Economics Finance

In monetary term Banks are the backbone of the economy. They are the main source of money transaction in the world. The Bank is a oldest financial institution of the world.A bank is a financial institution licensed by a government. Its primary activities include borrowing and lending money. Many other financial activities were allowed over time. For example banks are important players in financial markets and offer financial services such as investment funds. In some countries such as Germany, banks have historically owned major stakes in industrial corporations while in other countries such as the USA banks are prohibited from owning non-financial companies. Each country has some own rule and regulations regarding the function of the bank.

Origin of the Bank
The name bank derives from the Italian word banco “desk/bench”, used during the Renaissance by Florentine bankers, who used to make their transactions above a desk covered by a green tablecloth. However, there are traces of banking activity even in ancient times.
Oldest Coin of the world

Continue reading ‘Bank – The home of money transactions’ »

Online Banking is a new concept in the banking world. Internet Banking is a service that allows a user to perform banking activities at home through a secure website on his/her personal computer. Online banking allows customers to conduct financial transactions on a secure website through internet.

Features and functions of Online Banking
We can broadly categorized common features provided by the online banking in below -
* Transactional (e.g., performing a financial transaction such as an account to account transfer, paying a bill, wire transfer… and applications… apply for a loan, new account, etc.)
* Electronic bill presentment and payment – EBPP
* Funds transfer between a customer’s own checking and savings accounts, or to another customer’s account
* Investment purchase or sale
* Loan applications and transactions, such as repayments
* Non-transactional (e.g., online statements, check links, cobrowsing, chat)
* Bank statements
* Financial Institution Administration -
* Support of multiple users having varying levels of authority
* Transaction approval process
* Wire transfer
* Personal financial management support, such as importing data into personal accounting software.

Continue reading ‘Online Banking – 24 hours banking’ »

In today world Mobile Banking is a popular term. Mobile Banking means a financial transaction conducted by logging on to a bank’s website using a cell phone, such as viewing account balances, making transfers between accounts, or paying bills. It is a term used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments etc. via a mobile device such as a mobile phone. In recent time Mobile banking is most often performed via SMS or the Mobile Internet but can also use special programs called clients downloaded to the mobile device.

Mobile Banking concept
In general term we can categorized the mobile banking below -
* Mobile Accounting
* Mobile Brokerage
* Mobile Financial Information Services

Most services in the categories designated Accounting and Brokerage are transaction-based. The non-transaction-based services of an informational nature are however essential for conducting transactions – for instance, balance inquiries might be needed before committing a money remittance.

Mobile Banking Services

Mobile banking can offer services such as the following:
* Mini-statements and checking of account history
* Alerts on account activity or passing of set thresholds
* Monitoring of term deposits
* Access to loan statements
* Access to card statements
* Mutual funds / equity statements
* Insurance policy management
* Pension plan management
* Status on cheque, stop payment on cheque
* Ordering check books
* Balance checking in the account
* Recent transactions
* Due date of payment (functionality for stop, change and deleting of payments) Continue reading ‘Mobile Banking – Definition and advantages’ »

Since Friday August 14, the Nigerian banking system has not been the same. What started as a rumour that some bank chiefs were about to be sacked became real. The CEOs of Intercontinental Bank, Oceanic Bank, Finbank, Union Bank and Afribank went to the office as CEOs in the morning and returned home early and jobless and with the real prospect that they were also on the verge of losing their stakes in the banks they have sat on as owner managers for close to two decades.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the apex regulatory organ for Nigerian banks had taken the decision to wield the biggest stick in the Nigerian banking industry. Sacking five CEO’s, three of whom before the sack, were considered among the top five banks in the country, have been described as the Nigerian banking tsunami.

Justifying its action, the CBN facts are convincing. The five banks according to CBN had given out loans of close to N2.8 trillion of which close to 50 percent were classified as none performing. The five banks, said the CBN, had become virtually illiquid accounting for 90 percent of inter bank borrowing over a seven month period, first through the CBN expanded discount window and then when the window was closed and the interbank market opened, they borrowed from the interbank window to pay down their debts at the EDW. This, no doubt was a clear sign that these banks had run out of money to meet their day to day operations and will collapse like a pack of cards if they are not able to borrow short term funds from the interbank market.

Besides, their desperation at the interbank market was also distorting rates at that window where the CBN was doing all it can to reduce the lending rates. As long as these big banks engaged in desperate borrowing from this window, the CBN efforts to bring down interbank lending would be fruitless. It was obvious that these banks could only survive their critical liquidity challenges with a fresh injection of equity or debt capital.

But considering the state of both local and international capital markets, it was obvious that any attempt by these banks to raise fresh capital may be like a camel going through the eye of the needle.

So the CBN was left with the option of injecting its own capital, arranging a bail out of the banks like it happened in America. In its wisdom however, the CBN felt that, it would not pump in capital and allow the same managers, which by their action and inaction allowed their banks to run into this state of illiquidity to continue to sit at the top of management. Most importantly, it is obvious that the CBN felt that it was time, that it sent a strong message out there that poor banking practices in the industry will no longer be allowed.

But in the process of sending out this message to the industry has the CBN “over killed.” It is obvious that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, riding on his strong reputation as a risk manager, may have unduly focused on curtailing poor credit risk practices in the industry without taking into consideration reputational risk. So in an attempt to pluck the loop holes created by poor credit risk practices, the Sanusi may have left the banks exposed to reputation risk damage that the concerned banks may never recover from and the banking industry at large may take a long time to overcome.

Continue reading ‘Nigerian Banking Crisis: From irrational market exuberance to regulatory exuberance’ »

How would the current crisis in the Nigerian banking system affect the way banking is done in the country? What are the lessons to be learnt and what are the strategies Nigerian banks should adopt to overcome the many negative impact that this crisis will leave behind? Do the regulators stand to learn from this crisis? What should the business community expect or learn from this crisis when it blows over? These are the many questions that should be going through the mind of everyone watching the unfolding crisis in the Nigerian banking industry.

Taking these questions one by one, we will attempt to answer them and possibly paint a picture of what banking will look like after the current crisis which has been termed the Sanusi banking Tsunami.

How would the current crisis affect banking in Nigeria?

The first casualty will be the ranking of the top banks in the country. Three of the five banks taken over by the CBN are ranked among the top five banks in the country. These are Oceanic Bank, Intercontinental Bank and Union Bank. These banks are likely not to retain this position when the current crisis blows over. Though feelers show that these banks may not have experienced the massive run that most had expected them to experience after the CBN takeover, nonetheless confidence in them as strong financial institutions may have been irreparably eroded that it will affect their ability to compete as they have done before. Going forward, these banks will fight to survive than compete.

Also the fact that the CBN has plans to put these banks on sale will mean possibly new priorities for whoever takes over these banks. The new owners of the banks may decide to forego growth for stability or be a core player in a specific field than a general market player. There is also the real possibility than the former owners may lack the drive of the former owners.

Entrance of foreign banks?

Foreign owned banks are said to be waiting on the wings to enter the Nigerian banking market. Before now the strong presence of Nigerian banks and disposition of the CBN towards foreign owned banks has been a hindrance. Now the current CBN under Sanusi is ready to handover a 100 percent ownership in Nigerian banks to foreign owned banks and some of them are said to be willing to take the opportunity of the current crisis to enter into the Nigerian market. Any of the five banks would definitely be a good pick for them depending on how they want to play in the Nigerian banking industry. Also the stricter reporting standards and transparency that is expected after the current CBN action will create a more favourable environment for these banks to operate in the system.

Continue reading ‘The future of Nigerian banking after the current crisis’ »

Banks are important entities in the financial market and offers investment funds. These institutions are highly regulated by the government bodies. It acts as a payment agents by guiding the assurance or current accounts for the customers, paying cheques drawn by the customers on the bank as well as collecting cheques deposited to customers’ current accounts. Banks accepts the funds deposits on the current account for borrowing money.

Moreover bank-accounts is considered to be essential by most businesses, individuals, associations and governments. It facilitates the flow of money through the economy. For this, savings are pooled to mitigate the risk added to provide funds for loans. Lastly, the elementary means for depository institution is to develop revenue.

Actually, the banking terminology is law based, it is a contractual analysis between the bank and the customers, an entity who agrees to conduct an account. For instance, there is a big queue of private and public sector lenders such as ICICI, Axis Bank, HDFC, State Bank of India, (SBI), Standard Characters, ABN AMRO Bank, Bank of Baroda (BOD) and many more.

The basic business function of banking carries out:

conducting current account for the customer
paying cheque drawn on him
collecting cheque for his customers

Continue reading ‘Banks facilitates the flow of money through economy’ »

Most people are well aware of the benefits of holding a bank account, whether it’s in the form of a savings or current account. Current accounts allow for easy access to funds and are often linked to a debit card, while savings accounts typically build interest to encourage account holders to save. However, there’s a different type of bank account that many consumers aren’t familiar with – and that’s the joint bank account.

A joint bank account – an account shared by two or more individuals – is a common offering of many banks. Yet many consumers don’t always realise that joint bank accounts offer certain benefits that aren’t available with regular or savings accounts – particularly when used between family members.

For instance, sharing a bank account between family members can facilitate family budgeting and help make expenses more transparent. Many joint account holders will deposit a certain amount into the account each month, and designate the balance for specific outgoings – such as utility bills, rent, or car payments. Others might choose to set up a joint account to save up for leisure activities and family holidays.

Continue reading ‘The Benefits of Joint Bank Accounts’ »

When people think of starting a small business of their own, one of the first things to strategize for is how to get a loan from the bank. Getting business loans from banks are far different from getting an instant payday loan from a trusted financial lender. Owners of small businesses attest that when their business is taking off, a business bank loan is what keeps things moving, and this means covering greater ground and making it grow. With that, small business owners should know how to get the best business bank loan and it depends on what kind of business they have.

For example, owners of food business like food carts and even small dining places should have these three things working for them: good marketing, good pricing, and personalized customer service. Food business owners are likely to be hands-on in the operations. They have to make sure that the customers are served well and that the business is running well, too. Even when starting small, starting entrepreneurs and business owners must offer the best things they can to their customers. If they have these three things in place in their business, they would definitely attract a good number of clientele.

Continue reading ‘How To Woo Banks Into Giving Loans’ »

by: Geoff Ficke

The world is currently fixated on the international credit crisis and the role banking has played in this debacle. We take it for granted that commerce flows quickly and accurately across borders and frontiers. A resident of Maine can purchase a tank of gas at home, or in Italy with the same credit card. The purchase will be accurately debited to their account, their credit limit will be adjusted and the merchant will receive an electronic transfer of the charge into their account almost simultaneously. This type of commerce happens many millions of times each day and we take its simplicity for granted.invention that has positively effected commerce and productivity to this very day.

The history of the rise of organized banking is a bit more plodding and evolves from a most unlikely source. Today our knowledge of the Knights Templar is garnered mostly from popular culture such as the Indiana Jones movies. The history of this iconic fighting force, and their evolution into the first international commercial group of the middle ages is as amazing a tale as can be told in any fictional movie or novel.

The Knights Templar was formed after the initial Christian victory in the First Crusade to take Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099. Pilgrims from all over the Christian world wanted to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. However, travel at that time was exceedingly dangerous. The Knights Templar was first organized as a monastic order to protect the pilgrims as they traveled. They took a strict vow of poverty.

Over the next 200 years the order flourished and developed into a renowned fighting force. With their sturdy mounts, white hooded tunics displaying the Red Cross, and shiny armor, they lead the way into numerous battles against the enemies of Christendom. The vow of poverty was strictly enforced, but many royal and noble families delivered their sons to the Knights Templar to curry favor with the Papacy of the Catholic Church.

The Knights Templar enjoyed favored status with popes and archbishops from all over Europe and North Africa, for their reverence, gallantry and honesty. They were often rewarded with alms, farms, lands and livestock. Their power grew as the public recognized the special relationship they enjoyed with the clerical hierarchy of the Church.

Many pilgrimage makers came to depend on the Knights Templar to hold their valuables in safekeeping as they made the difficult journey. The order created secure safe storage facilities at strategic locations along the most used routes. They developed a type of written chit that verified that they held certain monies and valuables owned by the bearer. Upon arrival in the Holy Land, the bearer could visit a Knights Templar outpost, present their receipt and receive monies, bullion or goods in kind, the equivalent of that left behind in the order’s care.

This was the first form of bank cheque and was probably the earliest form of organized international banking. The system evolved as the Knights Templar gained vast new riches, even though they were still vowing to live a life of poverty. Previous to their development of rudimentary banking products most trade was accomplished by crude barter. They became the richest entity in the world at that time and began to suffer the increased scrutiny of their historic protectors in the Catholic Church.

Continue reading ‘The Origins of Modern Banking Are Inter-twined With an Ancient Military Order’ »

What may have started as an honest attempt to save the Nigerian banking industry is gradually degenerating into a major economic crisis. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) daring move which saw the sudden sack of five bank Managing Directors have left the Nigerian economy with serious collateral damage that will task the economic management skills of the apex bank.

From all indications the CBN attempt to isolate and safe the five banks by pumping in N420 billion ($2.6 billion) and a installing a new management may not really end up saving the banks. It will just keep them alive to absorb more money from the apex bank which has already gone ahead to guarantee a permanent lifeline to the five banks domestic and international depositors and creditors.

The CBN guarantee was the minimum it needed to safe the banks from a experiencing a domestic run on their operations. With the CBN openly admitting that the five banks were in trouble, it was the signal that depositors needed to get out their funds from the banks. The aftermath of the CBN action has seen a consistent withdrawal of funds from the vaults of the five banks with little or no deposits occurring. No bank will survive a continuous outflow of cash from its vaults.

Internationally, the five banks especially and other Nigerian banks have suddenly had their international credit lines cancelled. One of the five banks is said to have had an international credit line of $1.5 billion cancelled in the wake of the CBN action. Nigerian banks may have lost international credit lines in excess of $10 billion following the CBN action. Hence the rush of the CBN governor to London, the world’s financial capital to explain his actions in the Nigerian banking industry.

The situation of the five banks have been compounded by the fact that the anticipated fast paced recovery of the nonperforming loans on their balance sheets has not materialized even with the intervention and harassment of debtors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. As at the last count by the EFCC total loan recovery for all the five banks stood at about N70 billion from a total nonperforming loans of N747 billion as alleged by the CBN.

A clearer picture of the desperate situation faced by these banks becomes obvious when it is realized that deposit mobilization in these banks have come to almost a standstill, lending is at a total standstill as the newly installed management struggle to retool the operations of the five banks. However, even with no fresh money coming in, the banks are still forced to maintain their operations, paying staff salaries and other overheard costs incidental to their existence.

Faced with this situation the CBN will be forced to keep its cash tap open for these banks to stay alive. Already, there are strong speculations that the CBN bailout for the five banks will increase to a trillion naira ($6.67 billion). But this was before the House of Representative intervened and questioned the right of the CBN governor to lend money to the banks without its approval. Until this controversy is resolved, the CBN may be reluctant to give fresh money to the five banks.

This may raise critical issues for the survival of the five banks. Would they resort to the interbank market to stay alive? With the guarantee from the CBN, they are likely to be able to borrow from the interbank market. However, this will effectively return the five banks to the state they were in before they were taken over by the CBN, net borrowers of funds from the interbank market.

The new management of these five banks may have started seeing the desperate position they are currently in and have positioned for massive loan recovery. How successfully they do this will determine their liquidity but considering the current state of the economy, and the conservative disposition of the banks yet to be directed affected by the CBN action, success will be relatively minimal.

Continue reading ‘How to save Nigerian banks’ »