The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is set to decongest its head office in Abuja and transfer some of its departments to Lagos State.
The apex bank made this known in an Internal memo seen on Saturday.
The bank stated that the move is meant to increase the productivity of the affected staff while also cutting costs and ensuring their safety.
It further said the decongestion would also improve the apex bank’s operational and workflow efficiency.
Some departments that were affected by the transfer included the Banking Supervision, Other Financial Institutions Supervision, Consumer Protection Department, Payment System Management Department and Financial Policy Regulations Department.
Part of the memo read, “This is to notify all staff members at the CBN Head Office that we have initiated a decongestion action plan designed to optimise the operational environment of the bank.
“This initiative aims to ensure compliance with building safety standards and enhance the efficient utilisation of our office space.
“This action is necessitated by several factors, including the need to align the Bank’s structure with its functions and objectives, redistribute skills to ensure a more even geographical spread of talent and comply with building regulations, as indicated by repeated warnings from the Facility Manager, and the findings and recommendations of the Committee on Decongestion of the CBN Head Office.
“The action plan focuses on optimising the utilisation of other Bank’s premises. With this plan, 1,533 staff will be moved to other CBN facilities within Abuja, Lagos and understaffed branches.
“Our current occupancy level of 4,233 significantly exceeds the optimal capacity of 2,700 designed for the Head Office building. This overcrowding poses several critical challenges:
Safety Concerns: The building’s infrastructure was designed for a specific number of occupants. Exceeding this capacity has raised safety concerns, increased health and accident risks – and hinders efficient emergency evacuation.
“Reduced Efficiency: Crowded workspaces are negatively impacting productivity and collaboration. Additionally, overstretched facilities have led to increased maintenance costs.
“Structural Integrity: The building’s integrity can be compromised by exceeding its designed capacity.”