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CBN Reports $3.5bn Spent on Foreign Debt Servicing in Nine Months

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Nigerian federal government spent a total of $3.57 billion servicing the country’s foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024, a sharp increase of 39.7% from the $2.56 billion spent during the same period in 2023.

This spending is highlighted in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report on international payment statistics.

The highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, totaling $854.36 million, a significant rise from $641.69 million in July 2023. In contrast, the highest payment recorded in 2023 was $641.69 million in July, underscoring the growing debt burden.

A closer look at the monthly breakdown reveals notable fluctuations in debt servicing costs throughout the year. January saw a dramatic 389% increase in debt servicing costs, reaching $560.51 million, compared to just $112.34 million in January 2023. February and March showed slight declines, with February’s payments dropping 1.8% to $283.21 million and March’s falling 31.04% to $276.16 million.

The most significant increase came in May 2024, where Nigeria spent $854.36 million on debt servicing, marking a staggering 286.52% increase from $221.05 million in May 2023. On the other hand, June experienced a slight dip, with payments falling to $50.82 million from $54.35 million in June 2023. July recorded a 15.48% decline, while August also saw a decrease of 9.69%. However, September 2024 marked a 17.49% increase, with payments rising to $515.81 million from $439.06 million in the same month of 2023.

Debt management has been a growing concern for the country. In the second quarter of 2024, Nigeria’s public debt surged to N134 trillion, up by 10% from N121.67 trillion in the first quarter. Domestic debt rose to N71.22 trillion ($48.44 billion), while external debt stood at N63.07 trillion ($42.90 billion) as of June 2024.

 


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E-Financial

Kuda Microfinance Bank Releases ‘My Year on Kuda’ 2025 Financial Recap

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Kuda Microfinance Bank has unveiled the 2025 edition of “My Year on Kuda,” its annual recap providing customers with personalised insights into their spending, saving, and money management habits from the previous year.

Kuda Microfinance Bank Releases 'My Year on Kuda' 2025 Financial Recap

Kuda Microfinance Bank

The tool analyses transaction data across categories like transfers, card payments, online purchases, and bills, revealing patterns such as highest-spending months, biggest payments, saving frequency, and savings from Kuda’s 25 free monthly transfers. Customers can compare 2025 activity against 2024, including income versus expenditure.

In an era of inflation and economic uncertainty, the recap promotes financial literacy by highlighting responsible borrowing via Kuda Overdraft usage, including access frequency, amounts borrowed, and repayment patterns.

Customer-shared screenshots on X reflect national trends: Nigeria recorded over 2.2 billion electronic transactions worth ₦285 trillion in Q1 2025, up 20 percent year-on-year, with POS terminals driving the shift to cashless commerce.

Kuda Group CEO Babs Ogundeyi, in the recap’s opening video, urged users: “Before you carry on with January, this is the perfect time to see everything you did with your money on Kuda last year and learn something.”

The feature underscores Kuda’s focus on actionable insights to help Nigerians navigate evolving personal finance amid shifting earning and spending behaviours.


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Wema Bank Launches SAW AI Voice Assistant for Seamless Banking on ALAT 2.0

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Wema Bank has introduced SAW, a new AI voice assistant integrated into the ALAT 2.0 app, allowing customers to manage finances through natural voice commands similar to Siri, Bixby, or Alexa.

Wema Bank Launches SAW AI Voice Assistant for Seamless Banking on ALAT 2.0

Wema Bank

SAW understands everyday language and delivers instant responses tailored to banking needs, such as checking account balances, transferring money, reviewing transactions, and accessing support.

This feature brings conversational banking to Nigerian users, eliminating complexity and enhancing accessibility.

The bank positions SAW as a pioneer in AI-powered financial services, aligning with global trends where millions interact daily with voice assistants for tasks like setting reminders or playing music.

ALAT 2.0 represents the next evolution in digital banking, making services more efficient, personal, and human-like for everyday Nigerians.


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Ecobank Offsets Repayment of $300m Eurobond Notes

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Ecobank Nigeria Limited has fully repaid bondholders who validly tendered their notes ahead of the February 2026 maturity date.

Ecobank Offsets Repayment of $300m Eurobond Notes

The bank announced the successful completion of its tender offer, under which it prepaid approximately $245 million of its $300 million Eurobond, representing more than 80 per cent of the total issuance.

According to a statement, the transaction relates to the 7.125 per cent Senior Note Participation Notes due February 2026.

Ecobank Nigeria Limited said it launched a tender offer to eligible noteholders in respect of the outstanding $150 million on the bond on November 27, 2025, providing them with an opportunity to redeem their holdings ahead of the original maturity date of 16 February 2026.

It stated that the early and late tender participation deadlines were 11 December 2025 and 29 December 2025, respectively.

According to the bank, holders of notes validly tendered and accepted received a cash consideration of $1,000 per $1,000 in principal amount, in addition to accrued interest from the last interest payment date up to, but excluding, the final settlement date of 31 December 2025.

Following completion of the offer, the bank said the outstanding principal amount of the notes has been reduced to approximately $55.092 million.

The bank also stated that the initiative reflects Ecobank Nigeria’s proactive approach to liability management and prudent balance sheet optimisation.

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 $300 million 7.125 per cent Senior Note due 2026 issued by Ecobank Nigeria Limited.


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