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Sterling HoldCo Grows Assets To N2.5 Trillion

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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.


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E-Financial

Ecobank Announces Plans to Phase Out Naira Denominated MasterCard

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Ecobank Nigeria has announced plans to phase out its Naira-denominated Mastercard debit cards, with a transition period scheduled to run from July 29 to September 29, 2025.

Ecobank Announces Plans to Phase Out Naira Denominated MasterCard

The bank disclosed the development in a message sent to customers on Wednesday, urging account holders to switch to a Verve debit card available free of charge.

According to the notice, the bank’s decision is part of a broader effort to enhance security and ensure smoother digital transactions for customers.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering secure and efficient banking services, we will be phasing out the Ecobank Naira Mastercard,” the statement read.

“In its place, we are pleased to offer you a free Verve debit card to ensure a seamless transition.”

The bank said the Mastercard deactivation would take full effect from September 30, 2025, saying that customers are therefore advised to collect their Verve cards before the deadline to avoid service disruption.

Ecobank also assured customers that the new Verve card would support payments across several digital platforms, including Google Play, YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, Netflix, Prime Video, AliExpress, Zoom, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Starlink, Audiomack, and Uber.

“It will also remain functional for ATM withdrawals and Point-of-Sale (POS) transactions nationwide.

“To obtain the replacement card, customers are instructed to visit the nearest Ecobank branch, request the Verve debit card, and collect it at no cost,” the bank said.

The move follows a growing trend among Nigerian banks to prioritise local card schemes like Verve, which are often more cost-effective and resilient to international payment disruptions.


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E-Financial

CBN Explains Mass Redeployment of Staff

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Central Bank of Nigeria  (CBN) has dismissed claims that its recent redeployment of staff from Abuja to Lagos State was politically motivated.

CBN Explains Mass Redeployment of Staff

Muhammad Abdullahi, deputy governor, economic policy, made this clarification known at a two-day Interactive Session on Government-Citizens Engagement in Kaduna on Wednesday.

Recall that the CBN  had in 2024 rolled out its Early Exit Package (EEP).

As part of the policy, the apex bank reduced its staff strength in Abuja Headquarters.

The decision had been greeted with controversy, with some critics claiming the move was targeted at the banks’ workers from Northern Nigeria.

However, Abdullahi has clarified that the policy was not targeted at anybody.

He noted that a recommendation from the banks’ insurance provider concerning workplace safety triggered its decision to decongest its Abuja headquarters.

“It is not an agenda against anybody,” he stated.

He said, “Some of those staff members taken to Lagos and Kaduna are now so happy they don’t even want to come back to Abuja.

He also dismissed claims that CBN deliberately removed 16 directors, particularly from the Northern region.

“There are many directors from the Northern region currently serving in the bank,” he stated.

He stressed that the son of the country’s secretary to the government of the federation was also redeployed from Abuja to Lagos.

“The son of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was also moved from Abuja to Lagos. Nobody was spared—it is a policy of the bank,” he stated.

 

 

 


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Banks Reopen Naira Card Payments for International Tuition Fees

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Nigerian banks have resumed processing international tuition payments from Naira accounts through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Form A portal.

Banks Reopen Naira Card Payments for International Tuition Fees

Form A is an application form designed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to pay for service transactions (invisible trade).

The form allows customers to purchase foreign exchange at the CBN or interbank rate to make payments for eligible services as predetermined by the foreign exchange manual.

This development comes a month after commercial banks announced the resumption of international transactions on their naira cards.

In an email to customers, Guaranty Trust Bank Limited (GTBank) and Lotus Bank announced that the service is now available for applicants paying undergraduate and postgraduate tuition fees abroad.

“Pay international tuition fees directly from your Naira account,” the notice from GTBank read.

To access the service, customers are required to register and submit their applications via the Trade System Portal at www.tradesystem.gov.ng.

GTBank explained: “Select the ‘Form A’ application for Educational Fees. Choose GTBank as the processing bank, attach required documents, and submit the application.”

Similarly, Lotus Bank stated, “Register on the Trade System Portal. Select Form ‘A’ application for Educational Fees. Choose Lotus Bank as the processing bank, attach required documents, and submit the application.”

In a similar notice,  Lotus Bank also informed customers of processing international fees using its facility.

“Register on the Trade System Portal (www.tradesystem.gov.ng). Select Form ‘A’ application for Educational Fees. Choose Lotus Bank as the processing bank, attach required documents, and submit the application,” the bank said.

In 2022, Nigerian banks said international school fees and upkeep requests via Form A will be processed within 120 days due to forex scarcity at the time.


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