Banking
CIBN Accredits Heritage Bank Academy, CBN Learning Centre
By Dipo Olowookere
The Heritage Bank Academy known as The Refinery has been accredited by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) at a virtual ceremony held in Lagos.
The institution was issued with a certificate of accreditation alongside the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Learning Centre, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) X Academy and 25 other Educational Training Service Providers (ETSP).
Others certified by the institute at the ceremony were Crown Agent UK; B. Adedipe Associates Limited; Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI), United Kingdom; Mactay Consulting Limited; Knowledge Beyond Limited; Brideswell Consulting Limited; Ultravantage Solutions; EdgeEcution Global Resources Limited and Katalyst Consulting.
In addition, the institute accredited Michael Stevens Consulting; NLP Nigeria Limited; Procept Associates Professional Services Limited; Don Mitchell & Co Limited; Bode Zakari Management Consultants; Success for ALL Limited; Edcof Educational Services Limited and Kloverharris Limited.
The accreditation was in accordance with CIBN’s role as the accreditation agency for the implementation of the competency framework released, as part of the strategy to redirect the banking industry towards the path of entrenching a sequenced competency development programme and build capacity for the stability of the financial system.
The Heritage Bank’s The Refinery supervised by the bank’s Human Capital Management Group was accredited by CIBN after assessing and evaluating its syllabus, curriculum and structure by a panel of technocrats and seasoned bankers set up by the Institute, which according to the chartered institute aligns with the Competency Framework of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the professional paper standard of CIBN.
Speaking during the presentation, the CIBN President, Mr Bayo Olugbemi, said the event marks yet another significant milestone in the annals of the Institute and our continuing quest for the strengthening of the intellectual resources and capabilities of the human capital in the banking and finance industry. He stressed that apart from efforts towards addressing competency challenges, thereby enthroning a minimum standard for practitioners in the banking industry.
He applauded Heritage Bank for setting a high standard of learning facility which its structure and curriculum “is next to that of CBN’s training institute,” whilst stressing that the bank’s training school is the best in the Nigerian banking industry and at par with international best standard.
He equally informed the gathering that the certificates of accreditation presented to two bank academies and 26 ETSPs, bringing the total number of institutions under the programme to 19 bank academies; 75 Educational Training Service Providers; 69 solicited accreditation; and six unsolicited accreditation.
The MD/CEO of Heritage Bank, Mr Ifie Sekibo, described the lender as a forward-looking business whose strength lies in the ability to spot and mould talents into great professionals.
Mr Sekibo, represented by the Executive Director, Jude Monye, explained that the word The Refinery was chosen for the purpose of refining its employees to emerge as gold and harness the required skills to excel in their job functions.
He noted that The Refinery was established to train, nurture and arm young employees with the right skills needed to fast-track development and enable teams to flourish.
“Just as the word Refinery connotes, the Heritage Bank Plc Refinery is a Facility where crude talents or abilities are converted or ‘refined’ into ‘finished’ jewels for optimal performance.
“The training program is designed to take each participant on an enriching, rigorous and intellectually engaging learning journey to equip them with the fundamental competencies required of a professional banker.
“The curriculums are structured to accommodate both Core and Non-Core Banking competencies such as finance, credit and accounting, organizational and behavioural competencies to mention a few,” Mr Sekibo stated.
Meanwhile, about 300 employees who are fresh from universities across and outside the country with diverse academic backgrounds and impressive academic records underwent rigorous training in an intensive 12-week academic (practical and theoretical) programme with over 30 courses in Port Harcourt.
The Refinery is a tailored learning experience Institute with the perfect blend of technologies, techniques and methodologies to optimise training experiences, which will help employees, succeed in ensuring that the bank’s business stays ahead of the curve with the banking sector along with Heritage Bank’s target goals.
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.
