Banking
Ecobank Ellevate, Others Train Fashion Entrepreneurs in Nigeria
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To empower and expose local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria to the global market, Ecobank Ellevate has partnered with Ananse Africa and MasterCard Foundation to train fashion entrepreneurs and creatives in Nigeria.
Ecobank Ellevate is a proprietary service offering designed for businesses owned by women, managed by women and those with a high percentage of female board members or employees, as well as companies manufacturing products for women.
Speaking at a hybrid event which took place at the Ecobank Pan Africa Centre (EPAC) in Lagos on Thursday, the Head of Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs Korede Demola-Adeniyi, assured that the bank would continue to support initiatives designed to boost the country’s economy.
“This is an innovative impact-driven programme designed to equip women fashion entrepreneurs with valuable business skills to be better empowered and to equip them with more skills in their chosen field in fashion.
“For us as a bank, we are delighted to partner with Ananse and Mastercard Foundation to organise this training program. It aligns with our focus on enabling SMEs to grow their businesses to compete in the global market.
“Remember, we are also using Adire as a key driver in the fashion industry. Last year we took Adire technology to the global arena; we partnered with Ogun State First Lady through Ajose Foundation Adire Market Week, which attracted over 1000 local and foreign exhibitors.
“We organized a successful Lagos Adire Experience and sponsored Africa Fashion Week London 2022 with an Adire pavilion,” the banker said in her welcome address.
Mrs Demola-Adeniyi introduced to the participants the bank’s various products, services, and digital offerings such as “Ecobank Mobile app, Ecobank Online, Ecobank Omnilite, EcobankPay, Ellevate, a relationship package to cater for female-owned and female-run businesses and over 60,000 Ecobank Xpress Point agency banking locations spread across the country, among others.”
Earlier, the founder/CEO of Ananse Africa, Sam Mensah, said the training, which centres on e-commerce and digital marketing, is targeted at women and youths in fashion and creative MSMEs who want to start trading online or improve their current online presence, adding that, participants will receive continued practical support to setup or improve their online stores for three months after the session.
“We intend to take the training to four other African countries, including Senegal, Kenya, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, in the next few months.
“There are lots of economic opportunities for youth and women across Africa in the fashion business. Our technology solution solves key problems behind the market challenges that prevent African fashion designers and creatives from being commercially successful and growing their businesses,” he said.
Mr Mensah listed the benefits to include digital PoS for improved inventory management, local and international payments, marketing exposure, global logistics for increased sales and hassle-free global e-commerce, among others.
Ananse Africa is an e-commerce platform that equips African fashion designers and creatives for local and international trade.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, says Nigeria anticipates remittances from citizens living abroad to increase by two-thirds in 2026 as it seeks to bolster its foreign-exchange reserves to $1 billion monthly.
“We are expecting that by the end of the year, we will hit about a billion Dollars a month from diaspora remittances,” he said at the 14th Annual BusinessDay CEO Forum in Lagos on Thursday, themed From Stability to Shared Prosperity.
Mr Cardoso said remittances are expected to be boosted from more than $600 million currently, banking on the CBN’s deliberate target at remittances to diversify reserve sources beyond oil earnings.
According to him, the apex bank engaged Nigerians abroad, banks and international partners to identify barriers to official remittance flows.
He said the lender subsequently reviewed policies to ensure easier movement of funds into and out of the country.
Mr Cardoso described the approach as providing free entry and free exit for foreign exchange.
He said the reforms helped double diaspora inflows within one year and exceeded initial expectations, also projecting annual remittances could reach about $8 billion if the current momentum was sustained, adding that the development reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and foreign exchange market.
Mr Cardoso said reforms introduced by the apex bank had restored stability in the foreign exchange market and improved investors’ confidence.
He identified exchange rate unification as one of the central bank’s major achievements under the reforms programme.
According to him, replacing multiple exchange rate windows with a market-driven system eliminated distortions and improved transparency.
Mr Cardoso said improved foreign exchange liquidity and stronger reserves were among the gains from the reforms.
He said Nigeria’s net external reserves had risen from about $3 billion at the start of the reforms to above $40 billion currently, noting that gross external reserves had grown to about $52 billion, representing about 10 months of import cover.
According to him, the reserves are designed to shield the economy from external shocks and excessive market volatility.
He said the reserves were not meant for routine interventions or day-to-day exchange rate management.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The flagship banking subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Limited, has been announced as the winner of Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank award at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026.
The lender clinched this accolade at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 ceremony, held on July 17, 2026, at The Peninsula London, England, for its outstanding performance, innovation, customer service, and leadership.
GTBank’s recognition as Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank reflects its continued leadership in digital innovation and its commitment to delivering seamless, secure, and customer-centric financial solutions.
As the banking franchise of GTCO, GTBank has consistently set industry benchmarks in digital transformation, pioneering solutions that have redefined how individuals and businesses access, manage, and experience financial services.
Over the years, GTBank has transformed the banking experience through a suite of innovative digital platforms, including the GTWORLD mobile app and solutions that provide millions of customers with seamless, secure, and convenient access to financial services.
The bank continues to strengthen its digital capabilities by introducing products and services that meet evolving customer needs while maintaining the highest standards of security, reliability, and service excellence.
This latest recognition underscores the company’s position as a market leader and reflects its sustained investment in technology, operational excellence, and innovation.
“This recognition is a testament to the legacy upon which GTBank was built and the vision that continues to guide us today.
“From inception, our goal has been to deliver on the Group’s vision to make end-to-end financial services accessible to everyone by leveraging technology to remove barriers, simplify experiences, and create meaningful value for our customers,” the chief executive of GTBank, Mrs Miriam Olusanya, stated.
“While we are honoured by this recognition, we see it as an acknowledgement of what we have achieved and a motivation to do even more.
“We remain focused on raising the bar for digital banking, investing in innovative solutions, and delivering exceptional experiences that create lasting value for our customers.
“As the financial services landscape continues to evolve, we will continue to innovate, adapt, and lead with the same commitment to excellence that has defined our franchise for decades,” she added.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 convened leading financial institutions, industry executives, and policymakers from across the globe to celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in the financial services sector.
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.
