The Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN and the Bankers’ Committee have agreed that there will be no layoffs in the banking industry because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
This decision was made at a special meeting of the Bankers’ Committee convened on May 2, 2020, to further review the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian banking industry.
The Committee particularly deliberated on the issue of the operating costs of banks in view of the disruptions emanating from the global economic difficulties and decided as follows:
In order to help minimize and mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-pandemic on families and livelihoods, no bank in Nigeria shall retrench or lay-off any staff of any cadre (including full-time and part-time).
To give effect to the above measure, the express approval of the CBN shall be required in the event that it becomes absolutely necessary to lay-off any such staff.
The CBN solicited the support of all in the collective effort to weather through the economic challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.