Connect with us

E-Financial

NOVA Merchant Bank Holds 3rd AGM Virtually

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Nova Merchant Bank on Thursday, May 7, embraced digital technology as the financial institution held its third Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually at its head office in Victoria Island, Lagos.

NOVA Merchant Bank Holds 3rd AGM Virtually

The meeting was held virtually in strict adherence with stipulations by the Federal and state government in a bid to limit the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic currently ravaging the world.

The meeting which was led by Mr. Phillips Oduoza, chairman, NOVA Merchant Bank, had in attendance Mr Anya Duroha, managing director; Mr. Nnadozie Ohaji, company secretary;  board of directors; Shareholders, as well as representatives from key financial regulatory organisations including the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Shareholders at the meeting lauded the innovative concept of the virtual meeting, which according to them, showed that the bank is ahead in keeping up with the times, while ensuring continuous safety of both staff and shareholders.

They also commended its impressive performance and urged the bank to continue the growth trajectory notwithstanding the current macroeconomic headwinds occasioned by the coronavirus and drop in oil price.

While presenting the bank’s financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2019, Oduoza noted that the bank reported a significant improvement in all the key financial indices compared to 2018 achievements.

He attributed this growth to the successful execution of the 2019 strategic plan in line with the key strategic pillars to position the bank as a market leader by 2025.

“While we acknowledge the present macro-economic landscape and its concerns, and even though we see that the situation remains very fluid, It is our firm belief that the COVID-19 crisis will also result in several opportunities for the Bank, as industry dynamics evolve,” Oduoza said.

He assured the shareholders that the Bank will continue to focus on digital banking, provision of long-term funding, wholesale and investment banking while maintaining a lean operating philosophy.

Also speaking, Duroha, managing director/chief executive officer said, 2019 was the year in which the Bank’s business made major leaps due to the resilience and commitment of our employees.

He said, “I am pleased to inform you that your investments in the Bank have continued to record double digit growth along all major parameters. This clearly demonstrates the level of confidence in the Bank and our offerings especially given the competitive nature of the banking industry and our relative newness in the market.

“We were able to deliver these impressive results as we remained focused on our mission of creating superior value in the markets we serve and keeping our customers at the center of our business. I believe this performance is sustainable by maintaining our relentless focus on providing a superior customer experience,” Duroha stated.

According to the MD, some of these key achievements include growth in deposits by 523%, growth in loan book by 1106%, increase in total assets by 155% and rise in profit after tax by 43% over the 2018 performance, adding that the customer base scaled up by 72%  while the cost to income ratio dropped by 8% over 2018.

At the meeting, the shareholders also approved the reappointment of two retiring directors and urged the board to continue to steer the bank in the right direction.

NOVA Merchant Bank offers an integrated suite of financial solutions covering Wholesale Banking, Investment Banking, Asset Management, Wealth Management, Trade Services, Transaction Banking, Cash Management and Digital Banking.


Kindly share this post

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

E-Financial

Lagos State Appoints MoneyMaster as Payment Partner for “Ounje Eko” Programme

Published

on

Kindly share this post

“Ounje Eko”, the food price discount initiative of the Lagos State Government, has appointed leading payment service bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank Limited (MMPSB), as its collaborator in the bid to ensure ease of payments at the market.

MoneyMaster is one of the Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Payment Service Banks (PSBs) to promote financial inclusion across Nigeria.

Under the partnership, MMPSB will apply its cutting-edge payment solution to engender easy payment and reconciliation in order to make   the experiences of Lagosians who will be getting their food supplies from the markets pleasurable. Its payment solution is also all-encompassing and ensures real time value to payment destinations.

The mobile bank was appointed as the collection and payment partner for “Ounje Eko” Food Markets programme which is a government initiative serving the five divisions of Lagos State. Consequent on this, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank will collect payments in 57 LCDAs in the state.

The partnership gives credence to the quality of payment solutions that MoneyMaster is reputed for in its services to its growing business clientele in private and public sectors.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Financial

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is investigating irregular foreign exchange transactions and forward contracts valued at approximately $2.4 billion.

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

The  inquiry follows an extensive audit by Deloitte, which scrutinized $7 billion in dollar debts accumulated under the bank’s previous leadership.

In the aftermath of the 294th Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja, Yemi Cardoso, governor of CBN,  disclosed to journalists that the investigation, supported by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, among other security bodies, aims to clarify the legitimacy of these FX allocations identified as problematic by the audit.

“It was determined that a number of these transactions did not qualify…they were outright illegal. The law enforcement agencies are now looking into those transactions that as far as we are concerned, are not valid to be paid,” Cardoso detailed, emphasizing the unlawful nature of these forex deals.

The crux of the investigation lies in the audit findings that a significant portion of the scrutinized transactions lacked proper documentation and, in many instances, were deemed outright illegal.

However, the unfolding investigation has raised concerns within the organized private sector, with some entities contemplating legal action against commercial banks for unresolved forex bids.

Despite these tensions, Governor Cardoso reassures that the foreign exchange market remains open and transparent, inviting stakeholders to address their forex needs through the official channels.

Furthermore, Cardoso clarified the distribution of fertilizers to farmers as a one-off measure and not indicative of a shift back to direct interventions by the CBN, underscoring a commitment to strategic, regulatory governance rather than direct market involvement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Financial

CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed deposit money banks in the country to expedite action to increase their capital base from the current ₦25bn.

CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN, stated this during the apex bank’s 294th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Tuesday in Abuja, when the MPC hiked the interest rate by 22.75% to 24.75%.

The apex bank chief said the MPC examined developments in the banking sector and expressed satisfaction that the industry remained stable. The committee, however, said to guard against risk, commercial banks in the country should accelerate their recapitalisation efforts.

Cardoso said, “The MPC also reviewed developments in the banking system and noted that the industry remains safe, sound, and stable. The committee thus called on the bank to sustain its surveillance and ensure compliance of banks with existing regulatory and macro-potential guidelines.

“The MPC also enjoined the banks to expedite actions on the recapitalisation of banks to strengthen the system against potential risks in an increasingly globalised world.”

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending