尼日利亚央行周五表示，已向摩根大通授予原则性批准，允许其设立一家商业银行，这标志着这家美国银行可能将扩张至非洲人口最多的国家。
Nigeria's central bank has granted JPMorgan approval-in-principle to establish a merchant bank, it said on Friday, marking a potential expansion by the US lender into Africa's most populous country.
尼日利亚央行发言人兼投资者关系主管迈克尔·阿库卡在一份声明中表示，拟设立的银行——摩根大通商业银行尼日利亚有限公司——预计将专注于批发银行业务、资本市场和咨询服务。此举正值尼日利亚当局推动改革，以在多年货币不稳定和政策不确定性之后重建投资者信心、深化金融市场并吸引外国资本之际。
尼日利亚央行表示，原则性批准是牌照发放流程的第一阶段，并不等同于最终的银行牌照。摩根大通仍须满足监管要求，包括注册和运营审批，之后才能开始营业。
The proposed lender, JPMorgan Merchant Bank Nigeria Ltd, is expected to focus on wholesale banking, capital markets and advisory services, Central Bank of Nigeria spokesperson and head of investor relations Michael Akuka said in a statement The move comes as Nigerian authorities push reforms to rebuild investor confidence, deepen financial markets and attract foreign capital after years of currency instability and policy uncertainty The approval-in-principle is the first stage of the licensing process and does not amount to a final banking licence JPMorgan must still meet regulatory requirements, including incorporation and operational approvals, before it can begin business, the CBN said