E-Financial
Path Solutions Emerges First Place in Four Categories of ACQ5 Global Awards
Path Solutions, a global provider of Sharia-compliant banking software solutions and services, has won four categories in the 2019 ACQ5 Global Awards.
Building on last year’s three-win, the company topped the Core Banking, Digital Banking, Sharia-compliant Microfinance, and GameChanger of the Year – Islamic Finance categories in this year’s rankings.
For the sixth year, Path Solutions has maintained its top spot in the Core Banking System Provider for Islamic Finance category. This recognition reflects the company’s ability in helping financial institutions to ensure compliance with the appropriate Sharia rulings. Path Solutions’ wide range of Sharia-compliant software solutions and services meet Islamic banks’ unique business needs.
The readers of ACQ5 ranked Path Solutions first in the Digital Banking Platform Provider for Islamic Finance category on the flexibility and agility of its new-age iMAL Islamic digital suite. The multi-award winning digital banking platform allows financial institutions get closer to their customer base.
Combined with modern architectural approaches, iMAL allows banks to tailor interest-free products and services with a consistent and seamless experience across all channels, with a strong executable workflow and orchestration capabilities, all this while supporting constant change and reducing risk.
The iSHRAQ Microfinance solution earned Path Solutions first place in the Sharia-compliant Microfinance Solution of the Year category for the fifth year running. Islamic microfinance organizations and cooperatives use iSHRAQ*Microfinance solution to manage term deposits, create and manage loans and automated loan repayments, enabling detailed reporting to ensure thorough audit trails.
Islamic microfinance institutions also rely on iSHRAQ*Microfinance for a complete general ledger accounting trial balance, income statement, balance sheet, journal transaction or any other transaction, and meet Sharia compliance requirements.
On the other hand, Mohammed Kateeb, Path Solutions’ Group Chairman & CEO was selected GameChanger of the Year – Islamic Financial Technology for the second time in the ACQ5 Global Awards 2019.
Kateeb is a veteran and dynamic experienced IT professional with a diversified and prolonged career, and an outstanding leader committed to driving stronger growth for Path Solutions as the industry’s leading global provider of an unrivalled range of highly innovative Sharia-compliant software solutions and services.
Commenting on the four wins, Kateeb said, “This is a great honour for us. This continued recognition is testament to our results-based approach in driving the industry forward. We’re very grateful to our clients and ACQ5 readers for their continued trust and support; to our teams, who are always striving to perform and deliver world-class solutions, I owe them this fantastic recognition. Thank you!”
These four wins add to the growing list of industry awards earned by Path Solutions over the years.
ACQ5 Global Awards celebrate achievement, innovation and brilliance in their annual program, taking the ultimate step in the search for the most outstanding companies and professionals across the globe.
The financial industry’s favourite awards had another record-breaking number of votes this year, with the total number of nominations received standing at an amazing 97,416 out of 215,000.
Keystone Bank Limited and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), youth entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion across Nigeria.
The MoU signing ceremony took place at the bank’s head office in Lagos on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Nnenna Anyim Okoro, the Executive Director, Corporate and South, Keystone Bank, described the partnership as a bold and strategic step toward accelerating national economic transformation.
According to her, the collaboration underscores Keystone Bank’s unwavering commitment to empowering the next generation of business leaders and fostering an inclusive financial ecosystem.
“At Keystone Bank, we believe that entrepreneurship is the heartbeat of sustainable economic development.
Across Nigeria, MSMEs are not just businesses; they are the dreams and daily struggles of men and women determined to create value, provide jobs, and build a better future. They are, quite literally, the engine room of our national economy.
“Our sponsorship of the Annual EDC SME Conference 2025 and support for the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Walk reflect our deep belief in the transformative power of small businesses.
“This partnership is also about financial inclusion, youth engagement, capacity building, job creation, and collaboration,” she stated.
Olayemi Sule, Group Head, Retail & Digital Banking, Keystone Bank, emphasized the innovative offerings customers can expect as a result of the partnership.
“Our customers should look forward to a suite of innovative financial products and digital solutions specifically designed to support business growth, enhance financial literacy, and improve market access.
Also speaking, Dr. Nnenna Ugo, EDC board member and Head, Alumni Relations and Support Services at Pan-Atlantic University, expressed optimism about the partnership’s long-term impact.
“We are super excited about this partnership and confident that it will drive transformation for both institutions.
“The EDC was established to build capacity and provide support services for SMEs. In the past 21 years, we have trained over 350,000 entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
“Keystone Bank’s support comes at a critical moment as we scale our programs and expand our reach ahead of the 2025 SME Conference and GEW Nigeria.
“The SME Conference is a powerful platform that brings together key players in the ecosystem each year to address pressing issues affecting small businesses.
“This collaboration strengthens our capacity to engage more entrepreneurs, provide deeper insights, and drive conversations that inspire growth, resilience, and innovation.
“We commend Keystone Bank’s leadership for its vision and dedication to inclusive economic growth. The bank has truly distinguished itself as a champion of enterprise, and we are proud to have them as a strategic partner,” she concluded.
As part of the agreement, Keystone Bank becomes the major sponsor of the 2025 EDC SME Conference and a key supporter of the GEW Walk, a flagship event during Global Entrepreneurship Week Nigeria 2025.
Both events are expected to attract thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, thought leaders, and policymakers, offering a vibrant platform for knowledge-sharing, networking, and business empowerment.
Fidelity Bank Plc on Wednesday refuted claims that its Managing Director, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, is involved in an ongoing fraud case concerning the account of Woobs Resources.
The Bank’s position follows reports published by Sahara Reporters alleging that Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe was listed as a defendant in the case.
However, documents sighted by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek revealed that the charge sheet dated May 12, 2025, named the defendants as Victor Ukutt, Fidelity Bank Plc, Whoba Ugwunna Ogo, and Safiya Whoba.
A statement by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice dated June 9, 2025, confirmed that Onyeali-Ikpe’s name was struck off the charge list.
The Ministry noted that she was neither the Managing Director nor the account officer at the time the account in question was opened.
The clarification aims to dispel misinformation and uphold the integrity of the institution and its leadership.
Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 1, 2025, for the commencement of trial in a money laundering case involving Cititrust Holdings PLC and three of its subsidiaries.
The subsidiaries are Cititrust Funding PLC, Cititrust Credit Limited and Cititrust Financial Services Limited,
The companies are facing an eight-count charge filed by a team of prosecutors from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), comprising Anasoh Henry Onyekachi, Frankklin Ofoma, Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, and A.A. Usman.
According to the charge, between 2021 and 2023, the companies, all incorporated in Nigeria, allegedly operated investment management services without a valid licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This act contravenes Section 57 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and is punishable under Section 57(5) of the same legislation.
The prosecution also alleged that the companies conducted a Collective Investment Scheme without registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), another violation of regulatory requirements.
In one of the counts, Cititrust Credit Limited is specifically accused of failing to report high-value financial transactions to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
These transactions include a N20 million transfer on January 7, 2021; a N200 million transfer on April 4, 2021; and a N200 million lodgement on January 29, 2021.
Additionally, both Cititrust Credit Limited and Cititrust Financial Services Limited are alleged to have made a single transfer and lodgement respectively of N42 million into their bank accounts on January 29, 2021, without proper disclosure to relevant authorities.
The alleged offences are in breach of Sections 11(1)(b) and 11(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as Section 54(1) of the Investment and Securities Act 2007, and are punishable under the respective laws.
The court is expected to begin full proceedings on July 1.
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