E-Financial
Lagos, Bayelsa, Others Owe N1.86 Trillion
Lagos, Bayelsa and Cross Rivers States are top on the list of the states of the federation that are indebted to both local and foreign institutions to the tune of N1.86 trillion, according to a report by the Debt Management Office (DMO).
According to the report, Borno and Yobe least indebted while the liabilities of Oyo, Jigawa and FCT are unknown as at the end of June last year.
DMO said that the N1.86 trillion debts have put the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in dire financial straits in their bid to ensure development.
The figure was up from the N1.42 trillion level of December 2011.
A breakdown of the figure indicates that local or domestic debt obligations account for N1.186 trillion with the balance being the foreign debt liabilities.
Contractors’ liabilities top the chart on the debt table followed closely by commercial banks’ loans, bonds, pension and gratuity and government-to-government debt in that order.
The DMO’s report said: “The total public debt of the 36 states rose from N1.42 trillion as at December 31, 2011 to N1.86 trillion by June 2012. The marginal increase of about 3.32 per cent was as a result of slight increases in both the external and domestic debt stocks. As in 2011, domestic debt dominated the total public debt portfolio of the 36 states of the federation in June amounting for over 77 per cent of the total as it did in the previous year.”
The entire records of Oyo and Jigawa states’ liabilities and those of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration are the only data missing out in the report of the exercise begun some five years ago and concluded December last year by the DMO.
The three administrations reportedly didn’t co-operate much with the DMO during the exercise.
This, however, could not be confirmed yesterday, as all efforts to speak with top officials of the debt management agency were not successful.
The report titled “Five years of Effective Sub-National Debt Management in Nigeria” was obtained exclusively by The Guardian under strict confidentiality as members were still studying it preparatory to their meeting on the report next March 11.
The report listed Lagos State as the highest borrower with a contingent liability of N238.262 billion, comprising a local debt of N157,536 billion and a foreign component of N80.726 billion.
Lagos is followed by oil-rich Bayelsa State with a contingent liability of N167.173 billion, made up of a domestic debt stock of N162.822 billion and a foreign debt liability of N4.350 billion while Cross River State is placed third with a total public debt of N113.598 billion, consisting of a local debt component of N96.544 billion and foreign debt of N17.053 billion.
Next to Cross River is Rivers State, which as at June last year had contracted a total public debt of N112.229 billion made up of N106.880 billion local debt and N5.349 billion foreign debt. The state is followed by Delta State with a public debt of N93.304 billion, comprising a local debt of N90.843 billion and a foreign component of N2.46 billion. Imo and Kaduna states are next with total debts of N69.979 billion and N53.808 billion respectively.
Crisis-torn states of Borno and Yobe emerged the least indebted with Borno pulling the least public debt of N3 billion, consisting of N1.684 billion local debt and N1.894 billion foreign debt.
Yobe on the other hand has only contracted a debt toll of N6.939 billion, made up of N2.088 billion local debt and N4.851 billion external debt.
However, on a debt solvency and liquidity ratio analysis relative to revenue inflow to states, Cross River State is the heaviest debtor as it scores the highest burden rating of 138.86 per cent as at December 2011, representing her total public debt to total revenue ratio.
The state’s public revenue is put at N77.489 billion while its public debt is far above the figure at N107.600 billion. Also, on a scale of domestic debt stock analysis relative to Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR), Cross River polls 584 per cent, next to the highest ranked Bayelsa State, which pulled 1,712 per cent. Cross River’s domestic debt stock relative to IGR at the period was only N16.553 billion.
On the total public debt sustainability score, Bayelsa is next to Cross River with a burden score of 104.93 per cent and a debt stock of N167.123 billion relative to its revenue base of N159.278 billion while it has the highest domestic debt burden score of 1,712 per cent relative to its IGR. The state’s local debt stock at the time of the analysis was N162.822 billion while its IGR was a paltry N9.510 billion.
Lagos State is placed as the third risky state in the total public debt solvency analysis as it polled 73.21 per cent after Cross River and Bayelsa. Lagos public debt at the time was N234.608 billion while its revenue base was put at N320.474 billion.
It equally scored a ranking of 61 per cent on the domestic debt solvency analysis, as its domestic debt stock was N157.536 billion, relative to its IGR base of N257.419 billion.
Renaissance Capital Africa (Rencap) has named Zenith Bank Plc its top conviction pick among Nigerian banks, ahead of GTCO and AccessCorp, in a fresh research report highlighting the lender’s robust balance sheet and dividend potential despite sector headwinds.
Zenith Bank
The comprehensive review of the Nigerian banking industry notes that Zenith’s current market valuation lags its improving fundamentals, even as the NGX Banking Index posts strong gains recently.
Rencap upgraded Zenith from HOLD to BUY, lifting its target price by 96 per cent based on a lower risk-free rate from falling government bond yields, refined beta estimates, and expectations of cleaner assets post-forybearance resolutions.
Balance Sheet Strength Drives Outlook
Analysts project challenges to earnings growth from anticipated Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rate cuts but foresee higher dividend payouts from resolved forbearance and single obligor loan (SOL) exposures alongside rising cash profits.
“Although we expect banks to face challenges in growing earnings… the balance sheet clean-up… will support higher dividend payouts relative to prior years,” the report states, ranking Zenith first, followed by GTCO and AccessCorp.
Key positives include loan write-offs that bolstered asset quality, enabling sustainable growth amid financial system reforms.
Dividend Recovery in Focus
Sector profitability from 2023-2024 was inflated by unrealised foreign exchange gains, which regulations barred from cash dividends, capping payouts despite headline profits.
Zenith historically led payout ratios in 2021-2022 via strong cash generation and capital discipline; Rencap expects a rebound as pressures ease, attracting income-focused investors.
Tier-1 Leadership Reinforced
Zenith Bank recently topped Nigeria’s tier-1 capital rankings for the 16th straight year, per The Banker magazine (Financial Times), affirming its resilience and positioning for long-term value creation.
CBN
- Access Bank Plc
- Fidelity Bank Plc
- First Bank of Nigeria Ltd
- Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank)
- United Bank for Africa (UBA)
- Zenith Bank Plc
- FCMB (First City Monument Bank) – currently pushing to raise additional capital to secure its international licence.
- Wema Bank
- Standard Chartered Bank (Nigeria)
- Citibank Nigeria
- Stanbic IBTC Bank
- Sterling Bank
- Globus Bank
- Premium Trust Bank
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revised the minimum capital applicable to all categories of regulated capital market entities after 10 years.
The minimum capital review, according to the SEC, is informed by the need to strengthen market resilience, enhance investor protection, align capital adequacy with the evolving risk profile of market activities, and ensure that regulated entities possess sufficient financial capacity to discharge their obligations in a sustainable manner.
“The revised Minimum Capital framework seeks to: enhance the financial soundness and operational resilience of market operators; align capital requirements with the scope, complexity, and risk exposure of regulated activities; promote market stability and systemic risk mitigation; and support innovation and orderly development of new market segments, including digital assets and commodities markets,” SEC said in a January 16 circular to market operators.
The SEC circular was sent to all entities regulated by the Commission, including but not limited to core and non-core capital market operators; market infrastructure institutions; capital market consultants; financial technology (FinTech) operators; Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs); and Commodity market intermediaries.
All affected entities are required to comply with the revised Minimum Capital Requirements on or before June 30, 2027, the circular said.
“Entities that fail to meet the prescribed requirements within the stipulated timeline shall be subject to appropriate regulatory sanctions, including suspension or withdrawal of registration, as may be determined by the Commission,” SEC said.
Tier-1 Portfolio Managers (Full Scope) involved in the management of Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) and Alternative Investment Funds (Private Equity, Venture Capital, Infrastructure Funds etc) above N20 billion Net Asset Value (NAV), or discretionary and Non-Discretionary Private Portfolio Management Services above N20 billion Assets under Management (AuM), or exposure to foreign instruments up to 40 percent of the NAV are now required to have a minimum capital of N5 billion as against N150 million.
“Any Fund and Portfolio Manager with NAV/AuM of more than N100billion should have a minimum of 10 percent of the NAV/AuM as capital,” SEC added.
For the Tier-2 fund/portfolio managers (Limited Scope) who are in the business of management of Collective Investment Schemes with limited pooled fund creation of not more than 10 times the required capital (N20 billion) on Net Asset Value (NAV), or discretionary and non-discretionary private portfolio management services of not more than N20 billion, or those exposure to foreign instruments of not more than 20 percent of the NAV, now require N2 billion as minimum capital as against low of N150 million.
Likewise, broker-dealers whose services include: client execution, proprietary trading, margin/securities lending and advisory services no longer require N300 million minimum capital to operate but N2 billion.
The SEC said the minimum capital review from 2015 low is in line with its mandate under the Investments and Securities Act 2025 to regulate and develop the Nigerian capital market.
Also, Tier 1 issuing houses who do non-interest finance services, advisory & arrangement services but no underwriting now require N2 billion as against N200 million; while Tier 2 –issuing houses with underwriting and offers a ‘one-stop-shop’ for issuers, provides underwriting services, and renders advisory and product development services require N7 billion minimum capital for this business as against N200 million.
Also, the minimum capital requirement for brokers (client execution only) has been jacked up from N200 million to N600 million, while that of dealers (proprietary trading only) has been moved from N100 million to N1 billion.
Broker-Dealers’ (client execution, proprietary trading, margin/securities lending and advisory services) has been raised from N300 million to N2 billion, while Sub-Brokers’ (Digital) from N10million to N100million; Sub-Broker (Corporate) has been increased from N10million to N50 million. Also, sub-brokers’ (Individual) now need N10 million minimum capital for the business as against N2 million while inter-dealer brokers require N2 billion as against N50 million.
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