The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is making plans to raise the minimum capital requirements for Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to N2 billion for Tier 1 licenses and N500 million for Tier 2 licenses.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday, issued a draft revised regulatory and supervisory guidelines for Bureau de Change (BDC) Operations in the country
Prior to this consideration, the minimum requirement was N35 million for a general license.
The latest regulations comprise numerous modifications to the guidelines governing BDC activities within the nation. Once approved, these updated guidelines will come into effect on a date determined by the CBN.
According to Nairammetrics:
A Tier 1 BDC is authorized to operate on a national basis can open branches and may appoint franchisees, subject to the approval of the CBN.
A Tier 1 BDC (which is the franchisor) shall exercise supervisory oversight over its franchisees. All franchisees shall adopt their franchisor’s name, branding, technology platform, and rendition requirements.
A Tier 2 BDC is authorized to operate only in one state or the FCT. It may have up to three locations – a head office and two branches, subject to approval of the CBN. It is not permitted to appoint franchisees.”
Under Tier 1 operators are expected to have N2 billion as minimum share capital while also depositing a Mandatory Caution Deposit of N200 million.
The application and license fee is also N1 million and N5 million respectively.
Under Tier 2 operators are expected to have N500 million as minimum share capital while depositing a Mandatory Caution Deposit of N50 million.
The application and license fee are also N250,000 and N2 million respectively.
The apex bank also stated that the prescribed minimum capital of BDCs and any subsequent capital injection shall be subject to verification by the CBN.
Also, BDC licences are renewable annually subject to compliance with laws and regulations applicable to BDCs and the payment of the non-refundable annual licence renewal fee, which is N5 million for Tier 1 operators and N1 million for Tier 2.
However, the proposed guideline by the CBN, aimed at increasing the share capital for BDCs, could lead to a significant consolidation in the sector. This move is likely to reduce the number of BDCs, encouraging mergers and acquisitions among operators, Nairametrics said.
The CBN’s strategy is intended to sanitise the black market for foreign exchange trades, enhancing oversight and reducing the proliferation of unauthorised forex transactions. This regulatory adjustment is part of broader efforts to stabilise the forex market and ensure compliance within the sector.