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EcobankPay, Xpresspoint Agents Leveraging Technology to Expand Financial Inclusion – Akinwuntan

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Patrick Akinwuntan, managing director, Ecobank Nigeria, has disclosed that the Bank is leveraging technology to push the frontiers of financial inclusion of the unbanked and under-banked in the country.

The Managing Director said this in his keynote presentation at the Vanguard Economic Forum series on mobile money market and Fintech, with the theme, ‘Leveraging Fintech Innovation for Unlocking Growth and Competitiveness in Nigeria’s Mobile & Payment Ecosystem’ held in Lagos.

He pointed out that Nigeria which has improved financial inclusion from 47% to 63% in the last decade, remains a dynamic market with a lot of opportunities for digital financial expansion.

He stated that Ecobank has built an ecosystem that leverages digital technology to bring affordable, easy and convenient financial services to the people and businesses.

According to him, Ecobank is currently pushing EcobankPay, Xpress Agency Points and other digital platforms as key solutions to address the rapid shift to mobile payment and the adoption of digital channels across the country.

He described EcobankPay as  “a lifestyle scan and pay digital payment and collection service which accepts payments from other platforms – mVisa, Masterpass and mCash. Payment can be made with any phone by scanning the QR code or using USSD at merchant locations.

“It’s a unique offering, is its interoperability, that is, all bank customers in Nigeria can pay through their accounts in other banks.  It is free to set up, as the shop owner only needs his/her QR code and phone for notifications to start receiving quick and easy payments.

Merchant QR can also be set up via Facebook Messenger as well as USSD payment for low-income phone users”

He noted that EcobankPay “is currently available at over 90,000 merchant locations across the country. This is in addition to over 6,000 Xpress point agent locations in the country. Also, we have over 8 million mobile banking subscribers across the Ecobank Group. Our Ecobank Mobile App is unique, as it is one universal app available in 33 countries where we operate in Africa.

“Furthermore, Ecobank has so far set up EcobankPay Zones in over 50 locations in different parts of the country. These are digital hubs enabling businesses within a location adopt Ecobank’s wide range of digital products for ease of payments for goods and services. The payment options at the zones include EcobankPay, Xpress points, Automated Teller Machines (ATMS) and Point of Sale (PoS)”.

Mr. Akinwuntan said also that the banks’ strategy includes collaboration with Fintechs to surmount the financial inclusion and adoption of financial services challenge. Quoting the Efina fintech 2018 report, he noted that “there is an increased partnership with Fintechs as Nigeria is currently home to over 250 Fintechs and approximately 60% of them supporting payments and lending capabilities.

“The cumulative Fintech funding by banks in Nigeria has surpassed $250m in the past five years, he pointed out.

“Ecobank hosts an annual Africa Fintech challenge and we are providing support infrastructure for Fintechs that excel at the challenge.

“At Ecobank our vision and mission focus on providing Africans affordable and easy to access financial products and services. We believe innovation and technology could help remove barriers to 24/7 access to financial services through the use of self-service applications.“

He also noted that increasing mobile phone penetration has been a key enabler whilst the positive regulatory regime of the Central Bank is driving financial inclusion and seamless payment services initiatives in the country.

While commending Vanguard newspaper for organizing the event and choice of the theme and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s various initiatives targeted at promoting and creating an enabling environment for mobile banking to thrive in the country, he made case for collaboration of all stakeholders to achieve the desired result.

Musa Jimoh, Deputy Director, Payment System Department, CBN, in his goodwill message at the forum said: “Cost of service is one of the reasons why people refuse to use some banking services including mobile money.

“So we came out with guidelines to bank charges to make sure that we regulate the charges and we have also come out with some other initiatives under the cashless scheme to see how we can bring people to the digital channel and reduce the high cost of operations in the bank.

“There are several initiatives that CBN is pushing to ensure the mobile money operators grow and help us deepen financial inclusion.”

Earlier in her presentation, Professor Olayinka David-West, Academic Director, Lagos Business School, LBS, explained that financial inclusion is the access to unleash affordable financial services to the huge population of the unbanked and the under-banked in the society.

She stated: “Affordable financial service is important because not everybody can afford to pay for account maintenance of N500 a month.

“To address financial inclusion, innovation is important because it will help us address the easy access to financial services. It has nothing to do with literacy; it is about how do we design it knowing the capabilities of the people we are trying to serve.”

Ecobank is a leading pan-African bank with an unrivalled platform in Africa. Its vision is to build a world-class Pan African bank contributing to the socio-economic development of Africa, while also providing customers convenient accessible and reliable


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E-Financial

Africa Prudential Launches Sabivest to Boost Digital Investment Access

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Africa Prudential Plc has launched Sabivest, a digital shareholder and investment management application, as part of efforts to deepen access to investment opportunities and enhance transparency in Nigeria’s capital market.

Unveiled in Lagos, the platform is designed to provide investors with a centralised system for managing shareholdings and tracking portfolio performance across multiple investment products.

At the launch, the Chairperson of Africa Prudential Plc, Christabel Onyejekwe, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to leveraging innovation to improve investor experience and participation.

“Sabivest provides a unified ecosystem that enables individuals and institutions to seamlessly access, monitor and grow diversified financial assets through a single interface,” she said, describing the platform as a significant step in advancing digital transformation within the capital market.

The Managing Director, Catherine Nwosu, noted that the application, which is available for download on both iOS and Android platforms, was developed to address structural challenges that have continued to limit investor efficiency, including fragmented investment accounts, restricted access to diverse financial instruments, and inadequate visibility into portfolio performance.

According to her, the platform aggregates multiple investment services, offering users real-time insights and control through a centralised dashboard.

She added that Sabivest features consolidated portfolio views, performance tracking, asset allocation insights, and electronic dividend management, alongside tools for monitoring, documenting, and recovering unclaimed dividends.

The launch also featured a roundtable session themed, “Building Trust and Driving Innovation in Nigeria’s Capital Market,” where stakeholders emphasised the importance of technology-driven solutions in strengthening investor confidence and expanding market participation.


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Transcorp Excites Shareholders with ₦20.3 Billion Dividend @20th AGM

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Transnational Corporation Plc (“Transcorp Group” or the “Company”) (NGX: TRANSCORP), Africa’s leading listed conglomerate with strategic investments in power, hospitality and energy, has declared a total dividend of ₦20,323,995,148, representing ₦2.00 per share to its shareholders, at its 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at the new state-of-the-art Transcorp Centre Abuja.

Group Chairman, Mr Tony O. Elumelu, CFR; President/Group CEO,, Mrs. Owen D. Omogiafo, OON; and Company Secretary, Ms. Atinuke Kolade, during the 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Transnational Corporation Plc( Transcorp Group) held in Abuja at the weekend

The total dividend comprises an interim dividend payment of ₦4,064,799.030, representing 40 kobo per share, paid in August 2025, together with a final dividend of ₦16,259,196,118, equivalent to ₦1.60 per share.

At the AGM, where the shareholders approved the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, the Group Chairman of Transcorp Plc, Mr Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, restated the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable long-term value creation as shareholders commended the conglomerate and its management for sustained performance.

In 2025, the Group, with a combined market capitalisation of ₦4.78 trillion ($3.52 billion) as of May 7, 2026, recorded strong year-on-year growth across all key metrics. Revenue increased by 33% to ₦544 billion (FY 2024: ₦408 billion). Profit Before Tax rose 31% to ₦179.5 billion (FY 2024: ₦136.7 billion), while Profit After Tax surged 44% to ₦135.9 billion (FY 2024: ₦94.1 billion)

Group Chairman, Mr Tony O. Elumelu, CFR; President/Group CEO,, Mrs. Owen D. Omogiafo, OON; and Company Secretary, Ms. Atinuke Kolade, during the 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Transnational Corporation Plc( Transcorp Group) held in Abuja at the weekend

Mr. Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, Group Chairman, Transnational Corporation Plc said: “Transcorp Group remains firmly focused on strong corporate governance and the disciplined execution of its strategic priorities to deliver sustainable, long-term value. Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, the Group continues to benefit from its diversified portfolio, which has underpinned resilient financial performance in 2025.

Mrs. Owen D. Omogiafo, OON, President/Group CEO, Transnational Corporation Plc said: “FY 2025 was a year defined by disciplined execution, strategic resolve, and resilient performance. Transcorp Group is committed to resolving the energy crisis in Nigeria; we have an energy situation, and the gap between the demand and supply is still very wide. Hence, we will continue to work assiduously and tirelessly towards bridging that gap, creating value for the wider country.

In our hospitality business, the 5,000-seat capacity Transcorp Centre hosting us today is a testament to our disciplined execution, and you will see more in the coming years.

While commenting on the performance, one of the shareholders, Mrs E. O. Obideyi, commended the management of Transcorp Group, saying, “I commend the management and staff of Transcorp for sustained performance year-on-year. While we appreciate the Board, I am also extending my commendation to the members of staff of Transcorp for a job well done.”

Another Shareholder, Mr Moses Igrude, commended the Board, Management and Staff of Transcorp Plc. He said: “I appreciate the vision behind Transcorp and what it has become. When I look at the history, and how far it has come under Mr Tony Elumelu’s leadership, I am proud that the aim and objectives are being achieved. That payoff line, ‘Improving lives and transforming Africa,’ is a reality we are witnessing.

Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group) is one of Africa’s leading listed conglomerates, with strategic investments in power, hospitality and energy, driven by its mission to improve lives and transform Africa.

The Group’s power businesses — Transcorp Power Plc and Transafam Power — provide over 20% of Nigeria’s installed power capacity. Transcorp is also advancing Nigeria’s domestic energy value chain through its investment in OPL281. Its hospitality subsidiary, Transcorp Hotels Plc, owns the iconic Transcorp Hilton Abuja and the landmark Transcorp Centre Abuja.


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IMF Fears AI-Powered Cyberattack Could Spark Global Financial Crisis

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International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly increasing the danger of cyberattacks on the global financial system.

IMF Fears AI-Powered Cyberattack Could Spark Global Financial Crisis

Pic credit… saturnpartners

According to a blog post from the IMF, these AI-driven threats could turn isolated security breaches into severe economic disruptions, potentially freezing payments, shaking markets, and undermining public trust in banks worldwide.

In its analysis, the fund highlighted a specific example involving the controlled release of an advanced AI model called Claude Mythos Preview by Anthropic.

The IMF noted that this model demonstrated the ability to identify and exploit weaknesses in all major operating systems and web browsers, even when used by individuals without specialized expertise.

The IMF cautioned that AI could heighten risk concentration within the financial system.

A single exploited vulnerability might cascade across numerous institutions simultaneously due to heavy reliance on a limited number of cloud providers, software platforms, and AI models.

Such events could escalate from operational issues to macro-financial shocks, triggering confidence crises, liquidity problems, and fire-sale dynamics in markets. The organization also acknowledged that AI forms part of the solution.

As attackers operate at machine speed, financial institutions are deploying their own AI-assisted tools for threat detection, fraud prevention, and faster incident response.

The IMF highlighted a geopolitical dimension to the threat, noting that cyber risk crosses national borders and that inconsistent oversight among countries could weaken the globally interconnected financial system.

Emerging economies, often with limited resources, may face disproportionate exposure.

The fund urged policymakers to treat cybersecurity as a core financial stability concern rather than a technical or operational matter.

It called for prioritization of resilience standards, systemic supervision, and international coordination to contain breaches before they spread.


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