NEWS:CBN Rolls Out Tough Sanctions To Combat Terrorism Funding

n a bid to cut off the inflow of funds to financing terrorism in Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ), has rolled out a tougher sanctions regime for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). The new CBN rule lists fines on banks, their directors, and several other key officials for 48 money laundering infractions.

The previous regime had only stipulated fines against complicit financial institutions for money laundering infractions, thereby creating loopholes.

The new regime also ensure Nigeria’s compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendation 35 which states that, “Countries  should  ensure  that  there  is  a  range  of  effective,  proportionate  and  dissuasive  sanctions,  whether  criminal,  civil  or  administrative,  available  to  deal  with  natural  or  legal  persons  covered  by    Recommendations  6,  and  8  to  23,  that  fail  to  comply  with  AML/CFT  requirements.”

“Sanctions  should  be  applicable  not  only  to  financial  institutions  and  DNFBPs,   but also to their directors and senior management.”

The new sanction regime has been sent to banks and other financial institutions by the Director Financial Policy and Regulations Department of the apex bank, Kevin N. Amugo.

The circular which is titled, ‘CBN Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (administrative sanctions) regulations, 2018,’ reads:

Banks and other financial institutions are    by this circular, informed of the attached  ‘CBN AML/CFT Administrative Sanctions Regime’ the application of which comes into effect as at the date of the Gazette. Kindly ensure compliance.

The infractions and penalties stipulated under the new regime include:    failure to approve the AML/CFT policies and procedures -a minimum penalty as follows: N1 million on each member of the board and N20 million on the Deposit Money Banks (DMB);

Failure to review/ update the AML/CFT policies and procedures at least every three (3) years, a minimum penalty as follows: N750,000 on the Executive compliance officer in the for instance and N750,000 for each year that the contravention continues.

N500,000 on the Chief compliance officer in the first instance and N500,000 for each year that the contravention continues. N5 million on the bank in the first instance and N1 million for each year that the contravention continues;

Failure to communicate the AML/CFT program of the organization to the employees. A minimum penalty as follows: N750,000 on the Executive compliance officer, N500,000 on the Chief compliance officer and N10 million on the DMB.

Failure of the board or its committee to supervise and ensure the effective implementation of the AML/CFT programme, A minimum penalty as follows: N500,000 on each member of the board and N10 million on the DMB.

Failure of the officer to generate periodic reports on AML/CFT issues to the board or its relevant committee, a minimum penalty as follows: N750,000 on the Executive compliance officer, N500,000 on the Chief compliance officer and N5 million on the DMB;

Failure to classify ML/TF risks in the bank, failure to put in place guidelines for risk assessment and profiling of customers in institutions’ AML/CFT board approved program and failure to carryout risk assessment and profiling of each account, a minimum of N1 million on the Chief compliance officer of the DMB, a minimum penalty of N3 million on the DMB for failure to put in place guidelines for risk assessment and profiling of customers in AML/CFT program. A minimum of N100,000 per account for failure to carryout risk assessment and profiling of account.