Banking
Fintech Focuses More on Payments, Not Wealth Creation—Ecobank
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, has challenged financial technology companies in the country to endeavour to create wealth for their customers.
The banker, while at the Fintech in Nigeria: State of Play, pointed out that the fintech industry was currently more active in payments than in wealth creation, which he said is the ultimate goal for financial inclusion.
He, therefore, called for greater collaboration among banks, telecommunication companies, fintech companies and respective regulators to stimulate the Nigerian economy and enhance savings and lending in the financial landscape.
According to Mr Akinwuntan, these will help to generate activities in the economy and expand wealth creation, stating that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been proactive in providing a regulatory environment for the collaboration of players with an emphasis on customer protection which has improved customers’ trust in using digital channels.
Mr Akinwuntan who commended the role fintechs play in facilitating payment, said “there is need to deepen their presence in lending and savings. This is why I maintained that collaboration between Fintech and banks is valuable.
“We are not at the stage of competition yet; we are at a situation where although we have our profitability interests, we will actually gain much more by collaborating”.
He added that “in the area of savings and lending, be it to the agriculture sector, the creative sector or the young graduates setting out to be entrepreneurs directly, the ability to save even in little bits creates a profile that would be able to attract lending that you can translate into economic value.”
Specifically, the Ecobank Managing Director stated that the Fintech industry rose to the situation especially in the payment space and increase in lending and savings during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the country.
He noted that “between March and April, the number of transactions in the payment space for Fintech grew in multiples of close to 800 per cent. We saw significant participation of the Fintech industry in actually reaching more of the underserved in the market by reducing the cost of access and making these services available all the time either by using traditional banks or in collaboration with government agencies.”
Further, Mr Akinwuntan explained that Ecobank had uninterrupted banking services for its customers through its digital platforms and agency banking during the lockdown.
“We had invested significantly in our digital platforms; given the nature of Ecobank as a pan African institution, the only way we could reach every household was to leverage the digital platform.
“We saw a marked growth in the number of digital-based transactions as our customers continued in their way of life depending on these platforms. And most importantly is the use of our social media to drive advocacy with the stay safe campaign where we educated the masses on safety guidelines. We were ready for the situation giving the nature of our franchise. And with our agency banking push, people do not need to go beyond their neighbourhood to do a transaction.”
Also speaking, Director, Payment System Management, CBN, Mr Musa Jimoh, said the apex bank’s regulation is driven by innovation.
“We have come up with regulations that will enable all the participants to behave symbiotically. Our payment system directive will be driven by innovation in the banks. We don’t know what will happen in the future in terms of technological development, therefore we follow innovations and prepare a ground for all the participants to work symbiotically. A new innovation is studied before we provide the needed intervention in terms of policy derivative that will help everybody to participate”.
He observed that the coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown provided an opportunity for banks to sell digital products, test their back up and business continuity processes and explore the technological services available and push for their financial services, noting that CBN is backing up these areas with relevant regulations to ensure all the participants with the payment and financial service space can actually conduct their service responsibly.
On priorities in the regulatory space especially those championing Fintech, Mr Jimoh said the apex bank currently operates both sandbox and the open bank regulation.
“The sandbox provides a regulated environment for startups who don’t have the financial strength to take authorization from CBN to go through the entire process of licensing to test their innovation.
“We are working hard to showcase an environment where startups can come to the regulatory sandbox to test their innovation and services without having the license yet,” he added.
He said further that “open banking regulation is a principle that will allow third-party to leverage on the existing bank accounts with the banks to get information and provide services. More like democratizing financial services where a person chooses the service provider that will provide services and the kind of services provided. As a Fintech, you will be able to connect to banks to provide value-added services.”
Fintech in Nigeria: State of Play is an Economist Intelligence Unit Research which examines key trends in the fintech sector in Nigeria and assesses both industry drivers and impediments to further growth.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The second African Markets Conference (AMC) will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from Sunday, February to Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
The event, hosted by Standard Bank, will bring together global institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and African policymakers to catalyse the flow of capital into the continent’s most critical sectors.
The theme for this year’s edition is Mobilising Global Capital at Scale for Africa’s Growth and Development.
AMC 2026 will host a high-level delegation of decision-makers, ensuring that the dialogue leads to tangible commitments.
The conference will be structured around five high-impact pillars designed to move the needle on investment, including prioritising infrastructure as an asset class, accelerating the energy transition, deepening African capital markets and mobilising private capital, enabling intra-African trade and flows of capital, and addressing Africa’s sovereign debt and cost sustainability.
It is estimated that by 2050, Africa will add one billion people, more than half in cities, yet it invests only $75 billion of the $150 billion it needs annually for infrastructure. Standard Bank aims to use AMC 2026 to ensure that African priorities remain at the centre of the global financial discourse.
“This year’s engagement bridges the gap between policy ambitions and market realities. Africa urgently needs practical measures to deepen capital pools, improve market liquidity, and strengthen regulatory frameworks that give investors the confidence to deploy capital at scale.
“Mobilising capital is not just about funding projects; it is about building the foundation of a more balanced and inclusive global economy,” the chief executive of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank Group, Luvuyo Masinda, stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Inmates at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos were recently full of joy when Fidelity Bank Plc donated some relief items to them.
The financial institution, through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative known as Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP), handed over various household tools and gift items to the leadership of the correctional facility as part of its efforts to support the rehabilitation and development of indigent persons in society.
The Chief Human Resources Officer of Fidelity Bank, Mr Charles Nwachukwu, reaffirmed the bank’s deep commitment to transforming lives and restoring hope, emphasising that true progress lies not only in financial growth but in extending compassion and opportunity to those that society often overlooks.
“At Fidelity Bank, we believe that every individual deserves a second chance. Our approach to Corporate Social Responsibility is rooted in empathy, standing with communities, uplifting the vulnerable, and opening doors for brighter futures.
“By supporting inmates today, we are setting them on the true path of rehabilitation, empowering them to return tomorrow as productive and confident members of society,” the banker said.
The Deputy Controller of Corrections at Ikoyi Custodial Centre, Mr Julius Ogueri, who could not hide his excitement over the gesture, appealed to Nigerians to avoid cybercrimes and stigmatisation of ex-inmates.
Highlighting the challenges faced by correctional facilities in Nigeria, Mr Ogueri noted that Ikoyi correctional center initially designed for 800 inmates, now houses over 3,000 inmates, with 396 convicted persons and 3,604 awaiting trial.
Whilst thanking the bank, the Deputy Controller also emphasised the importance of rehabilitation, citing examples of inmates who have pursued education and skills acquisition, including 72 inmates studying with the National Open University of Nigeria and 120 inmates who have benefited from WAEC and GCE support.
Business Post reports that through the FHHP, staff across Fidelity Bank branches nationwide identify crucial interventions needed in their immediate community and raise funds to execute them. The bank’s management then matches this contribution with an equal amount and disburses it for the selected project.
The visit to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre reinforces the lender’s unwavering commitment to meaningful community impact and demonstrates its strong dedication to advancing social responsibility and rehabilitation efforts across the society.
By Dipo Olowookere
A new digital banking platform created to help business owners in the country to eliminate delays, queues, and operational inefficiencies has been introduced by Ecobank Nigeria.
This mobile application is to strengthen the growth and sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria, allowing them to manage payments, monitor transactions, oversee cash flow, and run day‑to‑day financial operations directly from their mobile devices.
The Ecobank Business app, now available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, cements the bank’s position as a dependable growth partner to SMEs across all sectors, delivering tools that help businesses manage better, grow faster, and operate more competitively in a digital economy. – Ecobank Business — Your Growth Partner.
The introduction of this initiative further reinforces Ecobank’s broader commitment to empowering SMEs through digital innovation, sector‑specific value propositions, and financial solutions like structured loans, trade support, guarantees, and equipment financing.
It also aligns with the lender’s push to re-energise dormant SME accounts, deepen market penetration, promote digital adoption, and scale value‑chain financing through partnerships with corporate anchors.
According to the Executive Director for Consumer and Commercial Bank at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Kola Adeleke, the Ecobank Business App was developed to address the unique challenges faced by Nigeria’s diverse SME landscape.
Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos, he explained that the platform caters to traders, retailers, tech start-ups, online businesses, hospitality operators, farmers, agro‑processors, manufacturers, construction firms, professionals, social commerce entrepreneurs, schools, associations, and organisations that require transparent and efficient financial management.
Mr Adeleke noted that the app delivers faster payment collection for merchants and retailers, seamless digital transactions for online businesses, efficient vendor and staff management for hospitality players, timely payment solutions for agriculture value chains, and secure handling of bulk and high‑value transactions for manufacturers and construction firms.
He added that professionals such as lawyers and consultants can issue invoices and receive payments easily, while schools and associations can streamline fees, dues, and reporting from a single platform.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn