CBN insists no fee charge on COVID-19 Loan Applications

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has insisted that there is no fee change on the Covid-19 loan application for the N50 billion stimulus fund.

In a statement signed by Isaac Okorafor, director of corporate communications department, the Apex bank said its attention had again been drawn to false reports in the social media circles that loan seekers and owners of small-scale businesses who apply for loans provided to cushion the effects of COVID-19 are required to pay a certain amount as application processing fee.

The statement said there are clearly spelt out procedures for accessing the N50 billion Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) stimulus package to support households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which are disbursed through the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB).

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Members of the public, particularly households and owners of small-scale businesses, are therefore advised to disregard any message requiring them to pay any amount to process their applications.

Efforts to reach the CBN for further information was not successful as Okorafor could not respond to his calls and text messages.

Prospective applicants are advised to approach NIRSAL Microfinance Bank or the CBN branch nearest to them for clarification on the procedure for accessing any of the CBN-related loans. Any observed irregularities should be reported to the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN via [email protected], the CBN stated.

Hope Moses-Ashike

Hope Moses-Ashike is an Associate Editor, Banking and Finance, with more than a decade of experience reporting on Nigeria’s financial system and broader economy. She closely tracks market movements, monetary policy decisions, company disclosures, regulatory actions, economic indicators, and global developments, and interprets what they mean for businesses, investors, policymakers, and households. Her reporting helps readers understand complex issues such as inflation trends, foreign exchange market dynamics, interest rate decisions, bank performance, and investment risks. She also covers major international events and periodically travels to Washington, D.C., to report on the World Bank/IMF Spring and Annual Meetings. Her dedication to financial journalism has earned her multiple recognitions and invitations to high-level professional development programmes. She is an alumna of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) in the United States and holds an Advanced Financial Journalism Certificate from the Press Association Training in London, UK. Her other notable achievements include completing the Lagos Business School CMC Programme, the Bloomberg Media Africa Initiative Programme, and a Master Class in Journalism at Rhodes University in South Africa.