E-Financial
Access Bank Reiterates Commitment to Technological Innovation with Sponsorship of Nigeria FinTech Week 2020
Access Bank has shown its commitment to advancing the frontiers of industry agnostic technological innovation across Africa with Nigeria in focus.
This position is entrenched by Access Bank’s sponsorship of the Nigerian Fintech week 2020. The week long event sought to highlight FinTech as a solution to problems across different industries including health, agriculture and logistics.
Speaking at the event, Ade Bajomo, the Executive Director for Information Technology and Operations at Access Bank Plc, said, “Access Bank is committed to positively impacting lives and building the economy through technology.
“For years, the Bank has invested in several initiatives geared towards improving access to tecnological innovations while providing platforms for tech enthusiasts to innovate and make massive impact on the society.”
One of such innovation is Facepay which is a pioneer solution in Africa that captures the face of an individual and leverages same to grant access to financial services for the unbanked, make instore payments seamlessly at merchant locations and subsequently build queless branches.
Furthermore, Ade Bajomo spoke about how various Digital identity systems are leveraged across the world to provide economic inclusion for 1 Billion people who are estimated to lack access to financial services because they do not have a form of legally recognised Identity.
The foremost example was how India’s Aadhaar identity management programme which has 1.2 billion indians has been leveraged for financial inclusion,direct beneficiary programmes, humanitarian assistance, AML compliance and cost savings in Government processes.
He stated that Nigeria has a lot to learn from this and Access Bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital identity systems to promote economic inclusion.
Mr Bajomo also added that “By partnering with the Africa Fintech Foundry and sponsoring a momentous occasion like the Nigerian FinTech Week, the Bank is contributing to the strides that we are experiencing in the Fintech landscape and to the growth of the economy at large.
“This is done through thought leadership, acceleration and incubation of tech start-ups, hosting of hackathons and delivering digital products tailored to the African market. Through these interventions, other sectors of the economy would be able to experience a 360-degree growth as well.”
Further cementing Access Bank’s involvement in the Fintech, Mr Ade Bajomo was inaugurated as the new President of FintechNGR at the 2020 AGM of the association.
Speaking after his inaugauration , he stated that he would work with members of the association and the industry to create solutions, employment, wealth and capacity, as well as position Nigeria as a leading market for global FinTech Innovation and Investment.
In his capacity as president, Mr Bajomo will be tasked with furthering the strategic mandate of the association to accelerate, connect and advocate with all stakeholders which includes Members of Fintech Association of Nigeria, innovators and Fintech thought leaders, techpreneurs, Venture capitalists, accelerators, the Regtech Community, other Fintech associations and other well meaning partners who can help the association realize its ambitions.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) has informed its customers that, in compliance with a new directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from bank accounts, effective June 3, 2025.
In a notice sent to customers, the bank explained that the charges would now be deducted directly from users’ mobile airtime balances, in line with the NCC’s newly introduced End-User Billing (EUB) framework.
It said the new model aimed to ensure transparency in USSD transactions and shift billing responsibility to mobile network operators.
According to UBA, each USSD session would now cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, saying that customers initiating transactions would receive a prompt to provide consent at the start of each session, and airtime would only be debited if the bank is available to process the request.
The bank advised customers who are not comfortable with the new billing arrangement to opt for other digital banking alternatives such as the UBA mobile app and internet banking platform, which remain fully operational and user-friendly.
UBA reaffirmed its commitment to providing secure and accessible digital services, and encouraged customers to choose the channel that best suits their banking needs.
The policy marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s digital banking ecosystem and is expected to address longstanding disputes over USSD service charges between telecom operators and financial institutions.
E-Financial
Fitch Upgrades Fidelity Bank’s National Rating to ‘A+(nga)’, Affirms Long-Term IDR at ‘B’
Global credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings, has affirmed Fidelity Bank Plc’s Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘B’ and upgraded its National Long-Term Rating to ‘A+(nga)’ from ‘A(nga)’.
The upgrade, announced on May 29, 2025, reflects the bank’s strengthened capital buffers and improved profitability, signaling continued positive momentum in its performance.
According to Fitch, the rating upgrade is underpinned by Fidelity Bank’s successful capital raise through a rights issue and public offer, as well as a notable improvement in profitability—driven by higher interest income and a stable base of low-cost current and savings deposits.
Commenting on the announcement, Managing Director/CEO of Fidelity Bank, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said, “This upgrade by Fitch Ratings affirms the resilience of our business model, the strength of our risk management practices, and our unwavering focus on delivering sustainable value to stakeholders.
Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, we have continued to maintain strong asset quality, solid profitability, and ample liquidity. This recognition reinforces our position as one of Nigeria’s most resilient and customer-focused financial institutions.”
One of the key drivers of the improved rating is the bank’s robust capitalization. Fitch reports that Fidelity’s Fitch Core Capital (FCC) ratio rose to 29.9% at the end of 2024—well above the regulatory minimum. The agency also noted that further capital raising efforts are expected to position the bank to meet the ₦500 billion minimum capital requirement for internationally licensed banks before the 2025 deadline.
Fidelity Bank’s market positioning remains strong. As Nigeria’s sixth-largest bank, it commands approximately 5% of total banking sector assets. The bank’s balance sheet is reinforced by a high proportion of low-cost deposits, which accounted for 93% of total deposits as of year-end 2024—among the highest in the Nigerian banking industry.
The affirmation and upgrade by Fitch is expected to enhance investor confidence and support Fidelity’s continued efforts to scale its operations both locally and internationally.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine.
Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public against investing in unregistered investment schemes, including Silverkuun Investment Cooperative Society/Silverkuun Limited.
In a circular issued in Abuja, yesterday, the commission said its attention had been drawn to the activities of these entities, which falsely present themselves as investment advisers and fund managers in the Nigerian capital market.
“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of Silverkuun Investment Cooperative Society/Silverkuun Limited which holds itself out as an Investment Adviser/Fund Manager.
“The Commission hereby informs the public that Silverkuun Investment Cooperative Society/Silverkuun Limited is not registered to operate in any capacity in the Nigerian Capital Market.”
SEC advised the public to refrain from engaging with Silverkuun Investment Cooperative Society/Silverkuun Limited or its representatives in respect of any business in the Nigerian capital market.
“The Commission uses this medium to reiterate that transacting in the Nigerian Capital Market with unregistered and unregulated entities exposes investors to financial risk including fraud and potential loss of investment.
“The investing public is therefore reminded to verify the status of companies and entities offering investment opportunities on the Commission’s portal before transacting with them,” the SEC added.
Dr. Emomotimi Agama, director-general of the SEC, recently warned that the Commission would not hesitate to shut down the operations of such unregistered entities while also ensuring that the promoters are made to face the full weight of the law.
Agama said, “we will shut down their operations and the promoters will be made to face the full weight of the law.
“In a major reform, ISA 2025 officially brings digital assets under the SEC’s regulatory purview, defining them as securities and mandating registration for all virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and digital asset exchanges. This development aims to close the regulatory vacuum that has allowed many Ponzi-style platforms to thrive under the guise of cryptocurrency and digital finance.”
Agama also emphasized the Commission’s education-focused strategy to combat fraud through podcasts, digital campaigns, and the introduction of capital market literacy in schools and universities, the SEC aims to equip Nigerians with the knowledge to detect and avoid dubious investments.
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