The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has announced that the sale of assets belonging to the defunct Heritage Bank Plc will commence on December 4, 2024.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Bashir Nuhu, NDIC’s Director of Communication and Public Affairs, disclosed that the corporation has initiated the process to sell off the bank’s landed properties.
Nuhu noted that the asset sale is in line with NDIC’s statutory role as the liquidator of failed banks, as stipulated under Section 62 (1)(d) of the NDIC Act, 2023. The goal of the liquidation process is to ensure the timely payment of dividends to uninsured depositors of Heritage Bank.
“In a bid to ensure timely declaration of liquidation dividends to uninsured depositors of the failed Heritage Bank, the NDIC has commenced the process for the sale of landed properties of the defunct bank,” the statement reads.
The sale will take place at 36 locations nationwide, including Abuja, Lagos, Bauchi, Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, with the auction open to competitive bidding.
To ensure transparency, bidders are required to follow specific guidelines that promote fairness and accountability. According to Nuhu, financial institutions interested in purchasing properties will be given preference if they offer the highest auctioned prices, along with physical assets at wholesale value, supporting continued financial service provision in affected areas to promote financial inclusion.
The NDIC emphasized that the auction will be accessible to corporate bodies and private individuals alike, with open competition for all eligible bidders. Bidders will also have the opportunity to inspect the properties prior to purchase.
For additional details, the NDIC urged interested parties to consult their website, social media platforms, and local newspapers.
This asset sale follows the revocation of Heritage Bank’s license by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 3, 2024.