CBN Postpones MPC Meeting Till Further Notice

The scheduled Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been postponed till further notice.

Naija News understands that the 293rd MPC meeting was earlier scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, September 25 and 26, respectively.

In a statement on Thursday, the CBN spokesman, Isa Abdulmumin, said a new date will be communicated in due course to its stakeholders.

He added that Apex Bank regrets any inconvenience the postponement may cause its stakeholders and the general public.

The statement reads: “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has deferred its 293rd meeting scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, September 25 and 26, 2023, respectively.

“A new date will be communicated in due course. We regret any inconvenience this change may cause our stakeholders and the general
public.”

In another development, the CBN has said the second edition of the International Financial Inclusion Conference (#IFIC2023) will be held on October 5 and 6, 2023, in Lagos.

According to  Abdulmumin, the theme of the conference is “Financial Inclusion for All: Global Insights for Local Impact”.

He said the event is an engagement platform for global thought leaders, regulators, and other stakeholders to discuss and collaborate on contemporary strategies for accelerating financial inclusion on the African continent and globally.

Abdulmumin said keynote speakers include Dr Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia; Dr. Alfred Hannig, Executive Director of Alliance for Financial Inclusion; and Dr. Reza Baqir, former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Key topics to be explored include fintech-driven last mile solutions, leveraging big data and artificial intelligence, inclusive product innovation (non-interest finance), and leveraging payment systems to scale financial inclusion in excluded segments – women, rural, youth, and MSMEs.

Other topics are Consumer protection, fraud and data privacy, etc. Other highlights include Innovation Labs, Financial Inclusion Awards, and other side events, with opportunities to showcase Nigeria as an investment destination to support economic development within Nigeria and the sub-region.

The maiden edition of the IFIC, which was held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja in 2022, was attended by “over 5,000 participants drawn from 78 countries and includes senior government officials from within and outside the country, former President Muhammadu Buhari, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, selected Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other influential persons in the global financial inclusion ecosystem” Abdumumin stated.