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CBN Worries as Oil Fortunes Dwindles, GDP Contrasts to 6.58%

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The Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) monetary policy committee has stated that the Nigerian gross domestic product (GDP) rate declined from 7.43 per cent in 2011 to 6.58 per cent in 2012.

Arising from its two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, the apex bank said the decline was partly driven by the oil sector which contracted by 0.91 per cent.

“The major driver of overall growth, therefore, remained the non-oil sector, with agriculture; wholesale and retail trade; and services contributing 1.37, 2.19 and 2.10 percentage points, respectively.”

In a Communique issued at the end of the meeting, the MPC stated that it was “concerned that the declining contribution of the oil sector to growth, which became apparent in the second half of 2011, continued in Q4 2012. Crude oil production, including condensates and natural gas liquids, decreased by 37,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February 4,  2013 to 2.035m bpd compared with the level of 2.072m bpd attained in December 2012.

“Oil theft in the Niger-Delta remained a source of concern. The Committee was also concerned that the decline in the growth rate of agricultural output which started in the 4th quarter of 2011 continued up to the end of 2012.

The Committee was of the view that although the GDP growth projection remained high, there were a number of risk factors that were likely to affect output performance.

“These include perception of increased levels of corruption and impunity in the country, insecurity particularly in the northern part of the country, as well as mixed signals from power and petroleum sector reforms.”

The CBN however had some cheering news, as it noted “upswing in activities in the capital market, as equities market indicators all trended upwards in the review period. The All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 17.3 per cent from 28,078.81 on December 31, 2012 to 32, 950.08 on March 15, 2013 while Market Capitalization (MC) rose by 17.5 per cent, from N8.97 trillion to N10.54 trillion.

The Committee, however, observed that the improved performance was largely induced by the substantial portfolio inflows, as foreign investors took advantage of the favourable domestic environment brought about by the high yield on government debt instruments, and stability in the naira exchange rate.

Chaired by Lamido Sanusi Lamido, governor of the Central Bank,  the MPC also noted the wide spread between deposits and lending rates, which it attributed to the inefficiencies in the market requiring institutional and structural reforms that would enforce behavioural change on the market, consistent with the long term needs of the economy.

“The Committee was of the view that sustainable low lending rates, could be achieved if the necessary infrastructure such as stable power and good roads, amongst others, were put in place.

The Committee noted that the present infrastructural condition has always provided an incentive for asymmetric response on the part of the banks to the policy rate in a manner that was not always beneficial to the small and medium customers.

With respect to the price level, the Committee observed that the rising pressure in February after a significant moderation in January, was indicative of the fact that there were some underlying factors that could constitute a threat to inflation in the medium term.”


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E-Financial

Flutterwave Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

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Flutterwave has transformed from a modest Lagos venture into one of Africa’s most valuable fintech firms, processing billions in transactions yearly across 30+ countries and 150+ currencies.

Flutterwave Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

Flutterwave

Founded in 2016 by Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, and Adeleke Adekoya, it tackled Africa’s fragmented payments—siloed banks, mobile money gaps, and unreliable cross-border flows—with a unified API for seamless collections, payouts, and settlements.

Founding Vision

The trio spotted the pain: Aboyeji’s Andela faced border delays; Agboola drew from PayPal/Google; Adekoya handled compliance. Early wins included Uber Nigeria payouts from a Lekki co-working space, proving scalability amid lean ops.

Growth Milestones

  • 2017–2020: $10M seed/Series A fueled West Africa push; Agboola took CEO helm post-Aboyeji; COVID boosted e-commerce volumes.

  • 2021–2022: Unicorn at $1B+ (Series C, $170M); $3B+ valuation (Series D, $250M); partnerships with Microsoft, Uber; Send App for US diaspora.

  • 2025–2026: Profitability focus yields better margins; 34 US licenses; Mono acquisition ($25–40M) bolsters open banking.

Challenges Overcome

Regulatory hurdles hit: Kenya 2022 freeze (cleared); Nigeria fraud claims (resolved, controls enhanced); culture probes led to reforms with ex-Mastercard/Stripe hires. These underscore multi-jurisdiction risks like FX curbs and cyber threats.

Nigeria’s Fintech Role

Flutterwave anchors alongside Paystack (Stripe-owned), Moniepoint, amid CBN cash curbs and AfCFTA trade boosts. Dual HQ in Lagos/SF eyes IPO post-profitability, cementing it as Africa’s payments backbone.


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CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

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Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has pledged its full support to the Association of Corporate and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) following a high-level strategic meeting between the leadership of both bodies.

CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

New ACAMB Leadership

The high profile meeting, which took place on Tuesday at the CIBN Building, Lagos, served as a formal introduction of the new ACAMB Executive Committee to the CIBN leadership and marked the beginning of a renewed collaborative alliance.

Leading a delegation of the newly inaugurated ACAMB EXCO and Board of Trustees, the President, Jide Sipe, described the visit as a crucial first step in his tenure, aimed at contributing significantly in giving flight to his vision and that of ACAMB.”

“When we assumed office, one of the first things we agreed on was the need to visit key stakeholders”

“However, before reaching out more broadly, we felt it was important to begin with our primary constituency and core stakeholders. We want them to understand the direction we are taking and to support the work we are doing, so that ACAMB can achieve greater success than it has in the past”

“We couldn’t have properly started our tenure without this very important meeting with the CIBN,” Sipe stated

Sipe introduced the newly constituted ACAMB Exco, which includes, the 2nd Vice President, Morolake Phillip-Ladipo; General Secretary, Olugbenga Owootomo, Assistant General Secretary, Ademola Adeshola; Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Coker, and Executive Secretary, Fadekemi Ajakaiye

During his address, Sipe unveiled an ambitious roadmap for the association, highlighting a new direction focused on youth engagement, professional development, and industry advocacy.

Responding, the CIBN President, Professor Pius Deji Olanrewaju, who warmly received the ACAMB team, commended their forward-thinking vision as he noted that, the association would be focusing on critical areas such as reputational management, sustainable corporate practices, and governance reforms

Olarenwaju also commended ACAMB’s collaboration with CIBN in information management, saying it had raised standards across Nigeria’s banking sector.

“ACAMB’s support has given CIBN and the banking sector brand equity,” he said, praising the association’s record in reputation management.

He recalled ACAMB’s role in addressing crises within the sector, describing the partnership as strategic and beneficial.

He further pledged support for ACAMB’s 30th anniversary in September 2026, its AGM, and other programmes, including fundraising initiatives.

Olarenwaju also promised backing for ACAMB’s capability development and undergraduate mentorship schemes.

“I want to assure you that everything you have presented today has been clearly noted and will be acted upon”

“We are fully committed to working closely with you so as to translate these discussions and vision into measurable progress. Our shared goal is to strengthen the sector, protect its reputation, and enhance its public image in a meaningful and lasting way”

“This meeting discussed various initiatives and reforms crucial for the future of our industry, including the need for continuous training and adaptation to new programs,” Prof. Olanrewaju said.

The meeting concluded on a high note, with both parties expressing gratitude and a firm commitment to deepening their collaboration for the advancement of the banking industry in Nigeria.


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Kuda Bank Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

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Kuda Microfinance Bank partnered with Lovers & Frnds for a Valentine’s edition event on Sunday, February 15, at Space Hub Lekki, Lagos, redefining celebrations around love, friendship, and social connections beyond romance.

Kuda Bank Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

Kuda Bank

The R&B-themed gathering drew couples, friend groups, and solo attendees with music sets from DJs like TGarbs, games, gift exchanges, and colour-coded tags—red for relationships, yellow for mingling singles, orange for non-minglers—to spark easy interactions.

Kuda activated a branded photo booth, merchandise giveaways, prize activities, and complimentary drinks for Premium loyalty tier customers, while vendors used Kuda Business POS terminals for seamless cashless payments.

Senior Brand Manager Emmanuel Femi-Adejobi said: “We partner with experiences matching our customers’ lifestyles in music and entertainment, creating spaces they genuinely connect with—we’ll keep supporting how they live and celebrate.”


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