The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a fresh warning to the public, cautioning against fraudulent individuals and groups peddling fake contracts, loans, and financial grants purportedly linked to the apex bank.
In a statement released on Monday by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, the bank said it has once again become aware of ongoing scams involving false claims of endorsement or affiliation with the CBN.
“The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been drawn once again to the activities of individuals and groups falsely claiming to represent or act on behalf of the CBN,” the statement read. “These actors continue to circulate fictitious offers of contracts, loans, grants, intervention funds, and other financial benefits allegedly issued or endorsed by the CBN.”
Despite earlier public advisories including one issued on November 18, 2024 these scams have continued to target unsuspecting Nigerians using deceptive messages and impersonation tactics.
The CBN clarified that it has not authorized, licensed, or appointed any person, group, or organization to act on its behalf in offering financial support, grants, or contracts to members of the public. The bank also emphasized that it does not operate or communicate through unofficial channels such as email, SMS, phone calls, WhatsApp, or other social media platforms when disbursing funds or awarding contracts.
“The CBN also does not endorse or support such claims in any form,” the bank stressed.
Additionally, the apex bank reiterated that it does not require any form of payment in exchange for financial grants or contract opportunities and has not engaged any intermediary or agent to act on its behalf in such transactions.
“If you are approached by individuals or entities making such claims, we strongly advise that you do not engage with them,” the statement warned. “Instead, such incidents should be reported immediately to the relevant law enforcement agencies or the nearest CBN Branch.”
The Central Bank reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians from financial fraud and said it is actively collaborating with security agencies to investigate and clamp down on such criminal activity.
