The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has clarified that its 2024 Early Exit Package (EEP) was entirely voluntary and not designed to target or marginalize staff from Northern Nigeria.
CBN Deputy Governor for Economic Policy, Muhammad Abdullahi, made this known in Kaduna during a two-day interactive session on government-citizen engagement, organized by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.
Addressing concerns over staff redeployment and exits, Abdullahi explained that the CBN headquarters in Abuja had become overcrowded, with offices extended into limited exit routes, prompting safety concerns from the bank’s insurers.
“The building was too congested. For safety reasons, we needed to decongest the headquarters. Offices in Lagos, Kaduna, and other locations were available and underutilized,” he said.
He added that some staff members relocated to Lagos and Kaduna have since expressed satisfaction with their new postings and are unwilling to return to Abuja.
On the Early Exit Package, Abdullahi emphasized that the policy has been in practice for over 20 years and is activated when top-level staffing becomes excessive.
“A committee made up of staff is usually set up to design an exit offer. It’s not forced—it’s voluntary. In fact, some who accepted it have gone on to set up microfinance banks and other ventures,” he noted.
Abdullahi stressed that the initiative was never about targeting any group, region, or ethnicity, but about organizational efficiency and staff welfare.
