Banking
Why Nigerian Banks Now Prefer Local Bond Issuance to Eurobonds—Fitch
By Dipo Olowookere
Global rating company, Fitch, has shed light on why banks in Nigeria are now embracing Naira-denominated bonds instead of international bond known as Eurobond.
In a report released few days ago, Fitch attributed the new craze for the local bonds by the lenders to the desire to build capital buffers.
Nigeria is moving towards Basel III, which may get under way this year and is likely to weigh on banks’ regulatory capital ratios.
“We expect banks to bolster their capital by issuing subordinated debt eligible as Tier 2 capital rather than by raising equity. Raising equity could be difficult given the equity market decline in the past year,” the report said.
Banks’ local currency issuance in 2014-2015 was mostly subordinated debt, driven by the need to rebuild regulatory capital positions that had been weakened by deteriorating asset quality.
Issuance plummeted in 2016-2017 following the oil price crash, which led to economic deterioration, weaker credit demand and rapidly worsening asset quality, particularly for oil-related loans.
However, in 2018, issuance recovered when operating conditions started to improve and four banks tapped the market to bolster capital ratios or fund growth, with local currency bonds totalling N233 billion ($640 million) at end-January 2019.
Another reason by Fitch for the new preference for local local-currency issuance is that it diversifies banks’ funding and reduces their foreign-exchange risk.
Though it said the raising of local bonds was credit positive, it stressed that most ratings remain constrained by Nigeria’s operating environment and ‘B+’ sovereign rating.
“The increase in local currency issuance reflects banks’ reduced appetite for foreign-currency lending, their desire to diversify funding given the high cash reserve requirements (CRR) on local currency customer deposits and their need to issue capital securities to meet forthcoming Basel III capital requirements. Investor demand for local currency bonds is mainly domestic, but higher real yields and greater exchange-rate stability could attract foreign interest.
“Banks are increasingly shifting focus to local currency lending given the challenges in foreign currency lending, particularly to the troubled oil sector.
“They are likely to grant more lending to existing local currency borrowers that benefit from the economic recovery, and target new sectors that have been underbanked, particularly retail and SMEs,” the statement said.
It added that, “Nigerian banks are predominantly funded by customer deposits (77% in LC and 23% in FC at end-1H18).
“There are drawbacks to this, as foreign currency deposits can be volatile, exposing banks to significant liquidity risks, and local currency deposits are subject to a punitive CRR of 22.5%, one of the highest in the region.
“The CRR forces banks to park significant reserves at the central bank. These reserves are unremunerated, and the central bank does not return excess reserves immediately. The CRR significantly constrains banks’ ability to fund local currency loan growth with LC deposits, and is a major incentive for them to diversify their funding.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A collaboration to enable fast money transfers into Nigeria has been entered into between Flutterwave and Xoom, PayPal’s international digital money transfer service.
The partnership allows Xoom transfers to be converted by Flutterwave and settled locally in Naira, enabling quick transfers directly into recipients’ bank accounts at Access Bank, UBA, Zenith Bank, First Bank, GTBank, and additional participating banks across Nigeria.
The deal also enables Xoom’s global network with Flutterwave’s local payout infrastructure, allowing users globally to send funds directly into Nigerian bank accounts with improved speed and efficiency.
Nigeria is the leading remittance recipient in Sub-Saharan Africa, receiving over $20 billion in personal remittances in 2024. Despite this volume, receiving international payments has historically remained complex due to FX constraints and settlement delays. This collaboration helps address those challenges in a market of more than 232 million people, where the ICT sector is projected to contribute 21 per cent of GDP by 2027.
By combining Xoom’s expansive reach with Flutterwave’s local compliance and banking partnerships, the two companies are providing a more accessible financial corridor for the continent.
Xoom, a PayPal service, is a fast and secure international digital money transfer service that enables consumers to send money, pay bills, and reload phones for friends and family in approximately 160 markets globally.
As part of PayPal’s global payments ecosystem, Xoom leverages advanced fraud protection, compliance capabilities, and a trusted global network to help millions of customers move money quickly and securely across borders.
“We’re excited to have been chosen by Xoom for their Nigeria expansion. Millions of Nigerians rely on money from abroad to support everyday needs, whether it’s families receiving help from loved ones, freelancers getting paid for their work, or individuals earning income from the global economy. This helps make it easy and more reliable for people in Nigeria to receive funds and stay connected to opportunities beyond borders,” the chief executive of Flutterwave, Mr Olugbenga GB Agboola, 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.
