Banks and other key players in the financial services sector have
been exempted from the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja following an
approval the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) secured from President Buhari.
Recall that in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday March 29, President
Buhari declared a 14 day curfew in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. According to
him, the lockdown order came based on the advice of the Federal Ministry
of Health and the NCDC.
However in a joint statement issued on Monday March 30 by the
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed and CBN
governor Godwin Emefiele, financial institutions were directed to
ensure skeletal operations in the Financial System and Money Markets in
order to keep the system in light operations during this time.
The statement reads;
”To ensure that Nigerians can still perform online transactions and
use ATMs whilst observing these restrictions, we will like to inform the
general public and all affected stakeholders that we have obtained
exemptions from the President to allow very skeletal operations in the
Financial System and Money Markets in order to keep the system in light
operations during this time.“All relevant staff of affected outfits and agencies should look out for further instructions from their immediate bosses.
“We are mindful of the difficulties these restrictions would bring on
ordinary Nigerians and are grateful to the President for approving
these exemptions, which should help ease some of these burdens.”
Nigerian were also urged to be patient, cooperative and united as all hands are on deck to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.
