Banking
Keystone Bank Teaches MSMEs Ways to Explore AfCFTA
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Some entrepreneurs in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria have been equipped with the basic skills they could use to explore the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The small business owners were trained recently by Keystone Bank Limited at a 3-day MSME Masterclass Webinar series themed Taking Your SME Business Across Borders held from June 15 to 17, 2021.
The programme was part of Keystone Bank’s unflinching efforts to continue to support the sector of the economy and empower start-ups with the requisite knowledge about the AfCFTA window and the opportunities it presents to their businesses.
With over 600 participants and 200 registered MSMEs in attendance, the numerous testimonials from participants at the highly engaging, interactive and exciting webinar sessions proved how timely the training was and the need it addressed.
The sessions touched on practical issues relating to international trade with a focus on export transactions. The faculty consisted of subject matter experts with vast knowledge on the topic.
The AfCFTA is a free trade area, outlined in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union nations. AfCFTA is the largest in the world in terms of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organization. The agreement requires members to remove tariffs from 90% of goods, allowing free access to commodities, goods, and services across the continent.
Dr Emeka Osuji, an associate professor of economics at the Pan-Atlantic University, who also attended the Advanced Management Programmes at Harvard Business School and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A, cracked the mystery around the AfCFTA act and the opportunities for MSMEs to trade freely within Africa.
Other speakers at the masterclass sessions were Somtochi Okwuadigbo, the head of Trade Services at Keystone Bank, and Glory Enyinnaya, an internationally certified management consultant.
While Okwuadigbo shared intricate details on international trade payment methods and the available forex windows which can be explored by SMEs for international trade transactions, Enyinnaya delved deeper into the subject of how SMEs can launch an internationally accepted brand for their small business, and ways to ensure a smooth entry into international markets.
According to speakers, “Small businesses in Nigeria contribute about 50% to Nigeria’s GDP, however, most of them are still unacquainted with the AfCFTA agreement and its benefits.
“The wide opportunities it promises through the newly formed market of 55 nations, 1.2 billion people, and an aggregate GDP of up to $6.7 trillion highlights how SMEs can expand and grow their businesses outside the shores of Nigeria.
“Given the current economic realities in the country, there is a rising need for small businesses to seek avenues to expand into new markets by exploring export options,” they divulged.
Commenting on the programme, the divisional head, Retail, Keystone Bank, Mr Anayo Nwosu, reiterated that the bank is committed to ensuring that MSMEs in Nigeria are empowered and equipped with the requisite knowledge to expand their businesses and even delve into new markets in other African economies.
According to him, “Keystone Bank is an SME-centric bank focused on delivering tailored MSME value offerings and that has continually spurred our involvement in programmes like this.
“MSMEs are the bedrock of any economy. But it’s sad that the knowledge gap remains one of the major challenges facing this sector and limiting them from taking advantage of available opportunities such as the AfCFTA window.
“It is in the wake of this rising need, that the Bank hosted the 3-day masterclass webinar.
“Beyond the training, we also provide great support for MSMEs businesses and handhold them to nurture and grow the entrepreneurial ventures”, Nwosu noted.
The Keystone Bank MSME Online Academy was launched in 2020 as part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives tailored to equip MSMEs with the necessary tools and resources required to successfully manage, grow and make their businesses attractive to investors and for profitability.
The lender is one of the financial institutions that have long-running support for the growth and development of small businesses in Nigeria because of the recognition of the critical roles of MSMEs as vital agents of economic development and transformation.
Keystone Bank, a technology and service-driven commercial bank offering convenient and reliable solutions to its customers has a full-fledged SME banking division which over the years, has developed various engagement programmes focused on empowering entrepreneurs.
By Adedapo Adesanya
First Holdco Plc has commenced a public offer to raise about N1.4 trillion (approximately $1 billion) after securing approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The offer, which opened on Monday, involves the sale of 10.4 billion ordinary shares, according to the chief executive of its banking subsidiary, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mr Olusegun Alebiosu.
The capital raise follows the company’s earlier plan to transfer about a quarter of its shares to RC Investment Management Ltd., which served as a bridge holder after Barbican Capital Limited exited its investment in the lender amid a prolonged ownership and leadership dispute.
First Holdco had previously indicated that the shares would eventually be offered to the investing public once the necessary regulatory approvals were obtained.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Mr Alebiosu said proceeds from the offer would strengthen the capital base of First Bank and support the holding company’s expansion strategy.
According to him, the group intends to diversify beyond banking by establishing an insurance underwriting business and a fintech services company.
“The sale is starting today — the reality here is that I am not sure it will stay more than one week based on the pressure we are getting,” Mr Alebiosu said, expressing confidence in strong investor demand.
Investors appeared to respond positively to the announcement, with First HoldCo’s shares climbing as much as 5.9 per cent to a record high during trading on Monday before easing to a 3.1 per cent gain at N133.60 by early afternoon in Lagos.
The lender has been one of the best-performing banking stocks on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited over the past year, with its share price rising more than fourfold since July 2025, when Barbican Capital’s stake was transferred to RC Investment Management.
The fresh capital injection comes as its largest shareholder, Mr Femi Otedola, continues to strengthen his stake in Nigeria’s oldest bank. With the billionaire holding around a 26 per cent stake in the company, analysts say he has his eyes set on full control once his equity crosses the 30 per cent mark.
By Adedapo Adesanya
One of Nigeria’s top digital banks, PalmPay, has appointed a former executive of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), Mr Samuel Oluyemi, as its chief operating officer.
In his new role, Mr Oluyemi will oversee the financial technology company’s operations in Nigeria, where it offers a broad range of digital financial services to individuals and businesses.
Mr Oluyemi will also engage with regulators to ensure the company’s expansion aligns with Nigeria’s financial, digital and social inclusion objectives.
Prior to joining the company, Mr Oluyemi spent more than two decades at NIBSS, where he served as business development lead.
During his tenure, he drove the development of several critical payment infrastructure projects, including the digital validation of Nigerian international passports, e-Dividend Mandate Management System (e-DMMS), and the Electronic Pensions Contribution Collection System (EPCCOS).
Also, he played a key role in the introduction and early adoption of the NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) platform, Nigeria’s first real-time interbank transfer system launched in 2011, and later supported its extension to other financial institutions.
Mr Oluyemi obtained a master’s degree in Monetary Economics from the University of Ibadan and has participated in several local and international professional training programmes.
Commenting on the appointment, Managing Director of PalmPay Nigeria, Mr Chika Nwosu, said that the company was strengthening its leadership team to support its longterm vision.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Africa’s most valuable fintech, Flutterwave, has signalled that its long-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) remains firmly on the back burner as the company intensifies efforts to transform itself into a licensed financial institution across the continent.
The firm’s chief executive, Mr Olugbenga Agboola, said the firm is focused on building sustainable profitability, diversifying its revenue streams and expanding its banking footprint before considering a stock market listing.
Speaking to The Africa Report, Mr Agboola described an IPO as a future financing milestone rather than an immediate strategic objective.
“An IPO is a financing event, not a strategy,” he said. “We are not holding any pressure to go public. This gives us the flexibility to be patient and ensure when we do list, we’re doing so from a position of strength.”
The comments come as Flutterwave embarks on an acquisition-led expansion strategy aimed at securing banking licences and deeper regulatory access across Africa.
Mr Agboola revealed that the company is currently in the process of acquiring a bank in East Africa, though he declined to disclose the institution or country involved.
The planned acquisition is expected to provide Flutterwave with an established customer base, existing banking infrastructure and regulatory approvals, significantly shortening the time required to enter new financial services markets.
According to Mr Agboola, the company’s expansion priorities include Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa and Egypt, while the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia remain under consideration for future growth.
Rather than building banks from scratch in every market, Flutterwave intends to adopt a mix of acquisitions, licences and strategic partnerships depending on local regulatory conditions.
“The vision is not to form a bank in every country but to ensure that every African business has access to more than financial services,” Mr Agboola said in the interview.
The banking push follows recent regulatory and corporate developments, including the Central Bank of Nigeria’s approval of Flutterwave’s banking licence and the acquisition of open banking startup Mono.
Together, the moves underscore a broader strategy to expand beyond payments and establish new revenue streams in lending, liquidity management and business banking services.
Flutterwave plans to focus on institutional deposits from businesses already using its platform rather than competing aggressively for retail deposits.
The company intends to leverage transaction data from its payments network to provide short-term working capital, merchant financing, invoice discounting and trade finance products for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Mr Agboola disclosed that the bulk of the capital earmarked for banking operations will be directed toward credit support and liquidity buffers, with additional allocations for lending and banking infrastructure.
The strategy reflects a growing trend among African fintech firms seeking banking licences to reduce dependence on traditional financial institutions and gain greater control over settlement, liquidity management and product development.
Despite speculation about a near-term public listing, Mr Agboola maintained that Flutterwave’s immediate focus remains execution and growth.
He noted that the company will only consider an IPO after achieving stronger profitability and establishing scale across its payments, banking and remittance businesses.
In February 2025, he told Bloomberg that Flutterwave would only pursue a public offering after becoming profitable. He also stated in late 2024 that the company was “not in the IPO race.”
Founded in 2016, Flutterwave has processed more than one billion transactions valued at over $40 billion across 35 African countries. The company recently secured fresh funding that lifted its valuation to $3.3 billion, with American blockchain firm Ripple leading the investment round.
For now, however, Flutterwave appears more interested in building the foundations of a pan-African financial institution than rushing to the public markets, positioning banking expansion as the next phase of its growth story while keeping an eventual IPO firmly on the long-term horizon.
