CEM REPORT, FINANCE | The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a major review of the regulatory requirements for the tenure of Executive Management and Non-Executive Directors of Deposit Money Banks and financial holding institutions.
In a circular released on Friday, CBN said the review is meant to strengthen the governance structure in the banking industry.
The new guidelines specifies the tenure of Managing Directors, Deputy Managing Directors as well as Executive Directors.
According to the circular, “The tenure of Executive Directors (ED), Deputy Managing Directors (DMD) and Managing Directors (MDs) shall be in accordance with the terms of their engagement approved by the Board of Directors of banks, subject to a maximum tenure of ten (10) years.
“Where an Executive who is a DMD becomes the MD/CEO of a bank or any other DMB before the end of his/her maximum tenure, the cumulative tenure of such Executive shall not exceed twelve (12) years.
“However, for an Executive (ED) who becomes a DMD of a bank or any other DMB, his/her cumulative tenure as ED and DMD shall not exceed 10 years.
“Non-Executive Directors (NEDs), with the exception of Independent Non-Executive Director (INED), shall serve for a maximum period of twelve (12) years in a bank, broken into three terms of four years each.
“EDs, DMDs and MDs who exit from the Board of a bank either upon or prior to the expiration of his/her maximum tenure, shall serve out a cooling-off period of 1 year before being eligible for appointment as a NED to the Board of Directors.
“NEDs who exit from the Board of a bank either upon or prior to the expiration of his/her maximum tenure of 12 years (3 terms of 4years each), shall serve out a cooling-off period of 1 year before being eligible for appointment to the Board of Directors of any other DMB.
“The cumulative tenure limit of EDs/DMDs, MDs and NEDs across the banking industry is 20 years.”
The circular added that the tenure requirements takes effect from 24th February, 2023.
There are insinuations that this review could be the beginning of series of reviews and restructuring of the governance system in the banking industry by the CBN.
A banker who pleaded anonymity said CBN may be rolling out more of such reforms in quick succession following the controversial sabotage accusations leveled on some Bank MDs by the apex in the implementation of currency redesign policy.
