The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has announced plans to commence the first tranche of liquidation dividends from the assets of the defunct Heritage Bank in April. The move to reimburse depositors with balances exceeding the insured limit of N5 million.
According to a statement released by Hawwau Gambo, Acting Head of Communication and Public Affairs at NDIC, the payments will be made on a pro-rata basis following the realization of the bank’s assets.
Gambo emphasized that the process aligns with Section 72 of the NDIC Act 2023, which prioritizes deposit liabilities in the liquidation of a failed financial institution.
She noted that the corporation is addressing concerns raised by depositors who have been awaiting reimbursement beyond the insured threshold.
“For clarity, the referenced section states that where an insured institution is unable to meet its obligations or suspends payment, or where its management and control have been taken over by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following the revocation of its license, the assets of the insured institution shall be available to meet its deposit liabilities.
“Such deposit liabilities shall have priority over all other liabilities of the insured institution.
“The NDIC has made substantial progress in disposing of the physical assets and recovering some of the debts of the failed bank to ensure that depositors with balances above the maximum insured limit receive their payments as soon as possible.
“As a clear demonstration of this commitment, the corporation commenced the realization of physical assets and investments as well as aggressive recovery of the risk assets, concurrently with the verification and payment of insured sums.
“Consequently, other claimants of the failed Heritage Bank, including creditors and shareholders, will be considered for payment of liquidation dividends only after all depositors have been fully reimbursed,” she said.
On the status of depositors who have yet to receive their insured deposits, Gambo clarified that only those without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or an alternate bank account remain affected.
Additionally, she stated that some depositors have restrictions on their accounts, such as Post No Debit (PND) orders, Know Your Customer (KYC) limitations on Tier 1 accounts, or name mismatches requiring resolution.
“Some depositors who have been paid may also be unaware that they have received payments due to a lack of mobile phone transaction alerts on their alternate accounts into which the insured sums were paid by the NDIC,” she explained.
All Banks Remain Safe
Meanwhile, NDIC reassured the public of the safety and stability of the Nigerian banking sector, urging customers to continue their banking activities without fear.
The corporation reiterated its commitment to protecting depositors' funds across all licensed banks. Gambo encouraged affected depositors to reach NDIC for further inquiries via email at claimscomplaints@ndic.gov.ng or contact the Claims Resolution Department at the following numbers between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.: 0810 422 0807; 0810 931 3326; 0903 819 7064; 0906 465 7140.
No comments:
Post a Comment