- Disowns N215bn claim, demands media accuracy
BY COBHAM NSA – NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB) says contrary to some reports in the media space, only ₦51 billion was disbursed as its Anchors Borrowers Programme (ABP) interventions’ portfolio.
In a formal rebuttal against what it described as “misleading reports” claiming about ₦215 billion was sunk into the ABP interventions, the NMFB management maintained that as verified by its records and already shared during public sessions, the correct figure remains ₦51 billion.
According to the official statement, this significant discrepancy in the disbursement portfolio demands public correction given that recent media coverage erroneously inflated NMFB’s disbursement totals to potentially cause confusion among stakeholders.
The Bank said; “For the avoidance of doubt, our verified Anchors Borrowers Programme (ABP) intervention loan disbursements stand at ₦51 billion, not ₦215 billion.
“We urge the public and press to disregard the inaccurate reports.”
Further stressing the importance of fact-checking in financial reporting, NMFB tasked journalists to always confirm figures with the bank before publication.
Also, the management addressed what the bank called “recurring confusion between ‘NIRSAL Microfinance Bank’ and ‘NIRSAL Plc’, explaining that the two are distinct entities with separate operations.
“Media professionals must exercise due diligence to avoid misleading the public,” the bank said.
Importantly, the statement said the “clarification aims to preserve transparency and trust in NMFB’s role in Nigeria’s financial intervention management programmes.”
