Central Bank of Nigeria Dispels Political Motives Behind Staff Redeployment

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has firmly refuted suggestions that its recent staff redeployment from Abuja to Lagos State was politically motivated. Muhammad Abdullahi, the CBN Deputy Governor for Economic Policy, made this clarification at a well-attended two-day interactive session on government-citizens engagement in Kaduna.

CBN’s Early Exit Package (EEP), introduced in 2024, led to a reduction in the apex bank’s staff strength at its Abuja headquarters. Critics swiftly accused the move of targeting workers from Nigeria’s Northern region. However, Abdullahi has swiftly addressed these claims.

Citing safety concerns, Abdullahi explained that the decision to reduce the number of staff in Abuja was not a targeted move. He revealed that the bank’s insurance provider had advised on workplace safety, leading to the decision to decongest the Abuja headquarters. “It is not an agenda against anybody,” Abdullahi stated, adding that some redeployed staff were now happier in Lagos and Kaduna than they were in Abuja.

Abdullahi dismissed claims of deliberate removal of 16 directors, particularly from the Northern region. He stressed that there were currently many directors from the Northern region serving in the bank. To demonstrate the policy’s impartiality, Abdullahi pointed out that the son of Nigeria’s Secretary to the Government of the Federation was also redeployed from Abuja to Lagos. “Nobody was spared,” he asserted, highlighting that the move was part of the bank’s policy.

As the CBN continues with its staff repositioning, it reassures all stakeholders and the broader public that the redeployment is driven purely by operational needs and not by political considerations.