Banking
Skye Bank Rewards Customers in Reach for the Skye Millionaire Promo
By Dipo Olowookere
One of the leading retail banks in Nigeria, Skye Bank, has again showed why it is gradually winning the hearts of Nigerians.
The lender, which boasts of wide-ranging electronic solutions promoting consumer lifestyle and e-commerce experience for its customers, has again produced another millionaire in this period some Nigerians describe as “tough”.
The financial institution, led by prolific banker, Mr Tokunbo Abiru, a couple of days ago, produced another millionaire in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, through its ‘Reach for the Skye Millionaire’ reward promo.
The ‘Reach for the Skye Millionaire’ reward promo was put in place by the management of the bank to increase the flow of funds to support SMEs, accelerate employment generation and development of indigenous entrepreneurship as well as encourage saving culture among Nigerians.
It was a sort of an empowerment scheme put in place by management of the bank to solve the difficulties customers go through in accessing funds for their business,
The reward promo, which has seen several customers of Skye Bank winning N1 million and other consolation prizes, recently moved to Mile 3 Market Park, Port Harcourt, Rivers State with another millionaire emerging through a transparent electronic draw under the watchful eyes of the officials of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).
Apart from the grand prize of winning N1 million, several other customers also won various cash prizes including N100,000 for 10 customers, N50,000 for another 10 customers and N20,000 for 20 loyal customers and these mouth watery prizes exists every month throughout the period of the scheme.
Gift items such as table top fridge, generator, table top gas cookers, mobile phones, blenders and recharge cards are also available to be won.
Since its introduction, the Skye Bank ‘Reach for the Skye Millionaire’ reward promo has been changing the lives of many for the better.
The initiative, which is open to all individual savings account holders in the bank, has produced previous millionaires including Olusola Olusegun Ezekiel of Ikorodu branch in Lagos; Elizabeth Ohaeme of Mgbidi branch in Owerri and Buhari Aminu of Ibrahim Taiwo branch in Kano and other consolation prizes, meant to encourage savings culture amongst the retail market segment.
Speaking on the bank’s commitment, Group Head, Product & Innovation, Skye Bank Plc, Ndubuisi Osakwe, said, “The reward initiative provides a unique opportunity for the bank to stay in touch and reward its savings customers, who have unique roles to play in the country’s economic expansion”.
Part of activities lined up for the event is the instant reward for people who open any savings account during the draw as well as the electronic draw for cash prize winners. The instant reward items at the draw venue include: generator sets, refrigerators, blenders, phones, table gas cookers and even recharge cards.
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.
