Banking
FBNQuest Merchant Bank Lists N5bn Bond on Stock Exchange
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The investment banking and asset management subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, FBNQuest Merchant Bank, has listed its N5 billion bond on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Business Post gathered that the FBNQ MB Funding SPV PLC Series 1 Bond was admitted into the trading platform of the exchange on Thursday.
The papers were issued by FBNQuest under its N50 billion bond issuance programme launched in November 2018 and the first tranche listed yesterday was 2.3 times over-subscribed.
This assisted in driving the closing price down to 10.50 percent and the net proceeds will be utilised for the purchase of three-year 10.50 percent Senior Unsecured Notes issued by FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, pursuant to the terms and conditions in the executed transaction documents.
It was learned that FBNQuest coordinated the principal activities of the transaction ranging from the structuring, arranging, and issuing the Series 1.
The organisation advised on the transaction structure and marketing strategy for the bonds including investor engagements.
The notes were successfully distributed to a diversified mix of investors which included Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), insurance companies, asset managers, high net-worth individuals (HNIs) and others.
The transaction adds to the organisation’s impressive portfolio, and highlights its capabilities in the successful execution of sizeable capital market and commercial debt transactions.
Managing Director/CEO of FBNQuest, Mr Kayode Akinkugbe, while commenting on the deal, stated that, “We are pleased to announce the listing of the FBNQuest MB Funding SPV PLC Bond on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
“This is the debut bond issued by the organisation, and the success recorded attests to the degree of confidence investors have in the business.”
He further stated that, “As a full-service investment bank and asset manager, we advised on the bond issuance and structure; and also leveraged our extensive distribution capability to ensure the success of the transaction.”
Also commenting, the CEO of NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, noted that, “We welcome FBNQuest Merchant Bank’s debut listing of its N5 billion Series 1 Bond on the exchange, as we continue to support the bank in meeting its capital raising needs and business objectives.
“We also commend all the parties to the transaction.
“At the NSE, we are committed to giving issuers and investors a platform to access right-sized capital even in the toughest of times as well as providing opportunities for secondary market trading activities across multiple asset classes – equities, bonds, ETFs.”
FBNQuest has advised on the issuance of several bonds and commercial papers for organisations such as Interswitch; Mixta Real Estate plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB), Lafarge Africa Plc, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN), Wema Bank Plc, and UACN Property Development Company Plc (UPDC) to mention a few.
The organisation received the award for the Most Innovative Registration Member at the 2019 FMDQ Gold Awards, in recognition of its continuous delivery of value in the registration of bond-related transactions at the FMDQ Securities Exchange.
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.
