The recent announcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to relocate key departments to its Lagos office has sparked mixed reactions, particularly among some workers who are expressing concerns about the move.
Former Deputy Governor of the CBN, Kingsley Moghalu, has come out in support of the relocation plan. Moghalu noted that the Lagos office, inaugurated during his tenure 12 years ago, has remained underutilized. In response to reported “disquiet” among some CBN workers, Moghalu took to social media to provide his perspective.
He acknowledged the completion and inauguration of the Lagos office during his time at the CBN but highlighted its underutilization. Moghalu deemed the relocation a logical solution to address overstaffing concerns in the Abuja headquarters.
In a statement on social media, Moghalu said, “I don’t see any serious basis for such ‘disquiet.’ A new Lagos Office for the Bank was completed and inaugurated about 12 years ago while I was at the Bank. As far as I can remember, it was under-utilized. Meanwhile, the numbers of staff in the Abuja HQ are vastly over the health and safety limits of the building.”
He explained that the market entities supervised by the departments set to move to Lagos are mostly based in Lagos. Moghalu supported the decision, stating, “So what’s the problem? Seems a rational decision to me.”
The CBN’s circular on January 12th outlined plans to decongest its Abuja headquarters due to exceeding occupancy levels and health and safety concerns. The relocation aims to move 1,533 staff to other facilities in Abuja, Lagos, and understaffed branches.
