IN a recent development, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Professor Melvin Ayogu to the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), seeking confirmation from the Nigerian Senate. This move was officially announced by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a statement released on Wednesday.
According to Onanuga’s statement, President Tinubu has written to the Senate requesting the confirmation of Prof. Melvin Ayogu’s appointment to the CBN Board. Along with this nomination, the President has also sought Senate approval for the appointment of Nwakuche Ndidi as the new Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read these requests during a plenary session on Tuesday.
Previous CBN Nominations and Senate Confirmations
This nomination marks another significant step in the ongoing reshuffling of key positions within the Central Bank. Back in February 2024, President Tinubu had previously nominated several individuals to the CBN board, including Robert Agbide, Ado Wanga, Murtala Sagaley, Urom Eke, and Olayinka Aliyu. However, on February 29, 2024, the Senate confirmed four of the nominees, with Eke declining the position due to a "conflict of interest."
Subsequently, Tinubu replaced Eke with Ruby Onwudiwe, who was nominated on March 13, 2024. However, reports surfaced a day later suggesting that the President withdrew Onwudiwe’s nomination, citing her political ties with the Labour Party, an opposition party to Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC).
Strengthening Compliance in the Nigerian Banking Sector
Amid these changes, the Central Bank of Nigeria has continued to emphasize the importance of compliance within the country's financial sector. Earlier in March 2025, the CBN urged financial institutions to bolster their compliance frameworks and align more closely with international banking standards. This call came during the Mandatory Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Training Workshop held in Lagos on February 28, 2025, in collaboration with Citi.
At the event, compliance officers, trade operations specialists, and correspondent banking teams from various financial institutions gathered to discuss global regulatory trends, financial risks, and best practices for ensuring compliance. Shola Phillips, Special Adviser to the CBN Governor on Compliance, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the need for Nigerian banks to adopt dynamic, risk-based Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (CFT) programs.
Phillips further stressed the importance of strengthening correspondent banking relationships, noting that stringent compliance measures are becoming increasingly necessary. Nigerian banks, she warned, must enhance their risk management structures to avoid facing increased scrutiny from international financial institutions, which could ultimately impact their access to global banking networks.
Looking Ahead: The Role of Governance in Nigeria's Financial Future
The nomination of Melvin Ayogu to the CBN board is part of broader efforts by President Tinubu to streamline the leadership of critical national institutions. With the confirmation process now in the hands of the Senate, the outcome will significantly influence Nigeria’s economic governance, especially in the financial sector. As the country navigates complex global financial dynamics, strengthening regulatory oversight, ensuring robust anti-money laundering frameworks, and fostering a more transparent banking environment remain central to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic stability and reputation on the international stage.