Banking
Heritage Bank, RIMAN, FDC Task Firms on Modern Risk Mgt. Practices
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Heritage Bank Plc, Risk Managers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) and Financial Derivatives Company Limited have called on corporate organizations to adopt systemic and cultural changes to embed risk management into their organisations in a bid to manage uncertainties that may arise at any given time.
This call was made at the 17th Annual Conference organized by RIMAN in partnership with Heritage Bank Plc, which was attended by eminent personalities including Oba of Lagos, Mr Rilwan Akiolu; President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Professor Segun Ajibola; among others.
CEO of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr Bismarck Rewane, stated this in a keynote address, remarking that risk advantage is the ability to systematically manage the uncertainty inherent in any given strategic position in order to generate an attractive return with less risk.
He said the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) risk advantage framework could be used to establish competitive strength in an age of uncertainty and that the components of the framework are expansive, anticipation, discipline and resilience.
He remarked that regular scenario planning helped to establish expansive anticipation and also hold managers accountable for factoring risk and uncertainty into their planning.
Mr Rewane whose keynote address was titled: Risk Management for Economic Development and Revenue Diversification also enjoined them to take into account risks taken when reviewing the results achieved because linking risk to human resources and corporate governance builds resilience.
The keynote speaker who looked at risk from a multidimensional perspective but mainly from a policy maker perspective noted that the business cycle is a natural economic phenomenon of boom to slowdown to bust.
Quoting Matthew Bishop, Mr Rewane defined risk as the chance or probability that things not turning out as expected, adding that risk taking lies in the heart of capitalism and is responsible for a large part of economic growth.
Other definitions of risk he proffered are: profit is the reward for risk taking; risk management is the process of bearing the risk of tolerance and minimizing the risk one does not want and risk is also hedging, diversification and buying insurance.
He remarked that economies were vulnerable to both exogenous and domestic shocks s as they go through business cycles, noting that in the last 100 years, there have been no less than 14 recessions, one depression in 1929 and at least two times when economic, financial and market crisis happened.
Mr Rewane noted that a stress test of the Nigerian banking industry presently would measure exposure to oil and gas (N1.62 trillion), telecoms (N673 billion) and power (N306 billion) which showed the industry non-performing loans were on the rise and thereby necessitating additional capital raising.
In his address of welcome, the President of RIMAN, Mr Jude Monye welcomed delegates and participants to the conference with the theme: The Role of Risk Managers in Economic Development and Revenue Diversification.
According to him, the global oil crisis has left a bitter taste with most oil producing nations and Nigeria in particular, due to its heavy reliance on oil revenue and non-diversification of its revenue base among others.
He said RIMAN has been at the fore front of best practice in risk management in Nigeria for more than 16 years, adding that the resolve of the association to ensure best practice in risk management and risk advocacy remain unshaken.
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.
