The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Wednesday, announced the revocation of the operating licences of 46 microfinance banks across the country.
In doing so, CBN cited their failure to meet key regulatory requirements for continued operations.
This was confirmed in a statement, signed by its Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The revocation, which took effect from July 1, 2026, followed the approval of the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso.
According to the statement, the action was taken in line with the powers conferred on the CBN under Sections 12 and 13 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria has revoked the operating licenses of forty-six (46) Microfinance Banks with effect from July 1, 2026, in accordance with its powers under Sections 12 and 13 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020,” the statement read.
The CBN said the revocation was approved after the affected institutions failed to satisfy the regulatory conditions required to continue operating as licensed financial institutions.
“The revocation was approved by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, following the banks’ failure to meet the regulatory requirements for continued operation as licensed financial institutions,” it stated.
The regulator explained that the decision became necessary because one or more of several infractions were established against the affected institutions.
