Banking
Stanbic IBTC Graduates DiSEP 4.0 Cohort, Inducts Fresh Intakes
By Adedapo Adesanya
As part of its commitment to youth empowerment and digital skills development, Stanbic IBTC Holdings held the formal certificate presentation ceremony for participants of the Digital Skills Empowerment Programme (DiSEP) 4.0, alongside the induction of DiSEP 5.0 cohort.
The ceremony, which was held at Stanbic IBTC’s Head Office in Lagos, brought together programme graduates, incoming cohort members and senior executives of the organisation.
The chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr Chuma Nwokocha, presented certificates to the DiSEP 4.0 graduates, commending their dedication and the transformative journey during the ceremony; emphasising the impact that the programme will have on their professional development and career opportunities.
DiSEP, a flagship corporate social responsibility initiative of Stanbic IBTC, equips young Nigerians with relevant digital and employability skills, bridging the gap between academic training and the requirements of the modern workplace. The newly inducted DiSEP 5.0 cohort will run until March 2026 and places greater emphasis on gender inclusion by actively bringing more women into the programme, while also encouraging stronger participation from Northern Nigeria to ensure broader national impact.
Successful participants will gain advanced, industry-relevant competencies in high-demand technical areas including Kubernetes, .NET Core, C#, Software Testing and Automation, DevOps, and Java. These skills provide direct pathways to rewarding careers in software engineering, cloud infrastructure, quality assurance, and modern application development both within Stanbic IBTC and across the wider technology and financial services sectors.
During the event, Mrs Ezinne Chidi Anosike, Country Head, People & Culture, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, announced the establishment of the DiSEP Alumni Network, a structured platform designed to foster continuous engagement, mentorship, and career support for all current and former participants of the programme.
A highlight of the event was the inspiring speech delivered by Ms Hannah Ochim, a DiSEP 2.0 alumna, now an employee of Stanbic IBTC. Sharing her personal journey from participant to professional, Hannah spoke passionately about how the programme equipped her with practical digital skills, boosted her confidence, and ultimately opened the door to a rewarding career in financial services.
“DiSEP did not just teach me technical skills; it transformed the way I see opportunities and my own potential,” she said, adding that, “I stand here as proof that this programme changes lives. To the new cohort, embrace every moment; your future starts now.”
He reaffirmed the organisation’s long-term commitment to youth development and digital inclusion, stating: “At Stanbic IBTC, we believe that empowering the next generation with relevant skills is fundamental to Nigeria’s growth. DiSEP is more than a training programme; it is a movement that creates sustainable careers and drives innovation. We are proud of every graduate and excited to welcome the DiSEP 5.0 participants into this life-changing journey.”
Since its inception, DiSEP has successfully trained and empowered over 800 Nigerian youths, with many alumni securing employment in leading organisations, including Stanbic IBTC.
The programme continues to attract strong commendation for its hands-on curriculum, expert facilitation, and clear focus on employability.
Stanbic IBTC also reinforced its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s digital future by empowering young people with the skills, networks and opportunities needed to thrive in our economy.
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.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolment has slowed significantly in 2026 following the introduction of a stricter regulatory framework by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) showing that registrations are on course to fall well below last year’s record.
The BVN database stood at 69.55 million as of July 5, 2026, up from 69.32 million in June, indicating that only 228,947 new registrations were recorded over the period. Since the end of 2025, when the database stood at 67.8 million, total enrolments have increased by 1.75 million.
At the current pace, however, BVN registrations are unlikely to match the 4.3 million new enrolments recorded in 2025, suggesting a sharp deceleration in growth this year.
The slowdown comes after the CBN introduced a revised BVN regulatory framework in March, with the new rules taking effect on May 1, 2026. The framework tightened controls around enrolment, identity verification and fraud monitoring as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the banking system.
Among the key changes was the introduction of a minimum enrolment age of 18 years, effectively preventing minors from registering for a BVN.
The new framework also limits customers to a one-time change of the phone number linked to their BVN and requires financial institutions to place BVNs linked to suspected fraudulent transactions on a temporary watch-list for up to 24 hours while investigations are carried out.
The stricter rules contrast with last year’s surge in registrations, which was largely driven by the introduction of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative that enabled Nigerians in the diaspora to complete BVN enrolment remotely, removing physical barriers and expanding access to the financial system.
Launched on February 14, 2014, the BVN scheme was introduced by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, NIBSS and German technology firm Dermalog to assign every bank customer a unique biometric identity that can be verified across Nigeria’s banking industry.
