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Diamond Bank’s Managers to Lose Jobs over Access Bank Acquisition

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Diamond Bank Plc’s acquisition by Access Bank will come at a heavy cost to the Diamond Bank management team, especially on job security.

 

The management team is likely to be disbanded.

 

“You cannot have two managing directors of a bank, domestic and foreign operations and even chief financial officers in one bank. One has to give way and the Diamond Bank staff will be the casualties. The Diamond Bank management team should know that their jobs are gone,” Richard Obire, a former chief at Diamond Bank said.

 

According to him, Access Bank is a very ambitious lender and that is one of the characteristics of its management team.

 

Obire said: “They want to be big, and perhaps, the biggest bank in Nigeria and that was presented to them on a platter of gold by the Diamond Bank opportunity. Diamond Bank is now a small bank compared to its peers. It is now a tier-3 bank. I do not know the terms of the transaction but they will lose their brand name.

 

“It is the reality of business. Diamond Bank has such a brilliant brand name and customer base and these are what Access Bank will inherit. The name Diamond Bank is gone forever and the next will be integration, which will lead to exit of the bank’s management team.”

 

An industry source told The Nation that Access Bank’s decision to acquire Diamond followed a presentation made to it last week by its financial advisers in London, which showed huge strengths inherent in Diamond Bank.

 

The board of Diamond Bank Plc yesterday finally announced its merger with Access Bank Plc.

 

Both banks recently denied The Nation’s exclusive report of November 12 on any merger plans.

 

In the report, this paper exclusively said: “It was gathered that both financial institutions have reached an agreement in broad terms on the acquisition. What is left is the valuation of assets, with a view to determining the level of compensation and systems’ integration, the sources said, pleading not to be named because they are not allowed to talk to the media on the matter.

 

“It was learnt that the development leading to the impending acquisition was triggered by Diamond Bank directors who approached Access Bank for intervention in a bid to stave off a possible regulatory intervention that could lead to the withdrawal of the lender’s operating licence in the light of the bank’s depleting capital adequacy ratio on account of a huge  Non Performing Loans (NPLs) portfolio put at over N150 billion.”

 

Uzoma Dozie, Diamond Bank’s chief executive officer said  the potential merger of the two banks would create Nigeria and Africa’s largest retail bank by customers.

 

He added that the transaction to be completed in the first half of 2019 was in the best interest of all stakeholders.

 

Dozie said the completion of the merger was subject to certain shareholder and regulatory approvals.

 

He said: “The proposed merger would involve Access Bank acquiring the entire issued share capital of Diamond Bank in exchange for a combination of cash and shares in Access Bank via a Scheme of Merger.

“Based on the agreement reached by the boards of the two financial institutions, Diamond Bank shareholders will receive a consideration of N3.13 per share, comprising N1 per share in cash.”

 

Dozie also said the transaction would include the allotment of two new Access Bank ordinary shares for every seven Diamond Bank ordinary shares held as at the implementation date.

 

“The offer represents a premium of 260 per cent to the closing market price of 87k per share of Diamond Bank on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as of Dec. 13, 2018, the date of the final binding offer,” Dozie said.

 

He said the bank’s shares would be absorbed into Access Bank at the completion of the merger and Diamond Bank would cease to exist under Nigerian law.

 

“The current listing of Diamond Bank’s shares on the NSE and the listing of Diamond Bank’s global depositary receipts on the London Stock Exchange will be cancelled, upon the merger becoming effective.

 

“The board of Diamond Bank believes that the proposed combination of the two operations provides an exciting prospect for all stakeholders in both businesses,” he said.

 

Herbert Wigwe , Access Bank chief executive officer said: “Access Bank has a strong track record of acquisition and integration and has a clear growth strategy.

 

“Access Bank and Diamond Bank have complementary operations and similar values, and a merger with Diamond Bank with its leadership in digital and mobile-led retail banking.

 

“This could accelerate our strategy as a significant corporate and retail bank in Nigeria and a Pan-African financial services champion.”


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E-Financial

Ecobank Nigeria to Fully Repay $300m Eurobond Ahead of Schedule

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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.

 


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Reps Give Banks Four-Day Ultimatum on Tax Deductions, Charges

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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.

Reps Give Banks Four-Day Ultimatum on Tax Deductions, Charges

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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.


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SEC Urges IST to Freeze all CBEX Bank Accounts in Nigeria

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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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