Banking
Heritage Bank Takes Over Properties of HipTV Owner Ayo Animashaun
By Dipo Olowookere
Properties belonging to owner of HipTV and Smooth Productions, Mr Ayo Animashaun, have been allegedly taken over by Heritage Bank.
For a while, the showbiz entrepreneur and the financial institution has been at loggerheads over transactions between them.
However, things took a new twist when Heritage Bank obtained a court order to seize properties of the company, which organises the popular The Headies Award.
A document sighted by Business Post read, “Take notice that I, Mr Gani-Gidado Abubaker (Solicitor and Insolvency Practitioner) of 160A Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos has been appointed by Heritage Bank Limited as the Receiver/Manager of Smooth Promotions Limited over inter alia, its fixed and floating assets charged as security under the All Assets Debenture Deed dated December 11, 2014 and a Deed of Appointment of the Receiver/Manager dated February 11, 2019 was duly stamped by the Commissioner for Stamp duties filed at the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja which issued a letter dated February 26, 2019 that the Deed of Appointment has been filed with it.
“Notice is hereby given that all the properties comprising but not limited to plants and machineries belonging to Smooth Promotions Limited and falling within the ambit of the receivership have been taken over and are now in firm possession of the Receiver/Manager.
“All debtors of the company are to pay directly to the Receiver/Manager. Also, all creditors, if any, are to send their proof of claims to the Receiver/Manager within 14 days from date of this publication.
“All deposits, cash and other Assets and company currently held by banks financial institution, should be held until issuance of further instructions by the Receiver/Manager in accordance with the pre-emptive Orders of Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/362/19 pending within the bosom of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Division.
“All holders of such deposits should contact the Receiver/Manager stating the balances and where secured facilities are granted, the type of security attached should be disclosed.”
On Thursday, Mr Animashaun disclosed that he has instructed his lawyers to file a suit in court against Heritage Bank.
He said, “So, I wanted you to hear it directly from me: I have just instructed my lawyers Kemi Pinheiro LP, to file a suit at the federal high court in Lagos, against Heritage Bank.
“I have spent over two years doing all I can to resolve this as quietly as possible, But I am now left with no choice but to use every available legal means to protect my reputation, secure my business, and get the redress and compensation I deserve.
“Heritage bank has consistently lied to us, defrauded us, and they’re now attempting to twist the facts to make us look like the bad guys. I have spent the past 25 years of my life building a name and business; and we have been nothing but responsible corporate citizens.
“I know many entrepreneurs complain about Nigerian banks and how they do nothing but try to kill us. But this particular bank picked the wrong candidate. I will not rest until I get justice and I just want to thank everyone who’s called me; and plead that you please understand that I may not be able to comment about the matter after this post, as the matter will now be in court.
“I will provide further update as soon as I am allowed to.”
It was gathered that Smooth Promotions is asking the court to reverse over N185 million in alleged interest rates over and above the agreed interest rate and other entries inputted into its account as at February 2017. These charges were revealed by an independent audit of the company’s accounts stretching back to 2013.
According to the court papers, the company says it lost in excess of N533,927,562 owing to the failure and refusal of Heritage Bank to insure its property against risk like fire, and or provide information to Smooth Promotions as to insurance on its property following a fire incident on November 6, 2017, despite debiting Smooth Promotions for the insurance premium.
The case, filed by Kemi Pinheiro LP, alleges that Heritage Bank fraudulently deducted insurance premium from Smooth Promotions’ account without remitting the money to the insurance company; charged interests that were not agreed; and a forensic audit found that almost N200 million worth of charges were not correct.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About N2 billion is expected to be used to finance renewable energy products for customers by the end of 2026 in an effort to accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
To meet this goal, Sterling Bank is launching Sterling Solar Financing Hubs inside StarTimes retail outlets to embed on-the-spot solar financing at the point of purchase.
From the N2 billion earmarked for this initiative, N600 million has already been used up.
Under this programme, customers can now walk into participating outlets, select their preferred solar solution, receive financial guidance from dedicated Sterling Solar Financing Advisors, and begin the financing process immediately, subject to the bank’s credit assessment.
The first phase of the rollout commenced this July with five Solar Financing Hubs across Lagos, located in Lekki, Ikeja, Festac, Surulere, and Victoria Island.
The network will expand rapidly to 46 StarTimes outlets nationwide before the end of the third quarter of 2026, with a view to extending the model to more than 200 StarTimes locations nationwide.
Both parties have promised to continue working together to democratise access to clean energy financing, empowering more Nigerians to solarise their homes and businesses while contributing to a greener future.
“Sterling exists to enrich lives, and we believe that access to clean, reliable energy should be within everyone’s reach. Through this partnership with StarTimes, we are democratising access to solar by bringing financing directly to the point of need, enabling more families and businesses to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of prohibitive upfront costs. This is about unlocking opportunity, improving livelihoods, and powering Nigeria’s future,” the Divisional Head of Renewable Energy and Mobility at Sterling Bank, Mr Darlington Nwankwo, said.
Also commenting, the Vice President of StarTimes Nigeria, Mr Eric Xiao, said, “With the rollout of the Sterling Solar Financing Hubs, we are doing more than just selling solar products; we are building a sustainable energy ecosystem. By integrating StarTimes’ extensive service network with Sterling Bank’s professional financial services, we are significantly lowering the barrier for Nigerian households and small businesses to access clean energy.
“Moving forward, we will continue to deepen this partnership, ensuring that more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, affordable, and smart energy solutions, ultimately turning our vision of energy accessibility into a reality for all.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour of Stanbic IBTC Bank made a detour to Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The event brought together business leaders, development partners and government representatives to discuss pathways for sustainable enterprise development across the South-West.
Participants engaged in practical masterclasses on export opportunities; access to finance and business growth strategies; gaining actionable insights into market expansion; trade documentation; credit readiness; financial record-keeping; and structured financing solutions designed to support long-term business success.
The Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Olajumoke Bello, informed participants that the programme is part of the lender’s commitments to supporting MSMEs through practical business education, strategic partnerships and improved access to growth opportunities.
The Executive Director of Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Remy Osuagwu, on his part, said, “Our ambition is to be more than a financial institution to Nigerian businesses. We want to be a trusted growth partner, providing the financing, business insights and advisory support entrepreneurs need to build sustainable enterprises and unlock new opportunities.”
Similarly, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, who reinforced the company’s commitment to enterprise development, highlighted the importance of providing businesses with the right support structures to enable sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we believe that sustainable economic growth depends on the success of small and growing businesses. That is why we are focused on providing access to finance, practical advisory support and the connections businesses need to move from ambition to scale,” he stated.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives, and Industry, Professor Soliu Adelabu, said the initiative was designed to support businesses and strengthen the state’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, praising the bank for its support for traders, entrepreneurs, and artisans in the state.
The Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs O.M. Shotonwa-Roagess, highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in expanding economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups across Oyo State. She noted that the ministry remains open to collaborating with organisations such as Stanbic IBTC, development partners and the private sector to drive financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic empowerment.
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour forms part of Stanbic IBTC’s broader commitment to empowering entrepreneurs through capacity building, financial inclusion and strategic business support, helping enterprises unlock new opportunities for growth and long-term success.
The Ibadan leg built on the momentum of previous tour stops in Katsina and Aba.
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.
