Business

TAJBank to kick off N100bn Sukuk bond issuance, lists benefits

Published

3 years ago

August 29, 2022

…..targets N30bn capital base by year end

Umoru Abdulkadri

TAJBank Limited, Nigeria’s leading non-interest lender, has formalized the kick off the bank’s N100 billion Sukuk bond issuance with the signing of all the parties for issuance of the first ever non-interest private Sukuk bond offer in the nation’s capital market.

The Bank has secured all regulatory approvals required for opening the Sukuk to the general public and the bond will be listed on the Nigerian Exchange.

Speaking during the epoch-making event at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja, the bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Hamid Joda, described the bank’s latest investment initiative as a very important milestone in the annals of Nigeria’s capital market development and assured investors of good returns on their investment in the TAJBank Sukuk bond.

He explained: “The Sukuk bond issuance by TAJ Bank is a very important milestone in the history of Nigeria’s capital market. I believe that after this issuance, we will see a number of companies in the Nigerian market coming out to issue Sukuk bonds and that will lead to deepening of the non-interest market and eventually economic development of Nigeria.

“My message to the investing public is to take advantage of the opportunity in view of its potential for good returns. The instrument is coming out at an expected rate of 15 percent. It is also an ethical instrument and there are very few ethical instruments out there and I believe a lot of investors are looking for instruments that have ethical leaning”, Joda assured.

In his remarks, the bank’s Executive Director, Mr. Sheriff Idi, also stressed the importance of the Sukuk bond to the TAJ Bank’s operations, capacity to provide financial support to needy enterprises with the attendant positive implications for the nation’s economic growth.

The non-interest banking expert clarified: “In the last two years of the bank’s operations we have raised additional capital apart from the Sukuk we are issuing now. With the Sukuk bond issuance, we wanted to raise TAJ Bank’s capital base to about N30 billion by the end of the year and that means we can now finance those sectors that probably some initially thought we cannot provide funding support. That is the essence of this Sukuk bond issuance.”

The bank’s Chairman, Alhaji Tanko Isiaku Gwamna, further clarified: “The funds raised through the Sukuk bond and innovative deployment to needy sectors of the economy will help to create jobs, boost economic activities and improve the non-interest banking sub sector’s contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the years ahead

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Business

Democracy Day: Fiscal Discipline Key To Nigeria’s Sustainable Devt – Auditor-General

Published

6 days ago

June 12, 2025

The Gleamer

…Urges National Assembly to Pass Audit Bill 2022

Joseph Bisi

As Nigerians commemorated a historic milestone in their collective pursuit of a more socio-economically robust nation, the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, has implored the nation’s leaders and citizenry to intensify their efforts in championing the cause of fiscal discipline and accountability within the public finance system. In a brief conversation with journalists to mark the 2025 ‘Democracy Day’ on Thursday, the AuGF commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing fiscal and tax reform initiatives, describing these measures as essential for enhancing the nation’s revenue generation and budgetary expenditures. Chira explained that transforming the potential benefits of these reforms into tangible gains for the citizenry required more transparent fiscal mechanisms for the monitoring and evaluation of government expenditures, including the auditing processes and the timely appraisal of the Audit report by his Office, free from political interferences. He said: “Today’s Democracy Day is worthy of celebration, given the political history of the country and the prospects for sustainable development. Over the past few years, we have witnessed a series of reform initiatives by both past and present administrations aimed at improving the nation’s fiscal system, particularly under President Bola Tinubu, based on the current Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills that are being finalized by the National Assembly. “Let me emphasize that these measures are not merely desirable for Nigeria’s sustainable development; the enactment of the four pivotal bills will significantly contribute to stabilizing the financial system while also promoting transparency in public finance and prudent governance at all levels of government throughout the country. “It is imperative to underscore, however, that the role of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) in achieving these laudable objectives may be impeded if the Audit Bill currently before the National Assembly is not enacted into law. “The passage of the Bill, which seeks to augment the AuGF’s role in ensuring accountability, transparency and value for money in government expenditure while empowering the AuGF with administrative and financial autonomy, is crucial for enhancing transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s public finance system that aligns with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAIs). “Therefore, I seize this opportunity to appeal to our lawmakers in the National Assembly to prioritize the passage of the Audit Bill as a strategic legislative initiative to achieve the commendable goals of the Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills they are presently finalizing,” the AuGF added.Experts are of the view that the Auditor-General’s call for the passage of the Audit Bill 2022 aligns with the OAuGF Strategic Plan 2024-2028, which encapsulates the objectives of the Office being the Supreme Audit Institution(SAI) of Nigeria, aimed at enhancing public sector governance and accountability. The four principal objectives of the Strategic Plan include Goal 1: Focusing on the enhanced independence and mandate of the OAuGF; Goal 2: to mitigate mismanagement of public funds through more robust follow-up on audit recommendations; Goal 3: to ensure improved financial reporting within the public sector; and Goal 4: to establish the OAuGF as a model institution not only in Nigeria but on a global scale.

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