Vice president Yemi Osinbajo, has told Nigerian banks to rethink their method of managing risks in the sector because the use of huge bailout funds may not be sustainable in the financial system.
The The Federal Government has through Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria of Nigeria pumped trillions of naira into bailout of banks since the banking sector consolidation of 2005.
Osinbajo, who bemoaned the huge funds used for bailout in the banking sector, spoke at the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC’s) 30th anniversary lecture/book launch, on Monday in Abuja, mentioned some perceptions on some of the dynamics of engaging the future of the country’s financial safety systems.
In a statement by Laolu Akande, senior special assistant to the president on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, said, “First is the number of institutions, and implicit and explicit tools in our safety system and their sustainability. Perhaps the most significant challenge to the financial system that we have experienced so far was that bank crisis of 2009.
“Going by the manner of resolution, it appears that the preferred option was the establishment of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria – an option that cost something in the order of N5tn. Since then we have also seen the use of a mixture of bailouts and bridge banks.
“The problem, of course, is that the most reliable studies show that overly generous financial safety nets or system have generally tended to increase bank risks and systemic fragility.
“My respectful view is that there must be some rethinking of the short and long- term implications of the use of these tools and their sustainability in the coming years. A reference was made in the past that we may not even have that option of the AMCON-type bailout given the sheer amount of money that will be involved.”
He mentioned the role of the NDIC in stabilising the financial system, especially the periods immediately after the early days of privatisation and private ownership of banks, its role in the failed banks crisis that followed immediately after, and the various professional and standards distinctions that it had received through the years.
