E-Financial
Nedbank of SA Buys $493m Stake in Ecobank

South Africa’s Nedbank said on Thursday it will acquire a 20 percent stake in pan-African lender Ecobank Transnational for $493 million in cash, ending months of speculation it could walk away from the deal over governance concerns.
The acquisition gives South Africa’s fourth-largest lender badly needed access to fast-growing sub-Saharan Africa, where it has lagged behind rivals. But the deal also puts it in the position of sharing its influence with Ecobank’s other strategic investor, Qatar National Bank (QNB).
QNB, which also harbours ambitions for African expansion, last month became the top shareholder in Ecobank with over 23 percent, although it is due to pare that back to 20 percent.
“Nedbank will be investing a very substantial amount of their energies into a business where they own a 20 percent stake and another bank with considerably deeper pockets owns an equal stake,” said Chris Steward, head of financials at Investec Asset Management.
“It’s a little bit like: ‘do you really want to renovate this house and make it look beautiful when you’re only renting ?'”
Togo-based Ecobank has a presence in nearly 40 sub-Saharan countries and is particularly strong in West African countries such as Nigeria, where its ATMs are a common sight on bustling streets and where it has a stock market listing.
Nedbank, which is majority owned by British insurer Old Mutual, gained the right to buy the stake under the terms of a 2011 loan to Ecobank. But a crisis over corporate governance that led to the departure of Ecobank’s chief executive in March raised questions about whether the deal would go through.
Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched an investigation last year after Ecobank’s financial director said she had been pressured to mis-state financial results. The regulator criticised weaknesses in the board’s ability to monitor management and oversee ethical behaviour.
Ecobank has made great strides on governance since, said Smit Crouse, Nedbank’s managing executive for Africa.
“We carefully watched how Ecobank, specifically their board and management, dealt with their governance issues,” Crouse said. “They’ve gone about it very diligently. They’ve been very transparent in terms of their communication.”
Nedbank said it will pay $493.4 million for 4.5 billion new Ecobank shares, valuing Ecobank at 10.93 U.S. cents a share, a 4 percent discount to its price on the Nigerian Stock Exchange at the end of September.
But shares in Nedbank fell 1.8 percent to 214 rand on news of the deal, as some investors worried that Nedbank was overpaying, even with that discount.
“I think they are taking the view, ‘we want this and we’re going to pay up to get it’,” said Abri du Plessis of Gryphon Asset Management in Cape Town.
“In the short term it may be a bit expensive but in the longer term, it should be good value.”
The acquisition is the biggest by a South African bank in six years, according to Thomson Reuters data. It is Nedbank’s biggest purchase since 2002, when its predecessor acquired lender BOE Ltd for $742 million.
Under the deal Ecobank will repay its $285 million loan to Nedbank, meaning it will be left with $208.4 million in cash.
E-Financial
Ecobank Nigeria to Fully Repay $300m Eurobond Ahead of Schedule

Ecobank Nigeria has moved to retire the remaining part of its $300 million Eurobond before maturity. The bank has launched a tender offer for holders of its 7.125% senior notes due February 2026.

The bank announced the offer on Friday, 28 November 2025, inviting investors to tender their holdings ahead of schedule. Of the original $300 million issuance, $150 million remains outstanding.
Under the terms, investors whose notes are accepted for repurchase will receive $1,000 for every $1,000 in principal, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the settlement date. The transaction is expected to be completed on or before 31 December 2025.
Ecobank said the early repayment move is part of a broader strategy to optimise its balance sheet and strengthen capital planning flexibility. The lender added that the tender offer gives investors an opportunity to exit the instrument ahead of the original February 2026 maturity.
In a statement, the bank said the initiative underscores its “commitment to transparent engagement with funding partners and investors,” stressing that the offer supports its long-term goal of maintaining a well-structured debt profile.
Participation in the programme is voluntary, and investors will make decisions based on their individual considerations, the bank added.
Ecobank emphasised that the announcement is for information only and does not constitute an offer to buy or sell securities. Eligible noteholders are expected to rely on the formal tender documents when deciding whether to take part.
E-Financial
Reps Give Banks Four-Day Ultimatum on Tax Deductions, Charges

The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating deductions of taxes and sundry charges from the earnings of civil and public servants has given commercial banks a four-day deadline to submit all requested documents.

House of Rep
The committee, chaired by Hon. Kelechi Nwogwu, issued the ultimatum at the commencement of its investigation, following a motion earlier moved by the House Chief Whip, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo, on alleged deductions from civil servants’ salaries.
Nwogwu insisted that Chief Executive Officers of affected financial institutions must appear in person before the panel, rejecting representatives sent by GT Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank and other banks.
He explained that the panel was mandated to ensure that all deductions of charges by banks on customers’ accounts were fair and properly applied.
The committee disclosed that invitations had also been extended to the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and all commercial banks operating in Nigeria.
“You cannot appear here without an identity. We are here on the mandate of the people who elected us into parliament. We have resolved to meet next week on Wednesday.
“You must submit all requested documents by Monday, May 1,” Nwogwu said.
He warned that any bank that failed to comply with the deadline would face sanctions, adding that the committee would put the CEOs on oath during the next sitting.
The investigation continues next week.
E-Financial
SEC Urges IST to Freeze all CBEX Bank Accounts in Nigeria

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has asked the Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST) to order the freezing of all bank accounts belonging to Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) and other defendants held in commercial banks and financial institutions across Nigeria.

The request was made in Suit No. IST/OA/02/2025: Securities and Exchange Commission & Anor v. Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) & 25 Others, the first case before the 6th Tribunal presided over by Hon. Aminu Jinaidu, Chairman of the IST.
SEC also urged the Tribunal to seize houses and other assets allegedly acquired by the defendants using proceeds obtained from the public through the CBEX investment scheme, which it said falsely operated as a digital assets platform and capital-market operator.
The Commission argued that CBEX, which is not registered with SEC, unlawfully promised investors a 100 percent return on investment within 30 days—conduct it said is in violation of Section 3(b) of the Investments and Securities Act, 2025.
SEC further disclosed that the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong had, on April 23, 2024, issued an advisory warning against CBEX, describing it as a suspicious virtual-asset entity. According to the advisory, CBEX adopted a name resembling that of a Chinese property-rights trading organisation to give investors false assurance, despite having no connection with the legitimate entity.
At Tuesday’s sitting, the Tribunal ordered that hearing notices be served on the defendants through national newspapers, as CBEX failed to appear and was not represented in court.
CBEX launched in Nigeria in July 2024, operating through a website and mobile app. It claimed to use advanced artificial intelligence to generate unusually high profits from cryptocurrency trading, promising returns of up to 100 percent within a 40- to 45-day lock-in period. The scheme later collapsed and was exposed as a Ponzi operation that reportedly defrauded investors of more than N1.3 trillion (about $800 million).
Hon. Jinaidu also presided over several other matters on the tribunal’s docket, including Benue Investments Property Co. Ltd & Anor v. Securities and Exchange Commission & 6 Others; Maven Asset Management Ltd v. Securities and Exchange Commission; John Makinde Onade & Anor v. First Registrars & Investors Services Ltd & Anor; and Securities and Exchange Commission & Anor v. Tourist Company of Nigeria PLC & 6 Ors. All the cases were adjourned to January 27, 2026.
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