introduced in 2014.

The session featured technical presentations on “Shariah Non-Compliance Risk in Non-Interest Banks and its Impact on the Non-Interest Financial Services Industry” and “Islamic Fintech and Financial Inclusion.” Participants also engaged in discussions on governance, innovation, risk mitigation, and capacity building in the non-interest finance sector.

The post Reaffirms Commitment to Stronger Shariah Governance in Non-Interest Finance Sector appeared first on Business Today NG.

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Regency Alliance Insurance Plc, Regency Alliance, private placement, capital raise, recapitalisation, NAICOM, National Insurance Commission, Nigerian insurance industry, insurance recapitalisation, capital base, strategic investors, underwriting capacity, solvency margin, corporate governance, Nigeria Exchange Limited, NGX, Lagos, insurance sector, financial services, business expansion, product innovation, digital transformation

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Regency Alliance Insurance Signs Private Placement Agreement to Strengthen Capital Base

Regency Alliance Insurance Plc has signed a Private Placement Agreement as part of its recapitalisation programme aimed at strengthening its capital base and meeting the minimum paid-up share capital requirement set by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

The company disclosed that the agreement, signed on July 10, 2026, marks a significant milestone in its multi-phase capital raising programme approved by its Board of Directors.

The signing ceremony, held at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, was attended by members of the Board, management team, issuing houses, legal advisers, stockbrokers and other stakeholders.

Under the arrangement, Regency Alliance plans to raise capital through a private placement of 7.37 billion ordinary shares targeted at strategic investors.

According to the company, the capital injection will strengthen its solvency margin, enhance underwriting capacity, support business expansion and finance investments in technology, product innovation and customer experience.

Regency Alliance noted that the transaction also reflects the confidence of strategic investors in the company’s corporate governance, financial outlook and long-term growth strategy.

The insurer said the additional capital would position it to pursue new business opportunities, improve operational resilience, deepen market penetration and deliver sustainable value to shareholders, policyholders and other stakeholders.

The Board added that it remains committed to completing the capital raising exercise in an orderly and transparent manner while maintaining high standards of corporate governance and regulatory compliance.

The post Regency Alliance Insurance Plc, Regency Alliance, private placement, capital raise, recapitalisation, NAICOM, National Insurance Commission, Nigerian insurance industry, insurance recapitalisation, capital base, strategic investors, underwriting capacity, solvency margin, corporate governance, Nigeria Exchange Limited, NGX, Lagos, insurance sector, financial services, business expansion, product innovation, digital transformation appeared first on Business Today NG.

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NDLEA intercepts South African lady with 3-year-old son as cover to traffic heroin

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A 38-year-old South African lady, Ms. Will Jessica Ann has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja after she was found to have concealed 14 large blocks of heroin weighing 5.75 kilograms in her luggage, using her three-year-old son as a cover to beat security checks and evade thorough screening.

The suspect was arrested by NDLEA officers on Monday 6th July 2026 during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR 1433 from Doha to Abuja. Though she initially denied travelling with check-in bags, but after operatives were able to quickly establish that the two bags containing the drugs had tags which tallied with the claim tags attached to her passport, she recounted and admitted ownership of the bags adding that she forgot she checked in the two bags.
She claimed to have travelled from Cambodia through Doha to Abuja. Intelligence leading to her arrests indicates she is a member of a transnational drug trafficking organization along with her husband/partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager, based in Cambodia from where they operate their drug network along the Cambodian-South African axis.
In another successful interdiction operation, NDLEA officers at the terminal 2 arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos on 28th June 2026 intercepted a commercial motorcycle operator popularly known as ‘Okada rider’, 48-year-old Onyechere Daniel Chinadu following his arrival from Madagascar via Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight.
A thorough search of his back pack, which he had checked in, led to the discovery of 87 wraps of methamphetamine concealed within cloths in his bag. In his statement, Onyechere claimed he has been working for 15 years as an Okada rider at Oke-Afo area of Lagos before his Uganda based friend recruited him into drug trafficking.
He said he ingested the recovered pellets of methamphetamine in Uganda before embarking on his planned journey to Madagascar to deliver the drug consignment. He however said that upon arrival in Madagascar, he was denied entry by Immigration authorities. As a result, his friend and sponsor, Ozor Igo, based in Uganda rerouted his flight to Lagos, where he was eventually arrested by NDLEA officers.
The suspect was unable to state the exact number of pellets he had ingested in Uganda and as a result, he was placed under excretion observation for a period of three days. Between the date of his arrest and 1st of July, he was able to excrete 13 pellets in addition to the initial 87 wraps recovered from him, bringing the total number to 100 wraps of methamphetamine with a gross weight of 1.715 kilograms.
At the Apapa seaport in Lagos, a total of 8,287 nylon bags of Canadian Loud weighing 4,143.5 kilograms worth over N10.3 billion in street value were discovered in a container imported from Canada during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers, Customs personnel and other security agencies on Friday 10th July 2026.
The discovery followed weeks of targeted tracking and monitoring of the shipment since its departure from Montreal, Canada, by operatives of the Maritime Intelligence Unit of NDLEA in close collaboration with the Apapa Strategic Command of the Agency. Meanwhile, an attempt to export a 2.5kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in a gas compressor going to Cyprus through a courier company in Lagos has been thwarted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation(DOGI).
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Nnodo Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; Government Girls Secondary School, Sabon Gida, Sharada, Kano; Royal Jesuit College, Agbado Ekiti; and Community Secondary School, Idofa, Ogun, while the leadership of Zone 14 Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara at Government House Port Harcourt, among others.
While commending the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA, NAIA, MIU, and, Apapa Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their past laurels.

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