Nigeria’s banking sector is being reshaped by one of the most ambitious recapitalisation programmes in its history.

If you bank, invest, or do business in Nigeria, understanding how this works and where each bank stands matters.

In 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria raised minimum capital requirements and introduced three banking “tiers”: regional, national, and international.

Banks have until March 31, 2026, to comply.

Here’s what that means:

International banks need ₦500bn in paid-up capital

National banks need ₦200bn

Regional banks need ₦50bn

Paid-up capital is key. Retained earnings don’t count.

Several banks, including Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTBank, UBA, Fidelity Bank, and First Bank of Nigeria, have already met the ₦500bn threshold and secured international licences.

Others, such as Stanbic IBTC, Citibank Nigeria, and Wema Bank, have secured national licences and appear focused on domestic operations.

First City Monument Bank, a subsidiary of FCMB Group Plc, sits between these groups. In 2024, it raised ₦147.5bn in a public offer, pushing its banking subsidiary above ₦200bn in paid-up capital and securing its national licence. That means FCMB’s core banking operations are not at risk under the new rules.

The bank is now raising additional capital to reach the ₦500bn mark required for an international licence.

This includes further share sales and shareholder-approved funding options. Regulatory review is ongoing.

Why does this matter to customers? A bank’s licence affects what it can do.

International banks can finance cross-border trade and large projects. National banks focus on domestic lending. Both are viable models.

For FCMB customers, the national licence already ensures continuity.

The international licence would expand services beyond Nigeria into the rest of Africa and the world.

The recapitalisation is also driving mergers, downgrades, and niche strategies across the sector, making Nigeria’s banking system more structured and transparent.

By 2026, the system will be stronger, not because every bank has become international, but because each has chosen a sustainable path.

The Ogun State Government has confirmed that a medical doctor has been remanded in prison for allegedly issuing a fake medical report to help a popular blogger, Adetoun Onajobi, also known as @justadetoun, evade police arrest.

The government also disclosed that the Ogun State Police Command has filed a six-count charge against the blogger, who is currently on the run, following a complaint lodged against her by the state.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN.

According to the statement, Adetoun, an internet personality, has for years been accused of bullying, harassment, and using offensive language against individuals online.

The controversy escalated after boxing champion Anthony Joshua was involved in an accident in Ogun State.

Adetoun allegedly posted videos claiming that there was no ambulance service anywhere in the state and further accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of being in Ghana partying and impregnating women instead of attending to the boxer’s welfare.

Ogungbade described the claims as false, malicious, and misleading, stressing that Ogun State has multiple state-owned and state-supported ambulance services. He added that the allegations posed a public safety risk by misinforming residents about available healthcare resources.

As a result, the state reported Adetoun to the police for alleged violations of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.

The police reportedly invited her for questioning on January 5, 2026, after issuing a notice on January 2. However, she failed to appear and allegedly went into hiding, despite earlier boasting that she had evidence to substantiate her claims.

Even while in hiding, she reportedly released another video claiming she was ill and unable to honour the police invitation. Subsequently, her lawyer submitted a letter to the police attaching a medical report from a Lagos-based doctor, stating that she was medically indisposed.

Police investigations later revealed that the medical report was fraudulent. The doctor who authored it allegedly confessed that he never met, examined, treated, or revived Adetoun, contrary to the claims in the report.

The doctor has since been arrested, charged, and remanded for fraudulent medical documentation and obstruction of justice, while investigations continue to identify other accomplices. Adetoun remains at large.

Ogungbade questioned why someone who claimed to possess evidence could not present it to law enforcement or publish it publicly, adding that forging medical records raises serious concerns about her credibility.

The statement further alleged that Adetoun had previously bullied a woman sweeping an estate in Lagos and unlawfully filmed and shared images of the woman’s underage child on social media.

An Inspector of Police, Victor Okus, attached to the 17PMF, has shot and killed his colleague, Inspector Ibrahim Sani, in Rivers State.

The Rivers State Police command, in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the development, describing it as tragic and distressing

Iringe-Koko said in the statement that the incident occurred on Sunday, January 18, 2026, adding that the suspect also injured another colleague, identified as Inspector Daniel Dauda.

Describing the dead victim as a dedicated officer, the statement said the suspect, Okus, who was on special duty at Intels, Onne, had been arrested and was in police custody.

According to the Unit Commander (U/C) 14 PMF, DSP Turaki Hassan’s accounts and preliminary investigations, the tragic incident occurred at about 1320hrs at Next Cash and Carry Supermart, Trans-Amadi, Port Harcourt, where Inspector Ibrahim Sani and Inspector Daniel Dauda all attached to 14 PMF, Yola, were on joint guard duty with military personnel.

The statement said, “Okus allegedly shot his colleagues on the head and neck regions. The injured Officers were promptly rushed to Nopsam Hospital for Medical treatment, where Inspector Sani succumbed to his injuries, while Inspector Dauda is still receiving medical treatment. The corpse has been deposited at the Military Hospital Mortuary, Port-Harcourt for preservation and autopsy”.

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, directed a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the incident.

The police boss said the suspect would face an Orderly Room Trial and subsequently charge to court for prosecution, assuring that justice would be served.

The CP further advised officers that handling of firearms while on duty was a serious responsibility and not a routine task, adding that it was crucial to prioritize their safety and that of others to prevent potential tragedies.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, colleagues, and friends of Inspector Sani and further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and accountability within the force.