Banking
KPMG Rates Stanbic IBTC Bank High in Retail, Corporate Banking
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The KPMG 2022 Nigeria Banking Industry Customer Experience (CX) Survey has rated Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc high in retail and corporate banking in the country.
According to the report, Stanbic IBTC Bank occupied the first position with a 73.8 CX score out of 100 in the retail segment and sustained the leading position for the second consecutive year. Time and effort are the drivers of performance in the retail category, and the bank outperformed its peers in this regard.
Stanbic IBTC Bank, which held the top position in the retail and SME segments last year, performed well across key customer journey areas, particularly in resolution – a key area of improvement for the industry where customers rate banks on timeliness and quality of feedback on issues as well as the ability and ease of reporting issues and concerns.
Other customer journey areas where Stanbic IBTC Bank came tops included discovery – the ease of getting information about the bank coupled with professional and friendly staff, the ease of account opening with digital-only options and the speedy onboarding process.
Stanbic IBTC Bank is among the top three in transacting – accessibility, timeliness, and quality of service from physical and digital channels, and in account maintenance which covers requests for account statements, general enquiries and updates to account information with accuracy and completeness.
Moving up five places compared to last year’s report, Stanbic IBTC Bank also emerged as this year’s leader in the corporate segment with an 80.9 score out of 100 and received great feedback on the depth of their relationship managers’ knowledge in key sectors.
The report also revealed that Stanbic IBTC successfully closed the gap in digital banking, emerging as a clear leader in the industry.
Speaking on these achievements, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, said, “The primary goal of the bank is to forge lasting relationships with its clients by offering timely, creative, and valuable solutions that benefit them. We are fully committed to serving Nigerians with top-notch financial services.”
According to Mr Adeniyi, “2022 has been remarkable for us at Stanbic IBTC. Asides from these good standings revealed by the KPMG report, the globally renowned credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings, also reaffirmed the retention of our National Long-Term ‘AAA (nga)’ and National Short-Term ‘F1+(nga)’ ratings for the Stanbic IBTC Group and Stanbic IBTC Bank respectively.”
“The National Long-Term ‘AAA (nga)’ and National Short-Term ‘F1+(nga)’ Ratings are the highest possible ratings on Fitch’s rating scale, and we were rated high based on the potential support from our parent company, Standard Bank Group, based in South Africa. We play a vital role in Standard Bank Group’s main operations in West Africa, and we retained our ratings based on our size and high operational integration,” he added.
Fitch Ratings assessed Stanbic IBTC’s strategic importance as the holding company for Standard Bank Group’s leading corporate and investment banking (CIB) and wealth businesses in Nigeria and Stanbic IBTC Bank’s position as an integral part of its Nigerian operations. It also considered Standard Bank Group’s controlling ownership of Stanbic IBTC, high integration of risk management, operations and strategy, shared branding, and Stanbic IBTC’s moderate contribution to Standard Bank Group’s net income.
The ‘AAA (nga)’ is given to issuers with the lowest expectation of default risk when compared with their competitors. The National Short-Term Rating of ‘F1+(nga)’ is assigned to issuers that have a strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments in comparison to other issuers in Nigeria.
Mr Adeniyi noted that the organisation’s competitive position, good risk profile, healthy funding, and liquidity position also facilitated its upgrade in the Global Credit Ratings (GCR). The national scale long-term issuer rating assigned to Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC was upgraded to AAA(NG) from AA+(NG) and the national scale short-term issuer rating was A1+(NG), indicating a stable outlook and making Stanbic IBTC Bank the only financial institution in Nigeria with the rating.
He attributed the astounding performances of the organisation to the dedication and hard work of its workforce and the tenacity of the firm to continue to play vital roles in Nigeria’s economic development, stating that Stanbic IBTC would not relent in developing sustainable solutions that ensure customers’ delight and the company’s success in the Nigerian financial services spectrum.
Banking
Proposed Bidvest Bank Acquisition by Access Bank Hits Regulatory Brick Wall
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The proposed acquisition of South African financial institution, Bidvest Bank by a Nigerian lender, Access Bank Plc, has hit a brick wall.
Access Holdings Plc, the parent company of the Nigerian bank, had announced on December 12, 2024, its intention to completely takeover Bidvest Bank.
Talks regarding the 100 per cent stake acquisition began between the two banks and January 26, 2026, was fixed as the long-stop date by which all conditions required for the completion of the deal.
However, the day has come and gone with the conclusion of the transaction still hanging, according to Access Bank in a statement on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
The company disclosed that certain conditions, including regulatory requirements, were not fully met as of the expiration of the long-stop date.
While Access Bank thanked the board and management of Bidvest for their patience and support throughout this process, it noted that the brick wall experienced in the transaction “reflects the complexities and extended timelines associated with multi-jurisdictional regulatory and transactional processes.”
However, the chief executive of Access Bank, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, said the organisation remains “constructively engaged with stakeholders on this transaction towards finding a potential path to closure.”
“This initial outcome does not diminish our confidence in South Africa’s financial ecosystem,” he declared, pointing out that the lender remains “focused on building Africa’s most respected financial institution, strengthening our trade finance capabilities and delivering long-term value to customers, partners and communities across all our markets.”
Banking
CBN Grants Bank of Industry Approval to Operate Non-Interest Banking
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bank of Industry (BoI) has secured regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to offer Non-Interest Banking (NIB) services, marking a major expansion of its financing framework.
The approval was disclosed in a statement by the BoI Managing Director, Mr Olasupo Olusi, on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
The move is expected to strengthen the bank’s role in promoting sustainable industrial development and improving access to finance for underserved and high-impact business segments across Nigeria.
With the approval, BoI is authorised to commence non-interest banking operations, providing ethical, asset-backed financing options that prohibit interest and promote risk-sharing.
The initiative aligns with growing demand for alternative financing structures that support inclusive growth and social development objectives.
Mr Olusi described the approval as a significant milestone in the bank’s growth and long-term development agenda, adding that it positions BoI to deepen its contribution to Nigeria’s industrialisation drive through tailored financial solutions.
“This development marks a significant milestone in the Bank of Industry’s growth and long-term development agenda,” Olusi said.
“It positions the bank to further advance Nigeria’s sustainable and inclusive industrial development through tailored financial solutions for underserved and high-impact business segments.”
“Under this framework, BoI will be able to finance assets and raw materials for customers using approved non-interest banking products,” he added.
Mr Olusi noted that the approval underscores the CBN’s confidence in BoI’s governance and commitment to responsible financing.
He said the licence would allow the bank to scale its operations, introduce innovative financing solutions, deepen support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and reach a new category of borrowers who were previously unable to access BoI’s funding.
Reconstructed in 2001 from the former Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) Limited, BoI was originally incorporated in 1959 to transform the country’s industrial sector by providing long-term, low-interest financing and advisory support to various enterprises.
The introduction of a non-interest banking window is expected to broaden BoI’s financing toolkit and attract new pools of ethical and faith-based capital.
Banking
Yemi Kale for Second Ecobank Customer Forum on Regional Integration
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Group Chief Economist and Managing Director for Research and Trade Intelligence at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Mr Yemi Kale, has been pencilled down to deliver the keynote address at the second Ecobank Customer Forum.
The programme, themed Strengthening Regional Integration for Economic Transformation, will take place at the Ecobank Pan-African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos.
The forum, organised by the bank’s Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities (FICC) Business (Treasury), is designed to examine critical issues shaping Nigeria’s and Africa’s economic outlook in 2026, with particular focus on trade, financial markets, foreign exchange liquidity and regional integration, especially as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement enters a strategic phase of implementation.
The Regional Treasurer for Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Mr Olumide Adebayo, said the one-day programme reinforces the lender’s role as a trusted financial partner and customer-focused institution, with the intention to foster dialogue, support informed decision-making, and deeper regional economic integration across Africa.
According to him, the seminar will open with welcome remarks by the Managing Director/Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Bolaji Lawal, who will underscore the bank’s commitment to supporting customers and driving inclusive growth through strategic dialogue, innovation and pan-African collaboration.
The keynote address, titled The Future of Trade in Africa: Harnessing the AfCFTA for Economic Transformation, will be delivered by Mr Kale and will provide insights into Africa’s trade prospects and the transformative potential of the AfCFTA.
The forum will feature two high-level panel discussions: Balancing the Risk between Interest Rate and Exchange Rate: Business Expectations and Outlook in 2026, and Export Proceeds, Oil Receipts and Remittances in 2026: Exploring Options that Best Support FX Liquidity and Flows in Nigeria.
The event would be moderated by Messrs. Aruoture Oddiri, Host and Producer of Global Business Report on Arise News and Barnabas Vajeh of Ecobank Nigeria Limited.
-
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











