Banking
FCMB Promises to Sustain Impressive Performance
By Dipo Olowookere
The Group Chief Executive Officer of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr Ladi Balogun, has assured shareholders of the company a sustainable growth. This assurance was given during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of FCMB held in Lagos, where shareholders approved the 2018 financial results and payment of a cash dividend of 14 kobo per ordinary share, totaling N2.8 billion.
Mr Balogun, while addressing the shareholders, outlined that the commercial and retail banking group, which includes First City Monument Bank Limited, Credit Direct Limited, FCMB (UK) Limited and FCMB Microfinance Bank Limited, grew its profit by 61 percent, driven by improved performance in consumer finance business and increase in fees and commissions.
He added that commercial and retail banking remains the largest group, contributing 83 percent of profit while the group’s banking franchise continued to grow as reflected by a 20 percent increase each in deposits and customer base, which rose to 4.9 million customers.
He pointed out that the pre-tax profit of investment banking group, which includes FCMB Capital Markets Limited and CSL Stockbrokers Limited, increased by 24 percent in 2018, a performance driven by higher conversion of investment banking deal pipeline as well as cost efficiencies.
He said the asset and wealth management franchise, which includes FCMB Pensions Limited, First City Asset Management Limited and CSL Trustees Limited, increased combined assets under management to over N310 billion, an increase of 24 percent.
According to him, in spite of the reduction in fees charged by pension fund administrators by the primary regulator, asset management businesses increased pre-tax profits by 15 percent while the group also acquired additional shares in FCMB Pensions Limited to increase its stake from 88.2 percent to 91.6 percent in 2018.
He assured shareholders and other stakeholder that 2019 would see continued growth along all key indices for the Group, especially those around profitability, deposits, customer numbers and assets under management.
Chairman of FCMB, Mr Oladipupo Jadesimi, in his address, said the group has continued to move forward on the path of good governance, strengthening and improving its corporate governance structure and bringing it into line with its long-term strategy and the highest international standards.
He said the group has taken initiatives to increase the confidence of its shareholders, investors and other stakeholders in an environment that is demanding even more transparency.
‘’The board of directors, fully engaged and committed to the group’s corporate culture and strategy, has the experience, knowledge, dedication and diversity needed to accomplish our objective of making FCMB one of the leading financial services groups of African origin, helping people and businesses prosper and upholding our adopted of execution, professionalism, innovation and customer focus,’’ Mr p ppJadesimi said.
At the meeting, shareholders of the company commended the board for the impressive performance in the 2018 financial year, urging them to do more so as to result to more dividend payout.
Chairman, Trusted Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr Mukhtar Mukhtar, said the increased dividend payment was a delight to shareholders given the low economic activities in the country.
“I am highly impressed with the group’s balance sheet quality which witnessed a high growth. This shows vigorous policies that have positively impacted on and optimised the balance sheet.
“Another significant aspect of the performance of FCMB is the growing contributions of the subsidiaries in the profit margin. The 14 kobo dividend declaration signals FCMB’s commitment to improving the lots of shareholders,’’
Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN) Chairman, Mr Boniface Okezie, said FCMB and its subsidiaries have done very well in terms of dividend payment and the overall performance.
According to him, the loans portfolio of the bank is also encouraging while the fact that it has been able to increase its branch network is an indication that it is expanding.
“I believe that FCMB will build on this performance,’’ Mr Okezie said.
Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of FCMB Group for the year ended December 31, 2018 showed that profit before tax rose by 73 percent to N18.4 billion in 2018 as against N11.5 billion in 2017.
Also, gross revenue grew to N177.4 billion, an increase of 4.3 percent compared with N169.9 billion in 2017. Net interest income rose by three percent to N72.6 billion while deposits also increased by 19 per cent to N821.7 billion. Loans and advances stood at N633 billion while total assets grew by 21 percent to N1.43 trillion. Capital adequacy ratio stood at 15.9 percent.
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.
