Banking
Stanbic IBTC Diversified Business Model Buoys Mid-Year Results
By Dipo Olowookere
Last week, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, a member of the Standard Bank Group, released its financial statements for the half year ended June 30, 2019 and an analysis showed growth in some areas of the business.
During the period under review, the company posted a profit before tax of N44.7 billion, while the profit after tax was N36.2 billion. Other results reflected an increase in non-interest revenue of N54.9 billion and a net-interest income of N39.3 billion.
In addition, there was an increase of 3 percent in the mid-year gross earnings to N117.4 billion, while the total operating income stood at N94 billion.
Furthermore, Stanbic IBTC’s balance sheet showed that the total assets closed at N1.619 trillion, while the gross loans and advances finished at N479.7 billion, representing an increase in 5 percent when compared with last year’s figures.
In the period, the customer deposits stood at N693.5 billion, while the firm recorded an improvement in current-and-savings-accounts deposits mix which went up to 68.9 percent.
In view of the performance of the lender in the first six months of the year, the board announced an interim dividend of N1 per share, the highest paid by a financial institution in H1 2019.
Commenting on the results, the CEO of Stanbic IBTC, Mr Yinka Sanni, attributed the performance of the firm to implementation of the strategies put in place by the management. According to him, the group’s business segments were profitable, despite the challenging business and regulatory environment.
“Our financial results in the first half of 2019 reflected similar trends encountered in the first quarter. The operating environment remained muted, regulatory changes coupled with the highly competitive landscape continued to impact overall returns.
“Still, our diversified business model continues to set us apart. Our business segments remained profitable and resilient although at a slower pace when compared to prior year,” he said.
Mr Sanni disclosed that there has been a return to growth in the second quarter, mainly from the communication and oil and gas sectors. He further added that the gross non-performing loan to total loan ratio which was 3.91 percent, was within acceptable regulatory limits.
Speaking on other areas of the mid-year results in which the group experienced growth, he noted that assets under custody rose to N7 trillion (representing a 42 percent growth) while assets under management grew by 8 percent to N3.5 trillion.
Mr Sanni highlighted three areas through which Stanbic IBTC Holdings achieve growth targets as: EZ cash loan/advance, a recently launched instant credit solution; enhanced migration of customers to digital platforms and the launch of RetireWell Individual Retirement Savings Account, a retirement savings account targeted at self-employed individuals.
He shed more light on those initiatives, saying, “To further drive credit growth, in the retail space, we launched an instant credit solution named EZ cash loan/advance, which gives access to loans in less than a minute to pre-approved customers. This, among other initiatives, will enable us achieve the targeted loan growth for the year.
“The disciplined execution of our digital strategy has seen customers increasingly adopting and transacting on our digital platforms. The number of transactions performed by customers on our digital channels was up 26 percent between H1 2019 and H1 2018. This translated into a year-on-year growth of 71 percent in electronic banking fees.
“Moreover, we instituted a digital academy targeted at equipping staff with digital skills at various levels while also driving collaboration with Fintech players to position us for early adoption of innovative solutions.
“Following the launch of the micro pension initiative by the government earlier in the year, we deployed the RetireWell Individual Retirement Savings Account. We have put in place strong agency network in key locations to drive growth in this area and we have made good progress in this regard,” he stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative known as Nigeria Lightning Rounds, designed to expand funding opportunities for Nigerian startups and small businesses by connecting founders with local and international investors, has been launched by ProvidusUnity Bank, in partnership with US-based global venture firm and accelerator, gener8tor.
Scheduled to be held on July 15, 2026, Nigeria Lightning Rounds will feature carefully selected startups engaging with targeted investors who have expressed interest in supporting Nigerian innovation.
Participating founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses through focused 15-minute virtual sessions facilitated by gener8tor and ProvidusUnity Bank’s networks.
The program will focus on high-growth sectors including fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, sustainability, and AI, but welcomes SMEs from all industries, with intending participants urged to apply via https://www.gener8tor.com/lightning-rounds/nigeria.
“We recognise that access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Through our partnership with gener8tor, we are creating a platform that connects promising Nigerian founders with investors who can provide the support required to scale their businesses,” the Head of Business Development at ProvidusUnity Bank, Mr Ernest Elue, stated.
“The partnership reinforces ProvidusUnity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovation, enabling access to opportunities, and creating pathways for businesses with high-growth potential,” he added.
Also commenting, the Director of Lightning Rounds at gener8tor, Ms Elizabeth Larios, said, “gener8tor is thrilled to partner with ProvidusUnity Bank to extend the Lightning Rounds model into Nigeria.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to building equitable ecosystems and driving capital to the most promising and underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Lightning Rounds are a signature initiative of gener8tor’s investment platform, which has facilitated thousands of investor-startup meetings globally. The format is optimised to eliminate friction, reduce bias in early-stage fundraising, and help founders secure capital from investors aligned with their mission and stage. gener8tor’s previous Lightning Rounds for Nigerian Founders in 2025 featured 18 participating Investors and led to 50 investment meetings facilitated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of the depositors of the 46 microfinance banks, whose operating licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a week ago, has commenced.
The exercise, aimed at refunding those whose funds were trapped in the small lenders, is being conducted by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said its staff members have been positioned at the offices of the affected banks across the country to attend to depositors.
It was disclosed that depositors of the defunct banks, who had their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) linked to their accounts in the failed banks, will be paid through their alternative accounts in existing banks.
However, depositors whose BVNs were not linked to their accounts in the failed banks have been encouraged to visit the affected banks’ offices with proof of account ownership, a passport photograph, verifiable means of identification (Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, International Passport or National ID Card) and BVN.
NDIC also stated that depositors can alternatively file their claims online through its website: www.ndic.gov.ng, to complete the Pre-Verification Claims Form by clicking on the Search Bar, and typing Pre-Verification Claims Form; opening the Form and filling in their details. They can also do so by clicking the link: https://ndic.gov.ng/ndic-pre-verification-claims-form/ or by visiting any of the NDIC offices closest to them to file their claims.
For further enquiries, the corporation can be reached on any of the following lines: 09037273810, 09038197064, 08104220807, 09064657140.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolment has slowed significantly in 2026 following the introduction of a stricter regulatory framework by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) showing that registrations are on course to fall well below last year’s record.
The BVN database stood at 69.55 million as of July 5, 2026, up from 69.32 million in June, indicating that only 228,947 new registrations were recorded over the period. Since the end of 2025, when the database stood at 67.8 million, total enrolments have increased by 1.75 million.
At the current pace, however, BVN registrations are unlikely to match the 4.3 million new enrolments recorded in 2025, suggesting a sharp deceleration in growth this year.
The slowdown comes after the CBN introduced a revised BVN regulatory framework in March, with the new rules taking effect on May 1, 2026. The framework tightened controls around enrolment, identity verification and fraud monitoring as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the banking system.
Among the key changes was the introduction of a minimum enrolment age of 18 years, effectively preventing minors from registering for a BVN.
The new framework also limits customers to a one-time change of the phone number linked to their BVN and requires financial institutions to place BVNs linked to suspected fraudulent transactions on a temporary watch-list for up to 24 hours while investigations are carried out.
The stricter rules contrast with last year’s surge in registrations, which was largely driven by the introduction of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative that enabled Nigerians in the diaspora to complete BVN enrolment remotely, removing physical barriers and expanding access to the financial system.
Launched on February 14, 2014, the BVN scheme was introduced by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, NIBSS and German technology firm Dermalog to assign every bank customer a unique biometric identity that can be verified across Nigeria’s banking industry.
