The Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, has disclosed that the bank is leveraging technology to push the frontiers of financial inclusion of the unbanked and under-banked in the country. The managing director said this in his keynote presentation at the Vanguard Economic Forum series on mobile money market and fintech. The forum with the theme, ‘Leveraging Fintech Innovation for Unlocking Growth and Competitiveness in Nigeria’s Mobile & Payment Ecosystem’ held in Lagos. He pointed out that Nigeria, which has improved financial inclusion…
Read MoreCategory: Money market
SABEX unlocks export market for Nigerian farmers
SABEX, the world’s first end-to-end blockchain commodities trading and financing platform, was formally unveiled to policy makers, agriculture value chain players, investors, international financiers and development agencies at the 2019 edition of Agriculture Summit Africa, organised by Sterling Bank Plc, at the weekend in Abuja. Powered by Sterling Bank, Binkabi and AFEX Commodities Exchange, the digital commodities trading platform, provides real time credit finance for farmers, secure storage and a ready market for both farmers and buyers to transact thereby reducing post-harvest wastage of farm produce across…
Read MoreZenith Bank’s ‘Aspire Music Festival’ debuts in Lagos
Zenith Bank Plc is set to light up the social and entertainment scene this month with the announcement of the bank’s “Aspire Music Festival.” In a press release, the lender said that the music festival, which is the “most anticipated entertainment event of the year,” holds on Saturday, September 21, 2019 by 8.00pm at the Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. According to the release, “the festival promises to be a night to remember, as it will feature captivating and thrilling musical performances by…
Read MoreChief Executive Officer of the World Bank, Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, is set to step into Christine Lagarde’s shoes as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Lagarde is quitting the IMF on September 12, having resigned in July following her nomination to become head of the European Central Bank (ECB). The IMF announced in a press release yesterday that with the period for submitting nominations for the position of the next MD of the fund having closed on Friday, September 6, Georgieva, a Bulgarian national, was…
Read MoreRegulator lifts trading suspension on Deap Capital
The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has lifted trading suspension placed on the shares of Deap Capital Management and Trust Plc. It suspended trading on the company’s shares for violating post-listing requirements. The exchange had notified the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the investment community of the suspension and those of five other firms over default in filing their accounts as at when due. The management of the exchange in a statement at the weekend said: “We refer to our Market Bulletin dated 1 November 2018, with…
Read MoreCBN to ABCON: Play greater role in BDC sub-sector
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) to play a stronger role in the sub-sector by embracing effective self-regulation. Speaking during the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) Mutual Evaluation Exercise Sensitisation workshop for South West Bureaux de Change (BDCs) in Lagos, CBN Deputy Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department, Mustafa Haruna, said there was need for BDCs to ensure compliance with extant Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) laws and regulations to mitigate the risks and vulnerabilities in…
Read MoreTrader, others win in Access Bank’s DiamondXtra promo
Nwogu Ijeoma, a trader at the Alaba International Market, Lagos and 1,015 customers across Nigeria emerged winners at the second quarterly draw of the DiamondXtra season 11 reward scheme powered by Access Bank Plc. Speaking shortly after receiving the N1 million prize cheque, Ijeoma, while expressing excitement at winning, told newsmen that she had been a customer of Access Bank for years, adding that Nigerians should partake in the initiative as it was real. She said: “I have been banking with Access Bank for a long time now.…
Read MoreCBN scraps interest rate cap for mortgage financing
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has removed the interest rate cap regulation on interest rate and lending fees for mortgage financing in the country. In a circular to Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) and mortgage sector stakeholders posted on its website at the weekend, the CBN said that the move was due to “some implementation challenges” regarding the mortgage finance section of its 2017 “Guide to Charges by Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria.” The apex bank stated that henceforth the section of the document that…
Read MoreFDC: External reserves to slide below $43bn
Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves will fall to $42 billion this month, analysts at Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC) have projected. The analysts stated this in the September edition of the firm’s “Lagos Business School (LBS) Breakfast Session” presentation obtained by New Telegraph at the weekend. According to the presentation by the Chief Executive Officer, FDC, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, the projected drop in external reserves will be caused by lower oil prices as well as “increased activities at the Investors and Exporters’ (I&E) window.” Latest data obtained from…
Read MoreImperial logistics increases stake in MDS
UAC of Nigeria Plc has notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and its shareholders and stakeholders that the company has entered into an agreement with Imperial Logistics Limited. Under the deal, Imperial Logistics proposes to increase its shareholding in MDS Logistics Limited from 49 per cent to 57 per cent, by acquiring additional eight per cent shareholding . The Transaction is subject to relevant regulatory approvals. Under the terms of the transaction, Imperial Logistics will transfer selected profitable contracts to MDS and pay $2.4 million in cash. The transaction is…
Read More