Banking
Ohiwerei Returns Keystone Bank Back to Profitability With N5.9b PBT
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Since the present management of Keystone Bank Limited under the leadership of Mr Obeahon Ohiwerei came on board in August 2017, the financial institution has witnessed significant transformation both structurally and in market competitiveness.
In a chat with newsmen in Lagos on Monday, Mr Ohiwerei explained that the bank’s current strategic focus anchors on a blend of professionalism and best-in-class yet cost-effective technology to drive customer convenience across all touchpoints.
According to him, “What was otherwise a fringe bridge-bank player has increasingly reinvented itself in the market place as medium-sized in scale yet replete with the vibrancy, innovation and forward-looking stance of any major player.”
Explaining how his team turned the lender around in a short time, Mr Ohiwerei said, “Besides re-energising our workforce across the country, Keystone Bank has invested substantially fully integrated service models that facilitate customer access to banking services across a broad range of channels.”
Speaking further, the bank chief alluded to recent successes in entrenching an audacious can-do spirit across the bank; a mind-set that is willing to go the extra mile in serving customers in the most innovative ways possible, yet undergirded with professionalism and utmost respect for corporate governance.
“Indeed, there are emerging dividends of this on-going re-engineering process. For the half-year ended June 30, 2018, the bank recorded a Profit Before Tax of N5.9 billion compared with a loss of N7.1 billion over the same period in 2017 while deposits have grown from N209 billion in August 2017 (when the new management came on board) to N358billion as at November 2018,” Mr Ohiwerei stated.
Driven by seasoned professionals drawn from leading banks in the industry, the Executive Management Team is well aware of the potential pitfalls in pursuing unbridled bank-growth, particularly in the face of pressure for turnaround performance.
However, in the words of the CEO, “we have consistently maintained an expansive yet responsible appetite for risk asset creation, striking the required balance across all key regulatory ratios without stifling growth. As such we have remained a net placer of funds in the interbank market with over the last 10months till this minute.
“One of the key elements of our revised vision statement is the word preferred and the import of it is to take us above the fray and elevate the discussion beyond traditional matrices of balance sheet size, asset base, branch spread and the like, which are still important though.
“Rather it commits us to delivering excellent services in all we do such that customers trust us and repeatedly want to do business with us.
“Growth for us is not a 100-metre dash but a marathon where we shall not only stay competitive in the short to medium term but put in place every required resource to ensure our growth is sustainable in the long term.
“We are excited about our future and cherish both our new customers and those that have kept faith with us through the years.
“At Keystone Bank, when we say #We Grow Together, our commitment is to ensure that every experience reinforces the truth that we are a professional, responsive and dependable financial solutions provider, always within reach through all our channels,” Mr Ohiwerei concluded.
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.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The flagship banking subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Limited, has been announced as the winner of Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank award at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026.
The lender clinched this accolade at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 ceremony, held on July 17, 2026, at The Peninsula London, England, for its outstanding performance, innovation, customer service, and leadership.
GTBank’s recognition as Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank reflects its continued leadership in digital innovation and its commitment to delivering seamless, secure, and customer-centric financial solutions.
As the banking franchise of GTCO, GTBank has consistently set industry benchmarks in digital transformation, pioneering solutions that have redefined how individuals and businesses access, manage, and experience financial services.
Over the years, GTBank has transformed the banking experience through a suite of innovative digital platforms, including the GTWORLD mobile app and solutions that provide millions of customers with seamless, secure, and convenient access to financial services.
The bank continues to strengthen its digital capabilities by introducing products and services that meet evolving customer needs while maintaining the highest standards of security, reliability, and service excellence.
This latest recognition underscores the company’s position as a market leader and reflects its sustained investment in technology, operational excellence, and innovation.
“This recognition is a testament to the legacy upon which GTBank was built and the vision that continues to guide us today.
“From inception, our goal has been to deliver on the Group’s vision to make end-to-end financial services accessible to everyone by leveraging technology to remove barriers, simplify experiences, and create meaningful value for our customers,” the chief executive of GTBank, Mrs Miriam Olusanya, stated.
“While we are honoured by this recognition, we see it as an acknowledgement of what we have achieved and a motivation to do even more.
“We remain focused on raising the bar for digital banking, investing in innovative solutions, and delivering exceptional experiences that create lasting value for our customers.
“As the financial services landscape continues to evolve, we will continue to innovate, adapt, and lead with the same commitment to excellence that has defined our franchise for decades,” she added.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 convened leading financial institutions, industry executives, and policymakers from across the globe to celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in the financial services sector.
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.
