TheCable

Commercial banks in Nigeria have started accepting cash deposits of foreign exchange from their customers.

In August 2015, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) banned the payment of cash into domiciliary accounts, “following recent statements by individual banks suspending the payment of foreign currencies into domiciliary accounts”.

It said it was part of its “continued efforts to stop illicit financial flows in the Nigerian banking system which aligns with the anti-money Laundering stance of the Federal Government”.

However, on Monday, Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, reversed the ban while announcing another – on sale of foreign exchange to bureau de change operators, saying: “The Bank would now permit commercial banks in the country to begin accepting cash deposits of foreign exchange from their customers.”

By Tuesday afternoon, most of the commercial banks had notified their customers of their readiness to begin accepting deposits of cash into domiciliary accounts.

“We are pleased to inform you that you can now deposit foreign currencies into your Diamond Bank Domiciliary account(s) at any of our Branches effective today, January 12, 2016,” Diamond Bank wrote in an email a customer confirmed to TheCable that he received at 1:25pm.

“This is sequel to the CBN directive issued on January 11, 2016, authorizing all commercial banks to resume the acceptance of foreign currency deposits.”

However, it noted that “the restriction of funds transfer on domiciliary accounts funded by cash deposits” was still in place.

A similar mail from Stanbic IBTC to its customers read: “Dear Customer, thank you for your continuous patronage.

“Please be informed that you can now make Foreign Currency Cash deposits into your Stanbic IBTC Bank domiciliary account at any of our branches effective today Tuesday, 12 January 2016.

“This is in line with a new CBN directive issued on 11 January 2016 authorizing all Commercial banks to resume collection of foreign cash deposits.”

Also announcing the move to its customers, Guarantee Trust Bank wrote: “Dear Customer, we are pleased to inform you that you can now make Foreign Currency Cash deposits into your GTBank domiciliary account(s) at any of our branches from Tuesday, 12th of January, 2016.

“Our resumption of this service is in response to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive, issued on the 11th of January, 2016, authorizing Commercial Banks in Nigeria to resume acceptance of foreign currency cash deposits.

“We appreciate your patronage and thank you for banking with us.”