Just In : Anxiety as CBN announces Head office decongestion affecting 1,533 staff
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced plans to comprehensively “decongest” its Head Office.
This initiative, contained in a circular dated 12th January, 2023 from the Director, Human Resources Department to all staff is designed to align with building safety standards and enhance office space efficiency.
The circular noted that the decision was prompted by safety concerns, increased health and accident risks, and the need to comply with building regulations, following repeated warnings from the facility manager and recommendations from the Committee on Decongestion of the CBN Head Office Building.
With the current occupancy level exceeding the optimal capacity, the CBN plans to relocate 1,533 staff to other facilities within Abuja, Lagos, and understaffed branches. The move addresses critical challenges such as safety concerns, reduced efficiency, and potential compromise to the building’s structural integrity.
The decongestion is expected to improve operational and workflow efficiency through strategic alignment, skill distribution, embracing geographical mobility, and process optimization. Strategic alignment involves redistributing departments and staff based on the functions and objectives of the bank. This includes optimizing collaboration by placing certain departments in proximity to financial institutions’ head offices, predominantly located in Lagos.
Recognizing the importance of diverse and specialized talents, the CBN aims to distribute technical skills across all branches, addressing shortages at the branch level. Geographical mobility becomes a key focus, emphasizing staff rotations between branches to broaden perspectives, enhance adaptability, and foster collaboration.
The ongoing reorganization is not a random shuffle but a targeted effort towards process optimization. Collaboration with Branch Controllers aims to tailor department placement to the unique strengths and needs of each branch, enhancing overall operational effectiveness.
While change can be unsettling, the CBN is committed to keeping staff informed throughout the process. Individual notifications will be provided to affected departments and personnel by their respective Directors.
However, some staff of the CBN see the planned decongestion as “a ploy to shed weight”.
A source told The Nation that some politically exposed staff of the bank have either resigned or been moved to locations outside Abuja. “More are already considering throwing in the towel because they cannot function well outside Abuja or Lagos”.
Already, about 80 percent of the staff of the Banking Supervision Department of the CBN have been transferred to Lagos. The official reason is that the Head Offices of the banks they’re supposed to supervise are located in Lagos. Only a skeletal number of staff of the Department is left behind in Abuja.
The same has happened to the Payment System Management Department (PSMD) because “the department deals mostly with entities based in Lagos. The Payment System Management Department (PSMD) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) oversees various entities involved in the payment system.
Some of these entities include commercial banks, microfinance banks, payment service providers, mobile money operators, payment terminal service providers, payment solution service providers, and electronic money issuers. These entities play crucial roles in facilitating secure and efficient payment transactions within Nigeria’s financial system.
As part of the decongestion exercise, the Director Medical Services Department has been moved to the FSS Department in Maitama, a development that has many staff of the CBN questioning the rationale behind her movement.
Generally, there is anxiety amongst staff of the apex bank as every week, staff are being transferred out of the headquarters.
The circular reads: “This is to notify all staff members at the CBN Head Office that we have initiated a decongestion action plan designed to optimize the operational environment of the Bank. This initiative aims to ensure compliance with building safety standards and enhance the efficient utilization of our office
