We Don’t Give Loans Directly To Customers, Says CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that there are clearly spelt out procedures for accessing its intervention funds, which are disbursed through Participating Financial Institutions, such as Deposit Money Banks, Development Finance Institutions and microfinance banks.

It stated that its attention had been drawn to fraudulent messages in the social media requesting unsuspecting loan seekers and owners of small-scale businesses to apply for loans provided by the Federal Government through an e-mail address ([email protected]) purportedly being handled by the CBN.

The Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Isaac Okorafor, stated that while the CBN had several development financial intervention programmes from which different categories of businesses had benefitted (and still benefit), the bank did not do so through direct interaction with prospective applicants.

He stated, “Members of the public, particularly youth and owners of small-scale businesses, are therefore advised to disregard any message requesting them to send their personal details, including mobile phone numbers, to emails such as [email protected] or any other one that may be contrived.

He described the messages as fake and warned that anyone who entered into correspondence with them did so at his or her own risk.