E-Financial
Appzone Relaunches BankOne, Digital Core Banking Solution for Fintechs & Neobanks
Appzone, the Pan-African fintech software provider building proprietary solutions for the continent’s banking and payments industries, has announced the Pan-African launch of BankOne, its digital core banking solution now re-engineered to serve the continent’s leading Fintechs, neobanks and challenger banks.
BankOne’s relaunch follows Appzone’s Series A raise in April 2021, the largest locally led raise in Nigeria which repositioned the organization to roll-out new innovative offerings that help financial institutions function in a fully digital and automated way.
Having previously built out functionality to automate and run traditional Banking operations, Appzone is now deploying BankOne as a platform for technology-driven financial institutions intending to adopt a 360-degree digital approach that does not involve physical branches or human interaction.
Originally launched in 2011, BankOne is delivered and run by Appzone Core, a subsidiary of the Appzone Group. The platform played a significant role in the first digitization phase of Nigeria’s financial sector and came to further prominence and adoption as digital challengers and neo-banks began to emerge.
As Africa rapidly accelerates towards a fully digital banking future, BankOne is being positioned to provide affordable and purpose-built digital infrastructure to enable this transition.
Speaking on the relaunch of BankOne, the CEO of Appzone Core, Mr. Mudiaga Umukoro said: “For over a decade, BankOne has played an active role in driving the digitization of Nigeria’s financial services industry. The platform has now been repositioned to serve the continent’s growing number of Fintechs and neobanks.
BankOne’s major advantages are market fit and affordability which allow financial institutions deliver highly relevant products at a fraction of cost while leveraging our numerous integrations with mainstream payment systems to achieve instant interoperability with other industry players at no extra cost”
Buoyed by the economic and work-place realities emerging due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Africa’s financial sector has aggressively adopted digital banking, with more individuals and organizations bypassing physical structures, paper trails and physical cash in favor of self-service offerings on digital devices.
As the continent’s traditional banking system continues to evolve, embracing new platforms, technologies, and architecture, technology-driven offerings from Fintechs on the continent will revolutionize customer experience, crash operating costs and accelerate financial inclusion.
BankOne provides functionality that enables digital Banks to engage customers and deliver services without human interaction. BankOne provides digital equivalents of all product offerings including account opening, card issuance, deposits, payments, and loan origination amongst others.
The platform also provides an open platform with developer tools and robust APIs to support the level of innovation and agility required in a highly dynamic and rapidly evolving environment.
In addition, Appzone Core has positioned the new offering to support the digital transformation efforts of traditional Banks, many of which are still stuck with legacy systems that limit their ability to compete effectively.
With operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, and Kenya, BankOne currently hosts over 10 million customer accounts with balances totaling $105 million while managing over $650 Million in annual loan disbursements, and $2.9 Billion in total transaction value.
Asides managing customer records, loans, deposits, and accounting, BankOne provides an omni-channel self-service platform, USSD interfaces, Payment ecosystem integration, agent banking capabilities, and card management services.
These functionalities are available to Fintechs like digital lenders and neobanks, as well as traditional banks like MFIs, Mortgage Banks, Consumer Lenders and Commercial Banks.
Currently, challenger and traditional banks in Africa are limited to using foreign technology solutions tailored for Western markets, and many of these solutions are hindered by prohibitive pricing, poor market fit and a lack of local tech support.
BankOne’s major differentiation lies in its fit-for-purpose functionality and integrations with the local ecosystem of third-party services. These characteristics in addition to ease of customization and availability of local support ensure that the platform seamlessly plugs into the needs of African Banks and Fintechs.
Ecobank Nigeria has announced the successful repayment of the outstanding principal and accrued interest on its original $300 million Eurobond due February 16, 2026, marking a significant milestone in its liability management strategy and overall balance sheet strengthening efforts.
Following the full repayment of the Eurobond obligations, the Bank stated that it will now focus its funding initiatives primarily on the domestic capital markets. T
his strategic shift reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s local debt market and aligns with Ecobank Nigeria’s long-term objective of optimising funding costs while deepening its participation in the domestic financial ecosystem.
“Going forward, Ecobank Nigeria will prioritise domestic credit ratings and local debt issuance to achieve its funding objectives,” stated Ogorchukwu Okwechime, Financial Controller, Ecobank Nigeria, in Lagos.
He added that the successful repayment reinforces the Bank’s commitment to maintaining a resilient balance sheet and sustaining investor confidence.
The tender offer was conducted with Renaissance Capital Africa (Renaissance Securities Nigeria Limited) acting as financial adviser and dealer manager, while Sodali & Co Limited served as tender agent.
The notes were originally issued by EBN Finance Company B.V., with limited recourse to the issuer, for the sole purpose of financing the purchase of the US$300 million 7.125 per cent Senior Note due 2026 issued by Ecobank Nigeria.
The transaction underscores Ecobank Nigeria’s proactive approach to liability management, prudent capital planning, and strategic alignment with evolving market conditions.
It further positions the Bank to leverage domestic funding opportunities while maintaining financial flexibility and operational stability.
Bank of Industry (BOI) has received approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to operate a Non-Interest Banking (NIB) Window.
Theodora Amechi, bank’s divisional head, Public Relations, said the regulatory nod allows BOI to launch non-interest banking operations, targeting underserved business segments with tailored financial solutions to support Nigeria’s industrial development.
BOI stated that NIB operations will promote inclusive growth, attract ethical funding, bolster the real economy, and finance customer assets and raw materials using approved non-interest products.
“This approval authorises BOI to commence Non-Interest Banking operations, positioning the bank to further advance Nigeria’s sustainable and inclusive industrial development through tailored financial solutions for underserved and high-impact business segments.
“The Non-interest Banking operations will enable BOI to drive inclusive growth, mobilise new ethical funding, expand support for the real economy, and align its financing activities with social and developmental objectives.
According to the bank, under this framework, BOI will be able to finance customers’ assets and raw materials using approved Non-Interest Banking products.
Announcing this milestone, Dr Olasupo Olusi, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry, said, “This licence marks a pivotal moment in the Bank’s journey of transforming Nigeria’s industrial sector. With this licence, we can reach a new category of borrowers who, before now, could not be served.”
He said the approval underscores the CBN’s confidence in the Bank’s commitment to responsible financing, adding that it will allow the bank to scale its operations, introduce innovative financing solutions, and deepen support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), as well as other underserved segments critical to Nigeria’s sustainable economic growth.
“BOI’s decision to commence Non-Interest Banking operations is aimed at expanding access to ethical funding for businesses—particularly those that have traditionally avoided conventional interest-based financing.
This initiative opens new opportunities for ethically motivated and faith-sensitive enterprises, as well as segments of the economy that face challenges accessing traditional credit.
It enables such businesses to access much-needed financing and participate confidently in the formal financial system in a manner consistent with their values and business realities.
Bank of Industry (BOI) is Nigeria’s foremost Development Finance Institution, committed to driving industrial growth and inclusive economic development,” Olusi said.
Established in 1959 as the Investment Company of Nigeria (ICON) and reconstituted as Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) under World Bank guidance in 1964.
The Bank assumed its current form in 2001 following the merger of the Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI) and the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND).
The Bank’s primary mandate is to provide financial assistance for the establishment and expansion of large, medium, small-scale, and micro projects.
Zenith Bank Plc has cautioned the public against fraudulent videos circulating online falsely claiming that Group Chairman Dr. Jim Ovia endorses an investment scheme called “Wealth Bridge.”
Jim Ovia
In a disclaimer issued Tuesday by its management, the bank described the videos—circulated via the “Greece Island” Facebook handle—as entirely fake, doctored content bearing no connection to Dr. Ovia, the bank, or its affiliates.
The materials falsely promise up to N2 million in weekly returns for a N380,000 investment, while baselessly alleging Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) endorsement and redirecting viewers to a sham “Arise News” webpage with a signup portal.
“Our attention has been drawn to a doctored video and still pictures currently circulating on social media, purporting to depict the Group Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc (‘the Bank’) as endorsing an investment scheme called ‘Wealth Bridge’ on the ‘Greece Island’ Facebook handle and soliciting members of the public to engage in a business relationship with the so-called entity,” the statement read.
“This claim is entirely false and has no connection whatsoever to the Group Chairman, the Bank or any of its affiliate companies.”
Zenith Bank stressed that Dr. Ovia and the institution have no knowledge of or partnership with “Wealth Bridge,” “delicious sitee,” “AfriQuantumX,” “Stock market analyst 1,” or related entities. The public was warned that dealing with these schemes carries full personal risk.
Ravenewsonline urges vigilance against rising impersonation scams targeting financial institutions.
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