By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A $100 million senior loan facility has been secured by Access Bank Plc from a consortium of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), led by the German DFI DEG and supported by FinDev Canada, Amsterdam-based asset manager ILX, as well as Austrian DFI OeEB, Oesterreichische Entwicklungsbank AG.

The loan is to allow the Nigerian lender to provide funding support to privately-owned MSMEs, small corporates, and family-owned businesses across Nigeria, with a particular focus on promoting female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

At least 30 per cent of the facility will be dedicated to gender lens investing in the spirit of the 2X Challenge, ensuring that women-owned and women-managed businesses are prioritised.

This initiative is crucial in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, where supporting women entrepreneurs and MSMEs can drive job creation and contribute to reducing inequality.

This facility marks the fourth collaboration between DEG and Access Bank, but it is also the first time in their eight-year partnership that DEG’s has acted as the lead arranger. DEG’s investment in the deal amounts to $25 million, strengthening the long-term relationship between the two institutions.

In 2024, Access Bank made significant social and environmental impact across the continent, touching millions of lives and earning multiple industry accolades.

Through various corporate social investment initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, health, and the environment, the compared reached over 21 million individuals across Africa.

Through its W-Initiative, the financial institution disbursed loans to over a million women-led SMEs, advancing financial inclusion and gender empowerment.

“At Access Bank, we remain steadfast in our commitment to driving economic transformation and fostering inclusive growth across all the countries we operate.

“This partnership not only strengthens our ongoing efforts to empower women in business but also reinforces our support for Nigeria’s MSME sector, which plays a pivotal role in the country’s economic development.

“Through strategic collaborations like this, we continue to enhance opportunities for underserved communities, and we look forward to building on this success to impact even more lives across Africa,” the chief executive of Access Bank, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, stated.

On his part, the chief executive of DEG, Mr Roland Siller, said, “This financing marks a major step in our ongoing commitment to supporting inclusive growth in Africa.

“By partnering with Access Bank, we are not just empowering women entrepreneurs and strengthening MSMEs but also investing in the future of Nigeria’s economy.

“This collaboration, which has blossomed over the last eight years, goes beyond just providing funding and speaks to our shared commitment in creating sustainable, long-term opportunities that foster job creation and innovation.

“At DEG, we are focused on helping businesses in developing and emerging markets thrive, offering not just financial support but also advisory services that help them scale and succeed.

“Our work with Access Bank is a clear example of how we can build stronger economies through impactful, sustainable investments.”

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The chief executive of Access Bank Plc, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, has underscored the potential for Africa to reframe its narrative, urging countries on the continent to embrace their strengths.

The banker also reinforced the importance of private sector involvement in regional trade, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

According to him, “Africa’s MSMEs are the backbone of its economy, yet they face a trade finance gap of around $120 billion. Financial institutions must innovate to close this gap and provide the liquidity these businesses need to grow and scale.”

Mr Ogbonna was one of the panellists at the just-concluded Africa CEO Forum held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The event brought together leaders from across the continent to discuss the critical role of private sector-led growth in the development of African trade and market integration under the topic Fast-tracking African Integration: The Private Sector Imperative.

During his presentation, Mr Ogbonna said, “Years ago, if you told someone something was made in China or Taiwan, it was often seen as inferior. Fast forward 30, 40 years, and now Made in China is a symbol of quality, and Made in Taiwan commands respect globally.

“The difference? These countries built a strong domestic market that allowed them to scale, build proficiency, and innovate. Africa is no different.

“We have everything we need, from abundant raw materials and vast natural resources, to a youthful population and fertile land. There is no reason why Africa has not yet transformed itself into the powerhouse we know it can be.

“Africa has what it takes to win, and my charge remains the same as I gave during our inaugural Africa Trade Conference in South Africa: Buy Africa, it’s not inferior!”

Echoing Mr Ogbonna’s sentiment at the gathering were the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene; and the president of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Samaila Zubairu, who highlighted the tangible steps taken to drive integration, such as the introduction of the e-Tariff Book and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, as well as the critical need for synergy between public and private investment to address Africa’s infrastructure gaps and finance its development priorities.

The discussion also focused on the barriers preventing the scaling of intra-African trade, notably the lack of adequate logistics and transport infrastructure. The Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS) was highlighted as a potential game-changer in unlocking new cross-border trade opportunities by facilitating smoother payments and transactions.

They were all united in their belief that Africa’s transformation hinges on the development of regional value chains, the scaling of intra-African trade, and the need to build both financial and infrastructural capacities that will enable economic integration.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The value of Fidelity Bank Plc stocks on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited is now N1.055 trillion, closing at N21.00 per unit at the close of business on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

The shares of the financial institution closed flat at midweek, though it witnessed an uptick in trading volume, according to data harvested by Business Post from Customs Street.

Today, investors transacted 40,549,794 units of the company’s equities at the domestic bourse, higher than the 23,397,950 units traded on Tuesday.

With shares outstanding of 50,212,211,331 units at N21.00 each, the market capitalisation of the lender is now about N1.055 trillion, becoming one of the 19 firms on the NGX with a market value of over N1 trillion.

This is not the first time Fidelity Bank is getting to the league of a trillion-naira stock, as it attained this status on April 4, 2025, but fell below the threshold on April 7 before climbing higher again on April 23, and then slipping on May 12, before the latest feat, reflecting the volatility in the stock market, especially influenced by external shocks from the United States and China trade tariffs.

Fidelity Bank has been making efforts to join the league of tier-1 banks, which currently comprises, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, GTBank, UBA, and First Bank, collectively coined ZAGUF by Business Post.

Market analysts have expressed confidence in the ability of Fidelity Bank to rub shoulders with the Big Five in the Nigerian banking industry, particularly with the leadership of its chief executive, Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe.

The team is running to meet the recapitalisation deadline of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) set for March 31, 2026. The bank must raise its capital base to N500 billion from N25 billion.

In the first quarter of 2025, Fidelity Bank recorded a solid performance, with its post-tax profit growing by 190 per cent to N91 billion, supported by higher interest income, forex gains, and cost efficiencies.

“The strong Q1 results suggest continued upward momentum in its stock. This could boost investor confidence and help sustain its valuation,” an analyst at Chapel Hill Denham, Nabila Mohammed, stated, adding that the lender’s high net interest margin and low-cost deposit base enhance its appeal.

In the past year, the share price of Fidelity Bank has risen by 141 per cent from N8.70 in May 2024 to the current value amid growing investor interest.