NEWS
NDIC to Pay First Tranche of Liquidation Dividends to Heritage Bank Depositors in April
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) says it would begin the payment of the first tranche of liquidation dividends to depositors of Heritage Bank from April.
It would be recalled that Heritage Bank operating licence was revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 3, 2024.
The Managing Director of NDIC, Mr Bello Hassan, said this on Wednesday at the NDIC Special Day at the ongoing 36th Enugu International Trade.
Represented by Mrs Pamela Robert, South-East Coordinator of NDIC, Hassan said that NDIC was in collaboration with the CBN to maintain stability in the banking sector, enforce compliance with banking regulations and exercise effective oversight over insured deposit-taking institutions.
According to him, NDIC have commenced preparations to pay the first tranche of liquidation dividends this month of April.
“I wish to reassure all depositors that the NDIC has the financial and operational capacity to fully reimburse all depositors as recoveries are made,” he said.
Hassan said that the approach of paying insured deposits while concurrently realising assets and recovering loans ensured that no depositor was left behind.
The managing director emphasised that as more recoveries were made, subsequent tranches of liquidation dividends would follow.
“Our record in bank liquidation is reassuring. NDIC has successfully declared fully liquidation dividends to depositors of 20 previously failed banks.
“This reflects our unwavering commitment to depositor protection and our proven capacity to manage bank failures effectively.
“Therefore, I urge depositors of closed banks, particularly Heritage Bank, who have not yet received their payments, to come forward and provide necessary documentation supporting ownership of the account.
These, he said, included the Bank Verification Number (BVN), and alternate bank account number for payment of the insured sum.
“Claims can be submitted through our website, email, social media platforms, or by visiting any of our Zonal Offices,” he said.
He said that the NDIC had consistently played a crucial role in maintaining financial stability by ensuring depositors receive prompt compensation when banks failed.
“A recent example is the revocation of Heritage Bank’s operating license by the CBN.
“In line with its statutory mandate, the Corporation immediately began liquidation process, including verification and payment of insured deposits of up to a maximum of ₦5 million per depositor within four days.
“This swift action has enabled the payment of insured amounts to the majority of the bank’s depositors using their BVN as a unique identifier to locate their alternate accounts for payment.
“Those yet to be paid are largely depositors without BVNs or alternate accounts in other banks, or those with Post-No-Debit (PND) restrictions.
“Some accounts also have KYC issues, such as Tier 1 limits or name mismatches, while a few depositors may be unaware that payments have been made due to lack of transaction alerts on the alternate accounts,” he added.
Chief Odeiga Jideonwo, the President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) commended NDIC for its operations.
The president however, called on the corporation to improve on its level of compensation paid to depositors when banks went under.
“It is indeed a big challenge and we hope that the NDIC would increase the percentage of money paid to depositors depending on the total amount of deposit each customer has in the bank,” Jideonwo said.
He also pleaded that the CBN through its regulatory framework should make the work of NDIC easier by ensuring that chances of bank failure was reduced to the barest minimum and guard against depositors going through this negative experience. (NAN)
NEWS
They Planted Juju in my Jacket at Davido’s House – Peruzzi
Singer Peruzzi has narrated how a charm was planted in his jacket during his stay at Davido’s house.
Peruzzi was signed to Davido’s record label, DMW, in 2017.
Davido dissolved the label in April 2024.
However, discussing his experience during his stay at Davido’s house, Peruzzi narrated how a charm was planted in his jacket.
Speaking in a video interview online, he said, “I took a shower one evening, like at 6 pm. Just a shower and then went to go and meet them back downstairs because I was chilling there before I went upstairs in David house when I was still living there.
“And then I was done taking the shower. I go to my wardrobe to get my clothes, and then one of my jackets is just telling me, ‘Pull me, wear me, wear me, wear me.’ I don’t know how to explain it, but I was just having the urge to wear it.”So, I carry am (the jacket), and something just dropped inside, and when I looked, it was jaz, better juju inside my room. A jacket that just came from the laundry.”
NEWS
AFSNET Business Conference Kicks off in Calabar
From Ene Asuquo, Calabar
The 6th African sub – sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference has started in Calabar the cross river state capital as Afreximbank opens a $2 billion tap for Cross River State and other African sub-sovereign governments for the financing of bankable projects that can turn around their economies.
Making the disclosure in Calabar in a press briefing, The Director, Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Afreximbank, Dr.
Gainmore Zanamwe, said the 6th African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference (AfSNET 2026) is going to be a three day event, running from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th November, 2026.Dr Zanamwe stated that, the Bank has the facility ready to finance. According to him, “Some people say funding is a problem. From Africa we say no. The $2 billion is there,” Zanamwe said. “Go and tell your people. You people in the media, go and tell people that money is there,” stressing that the bank is fully prepared to spend the next three days, November 12, 13 and 14, in Calabar enlightening states on how to access the fund. “How do you then access the funding? He asked.
“That is what we’ll be telling everybody in the course of the next three days. We’ll be showing you how you can tap into the $2 billion to do your projects. We’ll make it very simple.” He maintained.
Zanamwe stated that only states that present properly packaged, bankable projects will benefit. “We’ll start tomorrow with a training on how to identify projects in your states. Some normally start by saying there’s a project in this, they then run to the investors. It doesn’t work that way. We’ll be breaking it down,” he said.
“We would like, under the leadership of your Governor, to be able to start from the vision and say this is the vision in terms of promoting trade investment in your states. Once you start from that big vision, you cannot do everything. You need to focus. Identify two or three sectors that you really need to focus on and promote,” he added.
He explained that capital can be raised in two ways: by preparing a project and making it bankable for financial institutions like Afreximbank, or by preparing a pitch deck to generate interest from potential investors.
He also promoted Africa Direct Investment, saying an investor from Lagos or South Africa can as well enjoy the same privileges and incentives given to an investor from America.
He stressed that governors will pitch their projects on November 13 and 14, adding that in the last five years, the initiative has facilitated opportunities worth more than $3 billion, trained over 2,000 people, and worked with 21 African countries.
Also speaking on behalf of Governor Bassey Otu, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, welcomed investors to the state.
“With Cross River State’s agrarian economy being rejuvenated by this administration, for the first time a very deliberate attempt is being taken to be able to make sure that our diverse products are being properly processed to meet international standards,” Cobham said.
NEWS
RMAFC Advocates Fair Share of 13 Per Cent Revenue Derivation Among Oil Producing States
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has advocated a fair distribution of the 13 per cent derivation revenue among states that produce oil and gas.
The Chairman of the commission, Mohammed Shehu, made the appeal on Thursday in Owerri during the inauguration of an oil and gas wells verification exercise.
Shehu explained that the commission’s constitutional responsibilities under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, include monitoring revenue generated into and disbursed from the Federation Account, including funds allocated under the 13 per cent derivation arrangement.
He said the exercise would focus on identifying and confirming the geographical coordinates of disputed oil and gas wells, alongside newly drilled wells between 2017 and 2026.
According to him, an Inter-Agency Technical Committee established for the assignment would carry out physical inspections of the affected wells, verify their locations and ensure that their coordinates were accurately recorded using officially approved maps.
He added that the committee would also take relevant court judgments into consideration when addressing disputes involving oil and gas well locations.
Shehu said the committee would forward its technical findings directly to the commission for review, ratification and eventual adoption.
He described the verification exercise as essential to ensuring that revenue allocations from the Federation Account are accurate and fairly distributed, explaining that the geographical positions of oil and gas wells determine the financial entitlements of producing states.
“This exercise represents a crucial phase in establishing statutory accuracy, technical fidelity, and fiscal equity within the Federation Account allocation framework,” he said.
He further explained that the precise coordinates and geographical positions of oil and gas wells have direct implications for the legal and financial rights of the respective states.
The RMAFC chairman urged officials participating in the exercise to adhere strictly to professional surveying procedures, recognised maps and relevant legal requirements in carrying out their assignments.
He reiterated that the technical committee’s report would be submitted solely to the commission for administrative review and formal approval.


