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FG Ponders Tight Cashless Policy To Curb Kidnappings

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The federal government is considering the reinvigoration of the cashless policy as part of broader efforts to curb the rising wave of kidnappings and related criminal activities across the country.

 

The consideration of strengthening the policy comes amid intensified efforts by security agencies to dismantle kidnapping syndicates and cut off their sources of funding, as authorities continue to seek sustainable solutions to the country’s security challenges.

Report quoted top security sources as mentioning that senior government officials have advised authorities at the highest level to tighten the policy, which is being viewed as one of the strategies to disrupt the operations of kidnappers, bandits and other criminal groups.

According to the sources, the move is intended to make it more difficult for criminals to receive ransom payments, which are often demanded and collected in cash to avoid detection.

One of the sources said: “Criminals prefer to receive ransom payments in cash because the money cannot be traced. Once ransom is paid through the banking system, it becomes easier to track them.”

Introduced in 2011, the policy was strengthened and made stricter in December 2022. However, after 2023, many of the stricter guidelines were relaxed.

The source further stated that security agencies believe a stricter cashless regime would strengthen intelligence gathering and improve law enforcement’s ability to monitor suspicious financial transactions linked to kidnapping networks.

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Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Rises For 3rd Consecutive Month

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Nigeria’s inflation rose for the third consecutive month to 15.93 percent in May 2026 from 15.69 percent recorded in April.

 

The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this in its Consumer Price Index and inflation data released on Monday.

This means that in May, the country’s inflation rose on a month-on-month basis by 1.75 percent.

Also, the report showed that food inflation also skyrocketed to 16.96 percent in May, up from 16.06 percent recorded the previous month.

“In May 2026, the headline inflation rate on a month-on-month basis was 1.75 percent, which was 0.39 percent lower than the rate recorded in April 2026 (2.13 percent).

On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate rose to 15.93 percent, up from 15.69 percent in April 2026 and down from 26.06 percent in the same month of the preceding year (May 2025).

“The Food inflation rate in May 2026 on a month-on-month basis was 2.98 percent, down by 0.65 percentage points from April 2026 (3.63 percent). On a year-on-year basis, it was 16.96 percent and stood at 24.55 percent in the same month of the preceding year, May 2025”.

Recall that the headline inflation rate dropped in March and April, respectively even as the Central Bank of Nigeria retained the country’s interest rate 26.50 percent in its 305th Monetary Policy meeting.

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World Bank Ranks Nigeria’s Ports Among Top 20 Globally

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The World Bank has named Nigeria’s ports among the top 20 improved ports globally.

Word Bank disclosed this in its 2025 Container Port Performance Index, released June 2026.

According to the data, Nigeria’s ports, Tincan Island and Apapa, maintained number 10 and 12, respectively, on the World Bank’s CPP1 for 2025.

Commenting on the report, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the development to improved investment in port infrastructure by President Bola Tinubu’s government.

The investor-friendliness environment provided by Tinubu he said, has also made for the gravitas needed for increased investment to implement “our port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive”.

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Wema Bank Rewards 273 Customers in 5 for 5 Rewards Campaign

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One month after launching Season 5 of its flagship 5 for 5 Rewards campaign, Wema Bank has rewarded 273 customers with a total of ₦17.96 million, demonstrating the strong early impact of its refreshed customer rewards platform and reinforcing its commitment to rewarding everyday banking.

 

Launched on May 2, 2026, as part of the Bank’s 81st anniversary celebration, this season of the campaign introduced a more structured and inclusive rewards framework designed to encourage positive financial habits while recognising customer loyalty across the Youth, Women and Mass Market segments.

The season opened with a special anniversary activation at Ikeja City Mall, where 81 customers received ₦81,000 each, resulting in ₦6.56 million in rewards on launch day. Since then, the campaign has continued to reward customers through daily and monthly draws, with an additional 192 winners emerging within the first month.

Across the Youth segment, 37 students have received rewards worth ₦4.4 million, including 20 students who received ₦50,000 PocketMoni rewards and 17 university students who received ₦200,000 each in Tuition Support.

The Women segment also recorded strong participation, with 12 customers receiving ₦150,000 each through the #SelfCare category, while the Mass Market segment recorded the highest number of winners. Within the first month, 120 customers received daily cash rewards, and 23 customers won ₦200,000 each in the monthly draw, bringing total rewards in the category to ₦5.2 million.

Commenting on the campaign’s early impact, Wema Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, said; “At Wema Bank, we believe loyalty should be rewarded in ways that are meaningful, transparent and accessible. The response to Season 5 of the 5 for 5 Rewards campaign has been encouraging, and seeing hundreds of customers benefit within just one month reinforces our belief that everyday banking should create everyday opportunities.

Beyond rewarding transactions, we are encouraging positive financial habits while delivering real value to our customers. He added; “This is only the beginning. With more reward categories, more winners and more opportunities still ahead, we remain committed to creating meaningful impact for our customers and ensuring more Nigerians experience the value of banking with Wema.”

Customers can participate by opening or reactivating a Wema Bank account, funding it with a minimum of ₦5,000, maintaining an average monthly balance of ₦5,000, and completing at least five transactions every month using the ALAT app, Wema or ALAT cards, or *945#.

With over ₦170 million earmarked for rewards between May and December 2026, thousands more customers are expected to benefit as the campaign continues, reaffirming Wema Bank’s commitment to rewarding loyalty, promoting positive financial behaviour and delivering value beyond banking.

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