President Buhari Enjoins States To Simplify Land Ownership

The President has on Friday urged state governments to make the processes involved in land ownership simple so that more Nigerians can access bank facilities.

The appeal was made when he received the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) led by the chairman, Dr Uche Olowu, at the State House, Abuja.

He expressed concern over challenges such as land and other collateral related issues, hindering the banking industry’s ability to lend to the real sector.

“As a government, we are also facing such challenges as part of our various affordable housing programmes,” he remarked.

While he applauded the banking industry for increasing their lending in key job-creating areas such as agriculture in the last four years, the president welcomed the industry ‘a collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria in this regard.

“We can only feed ourselves by deploying capital to the right areas. I implore the banking community to keep this trend up, ” he said.

According to the president, the banking sector is critical to the economic development of any society.

The President said that he was proud that Nigeria has the most vibrant, creative and innovative banking sector in Africa.

“Nigerian bankers have not only proved themselves in Nigeria alone but across the entire continent and in other parts of the world.

“I am proud when I visit African countries and see posters or branches of Nigerian banks. I will ask all your members to continue to be great ambassadors of Nigeria as you expand within Africa and beyond,” he expressed.