E-Financial
Sterling HoldCo Grows Assets To N2.5 Trillion

Major shareholders of one of Nigeria’s leading financial conglomerates, Sterling Financial Holdings Company PLC., expressed their delight with the leadership and financial performance of the group at its recently held inaugural annual general meeting. The comments came as a result of the group’s continued abilities to post impressive growth numbers in its first full year of operations, despite a challenging macro-economic environment.
The holding company delivered a 36% increase in its assets size, growing to N 2.5 trillion, and a 26.6% rise in its earnings to deliver N 221 billion. Both figures represent a significant increase in the group’s performance as contained in its annual report and financial statements for the 2023 financial year.
Dissecting the numbers further, the group earned N 156 billion and N 65.7 billion in interest and non-interest income respectively, representing a growth of 21.5% and 40.6% from the 2022 financial year’s numbers. It achieved this while attracting N 1.8 trillion in customers’ deposits into its two banking subsidiaries: Sterling Bank and The Alternative Bank.
These have helped the group post N 21.6 billion in profit, and an admirable 75 kobo in earnings per ordinary share for 2023. Numbers which signify continued growth of 11.8% an 11.9% for the respective performance metrics from the publicly traded company’s 2022 postings.
Commenting on the company’s immediate plans, Sterling HoldCo’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Yemi Odubiyi, said in his statement to the company’s shareholders, “In line with evolving regulatory standards and the recent introduction of minimum capital requirements by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), we will be seeking shareholders’ approval to raise up to N200 billion from the market. This capital infusion will strengthen and position us for sustained growth.”
Odubiyi also highlighted the performance of the holding company’s current subsidiaries; Sterling Bank, a conventional bank, and The Alternative Bank, an ethical banking business, and intimated shareholders on the group’s intentions to build non-banking revenue lines to progress the group’s rapid growth and capture even more value for shareholders by offering a wider range of services under the trusted Sterling brand.
The Group CEO stated that the group will continue its current trajectory by maintaining a customer-centric approach, while making strategic investments in sustainable ventures that align with the company’s core values.
The published results maintain the trajectory of growth Sterling has achieved against the backdrop of macroeconomic headwinds, which have severely impacted the profitability of large corporations and small businesses alike in Nigeria.
Industry observers will recall that Sterling HoldCo recently completed a significant milestone by transforming from a bank to a full-fledged financial holdings company by delisting, transferring, and relisting all shares to the Sterling Financial Holdings Company on the floor of the NGX.
The holding company affords Sterling the opportunity to leverage its successful HEART strategy, which has seen the group make consolidated investments in the Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation sectors, growing the company’s year-on-year profits to record highs in recent years.
With the adoption of the Holdco structure now in full effect, Sterling now possesses the latitude to make inroads into other sectors within financial services, such as pensions, asset management, payment services, real estate, and different verticals, along with the current banking licenses held by the commercial and ethical banking subsidiaries, Sterling Bank and The Alternative Bank, which will operate as limited liability companies within the publicly traded holding company.
Sterling has maintained impressive momentum in recent years, featuring on the prestigious the 100 fastest-growing companies in Africa list for 2023, as published by the globally recognized Financial Times, its citation as Africa’s Most Valuable Commercial Bank Brand for 2023 in a poll conducted by GeoPoll and Kantar for African Brand Magazine, and was been named a top three employer in Nigeria by LinkedIn in the social network’s Top 25 List for 2023.
Renowned for its irreverent brand voice and enviable talent management practices, Sterling recently received three citations for Company Leadership Gender Diversity, Gender Diversity in Supply Chain, and Family-Friendly Workplace as bestowed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) at the Gender Leader Awards 2023.
E-Financial
UBA Expands to More African Cities, Stamps Footprint in Saudi Arabia

United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced strategic expansion into more African countries even as it plans to open a new office in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone in its mission to connect Africa with key global markets.

Oliver Alawuba, GMD/CEO, UBA group,
This emerged during the Group’s Half Year Business Review held at its global headquarters in Lagos, where Oliver Alawuba, group managing director/CEO, UBA group, met with senior executives overseeing UBA’s 24-country footprint.
The meeting reaffirmed the bank’s pan-African strategy while outlining bold new steps into global markets.
Alawuba highlighted UBA’s continued growth outside Nigeria, with more than 51.7% of Group revenues now generated from its ex-Nigerian operations.
He described the Saudi expansion as a move that positions UBA to support cross-border trade, attract investment flows, and better serve the African diaspora.
“UBA’s vision is clear—we are building a truly global institution anchored in Africa, but serving customers across continents. Our entry into Saudi Arabia signals confidence in new opportunities and commitment to supporting economic connectivity between Africa and the Middle East,” he said.
The Saudi expansion adds to UBA’s international presence, which currently includes the United Kingdom, United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates. Alawuba also disclosed that the bank is upgrading its operating licence in France to further strengthen its European operations.
“In Europe, UBA has operations in the United Kingdom and is upgrading its licence in France, expanding its capacity to serve cross-border trade, investment flows, and the African diaspora, complementing our over 40-year presence in New York,” Alawuba noted.
Since launching its pan-African journey with an entry into Ghana in 2004, UBA has expanded rapidly across 20 African countries, establishing itself as a leading driver of financial inclusion, innovation, and regional integration.
E-Financial
Ecobank Plans to Raise $250m Capital Through Private Placement

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated announced its plan to raise up to $250m in Additional Tier 1 capital through a private placement of contingent convertible notes.
In a statement filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited recently, the capital raise was approved by shareholders at the company’s Extraordinary General Meeting held in Lomé, Togo. The private placement offer was launched on July 9 and will run for ten days.
“Following the approval of the shareholders at its Extraordinary General Meeting held on May 28, 2025, in Lomé, Togo, to raise up to $250m in additional Tier 1 capital qualifying instruments via a private placement of contingent convertible notes, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated announces the launch of the AT1 effective July 9, 2025, for ten days. Renaissance Capital Africa has been appointed as the transaction adviser to ETI.”
The move is an initiative aimed at strengthening Ecobank’s capital adequacy, enhancing financial resilience, and supporting its long-term growth ambitions across its diversified pan-African banking platform.
Additionally, Madibinet Cisse, Ecobank’s Company Secretary, said, “This proposed capital raise represents a critical step in our efforts to fortify the bank’s financial foundation and support sustainable growth across Africa.”
It would be recalled that Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, the parent company of the Ecobank Group, has raised an additional $125m through a Eurobond tap, bringing the total size of its 2029 notes to $525m.
E-Financial
EFCC Recovers Funds Lost to CBEX Fraud

Ola Olukoyede, chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced that the body has recovered lost funds from the CBEX fraud scheme.
Olukoyede did not announce the amount recovered, but he assured Nigerians that the EFCC is taking action against the promoters of the scheme.
The EFCC Chairman emphasised that the suspects found are facing prosecution.
“We have found a lot of people culpable. Those who promoted that scheme are within our jurisdiction and have been arrested. So, at this moment, they are being prosecuted. And we can also say that money has been recovered, even though the process is still ongoing for us to finally forfeit it,” he said.
Olukoyede also urged Nigerians to exercise caution when investing their resources into online platforms.
“Ponzi schemes remain one of the most pervasive threats facing unsuspecting investors. The CBEX case is a clear example. We all remember the outcry that followed the collapse of the scheme, but these unfortunate situations are preventable. Nigerians must begin to conduct due diligence before committing their resources to such platforms,” Olukoyede said.
He also stressed that the body remains committed to fishing out the culprits and recovering the lost funds.
“It was only when the bubble burst that people wanted EFCC to perform magic and recover their money. In the case we investigated in Lagos, which we dubbed Operation Flush, we arrested a large number of foreigners involved in various cybercrimes, including CBEX. I want Nigerians to know that as of today, we have secured close to 150 convictions. Some of them are already serving their jail terms. And when they are through with that, we are going to send them back to where they came from. So we are monitoring them,” he added.
He urged the public to stay vigilant, assuring them that the body will see the case to the end.
“We are no longer the EFCC that drops cases halfway. Whatever we start, we will finish. Nigerians should trust us and believe in our capacity to do justice. Some of these cases are complex and may require cross-border investigations, but we are up to the task,” he said.
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