On Monday, 29th of January 2024, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly demanded that some departments within the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria relocate from Abuja to Lagos to improve productivity and save costs. 

The Minister for Information and National Orientation passed this message to the public stating that the relocation has been slated to happen on Friday, 2nd February 2024. He also cleared the air, stating that contrary to the narratives moving around, the government did not make the decision for political reasons, 

Although the plan has become a thing for discourse in the community, government officials have said that the plan is still on and departments affected are expected to move in a few days, which is the 2nd day of the next month. 

According to CBN itself, the decision of the government is in the best interest of the organization which involves aligning the bank’s structure with its functions and goals and redistributing skills to achieve a more balanced geographic distribution of talent. 

“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 space,” the memo sent to the staff members read. 

The CBN Departments affected by the Federal Government’s Decision

As earlier stated, only some departments within the bank were asked to move down to Lagos, and some of these departments as communicated by the governor of the bank, Yemi Cardoso include: 

• Banking Supervision
• Other Financial Institutions Supervision
• Consumer Protection Department
• Payment System Management Department
• Financial Policy Regulations Department.

Every single staff in any of the departments listed above has been requested to move their tasks and operations to the Lagos office. According to the top officials, they are looking to have 1500 staff relocate. 

Why the Resignation? 

Many of these employees asked to relocate have spent most of their lives back in Abuja. Besides, the information came as a shock which means that a bulk of the affected persons are unprepared for this new phase. However, while some have decided that it’s something they can work around, some others are unwilling to leave all they have built in years past and relocate without a solid plan. Unable to decide and jump at a life they never prepared for, some of these employees have started to turn in their resignation letters