Banking
Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Pays N279b to Retirees
By Dipo Olowookere
Affirming its status as Nigeria’s largest Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited has paid over N279 billion to retirees since its inception in 2006.
Between January and June this year, over 5,000 new retirees also received their benefits from the PFA increasing the number of individual retirement savings account (RSA) holders nationwide with it to over 1,500,000. A total of N16.6 billion was paid to retirees from January to June this year.
These figures were reeled out as the company examined its 2017 half year performance with a view to retooling for higher performance in the years ahead. This was also as the PFA continued its national awareness and engagement campaign across the country.
The 2017 employers’ forum organized by the company has held in four key cities namely Benin, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Abuja, while similar sessions are scheduled to hold in Kaduna, Ibadan and Lagos before the end of the year.
In a chat, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, Mr Eric Fajemisin, stated that the company has more than N1.7 trillion in assets under management, a feat that reinforces a strong evidence of its proficiency at ensuring safety and return of value on investment to RSA holders through higher standards of service delivery.
The performance also demonstrates the potential of the pension industry to pool the requisite funding to support Nigeria’s economic development
Mr Fajemisin noted that the Pension Reform Act 2014, which replaced the 2004 Act, addressed a number of lacunas in the original Act such as the application of a portion of pension assets towards the payment of equity for a residential mortgage by the RSA holder as well as the inclusion of the informal sector in the Contributory Pension Scheme.
However, there is more room for further development as the industry operators and the regulator and other stakeholders continue to collaborate to ensure continuous advancement.
“We believe that every able-bodied Nigerian who earns a living is entitled to a pension at the point in time when that person can no longer work and would not want to be a liability to the nation or to the kith and kin. This is what makes participation in the nascent pension scheme quite imperative,” he said.
Mr Fajemisin said it is very important to raise the level of awareness about retirement planning, especially among operators in the informal sector which boasts of an estimated 38 million workers and about 60 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product as well as employing over 90 percent of its workforce. He said deepening awareness about the pension scheme requires the collaboration of all stakeholders as there are numerous benefits to ensure peace of mind in retirement.
On service delivery, the Stanbic IBTC chief said the provision of satisfactory services to the informal sector through channels they are conversant with will ensure availability and accessibility. Adopting the existing ecosystem they operate and using mobile devices to access important information will add more transparency and trust to the scheme.
He said the PFA would continue to respond to the ever-changing preferences and needs of its customers by deploying the appropriate tools, technology and channels.
The PFA’s significant breadth of knowledge in the market, backed by the expertise and experience of Stanbic IBTC Group, a member of the over 154-year-old Standard Bank Group, will remain instrumental in delivering value-driven services to clients.
He said transaction notifications on contributions, quarterly statements and quarterly pension notes are regularly sent to customers through SMS, emails and hardcopy statements to enhance transparency and trust and ensure that contributors have up-to-date information on the status of their pension funds.
Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited is a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, a member of Standard Bank Group, a full service financial services group with a clear focus on three main business pillars – Corporate and Investment Banking, Personal and Business Banking and Wealth Management. Standard Bank Group is the largest African financial institution by assets and earnings. It is rooted in Africa with strategic representation in 20 countries on the African continent. Standard Bank has been in operation for 154 years and is focused on building first-class, on-the-ground financial services institutions in chosen countries in Africa; and connecting selected emerging markets to Africa by applying sector expertise, particularly in natural resources, power and infrastructure.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian tier-1 lender, First Bank, has announced the introduction of its Naira Visa Debit Card in partnership with the global payments giant to extend accessible, reliable electronic payment capabilities to a broader segment of the Nigerian population.
The card is targeted at everyday consumers who require a dependable payment instrument for routine domestic and international transactions. Accepted across POS terminals, ATMs, and online platforms through Visa’s payments network, the Naira Visa Debit Card is designed to reduce friction for customers transitioning from cash to electronic payments across retail, utilities, and digital commerce.
According to the bank, the partnership aligns with Nigeria’s ongoing drive toward a cashless economy, a policy direction that has gained significant momentum following successive Central Bank of Nigeria directives encouraging the adoption of electronic payment channels, adding that the card is intended to serve customers across the country’s diverse economic segments.
The Naira Visa Debit Card is available to all eligible FirstBank account holders through any of the bank’s branches nationwide.
Speaking on the launch, Mr Chuma Ezirim, Group Executive, eBusiness & Retail Products, FirstBank, said: “Everyday transactions should be simple, secure, and rewarding. The Naira Visa Debit Card is designed to make life easier for our customers, whether they are paying for groceries, settling utility bills, or shopping online.
“By extending reliable electronic payment access across Nigeria, we are helping more people transition confidently from cash to digital payments, supporting the nation’s cashless policy and empowering communities with greater financial inclusion.”
Commenting on the strategic importance of the partnership, Mr Andrew Uaboi, Vice President and Cluster Head, West Africa, Visa, noted: “A strong payments ecosystem works for everyone. The Naira Visa Debit Card extends reliable electronic payment access to everyday Nigerian consumers, and this in addition to the cards in our portfolio, continues to demonstrate what a truly comprehensive card portfolio looks like for the Nigerian market. Visa is proud to power this offering with FirstBank.”
The launch of the Naira Visa Debit Card broadens Visa’s card portfolio at FirstBank, which already includes products spanning credit cards and High-end premium lifestyle spending cards. The addition completes its offering across customer segments, ensuring that cardholders at every income level have access to a product suited to their needs.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has unveiled the fourth edition of its Foreign Exchange Manual as part of efforts to deepen liquidity, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in the country’s foreign exchange market.
Speaking at the launch of the revised manual in Abuja on Friday, the Governor of the apex bank, Mr Yemi Cardoso, said the document will take effect from June 1, 2026.
He said it was developed after extensive consultations with banks, exporters, importers, corporates, regulators and development partners.
He said the new framework reflects the apex bank’s commitment to modernising the country’s foreign exchange administration in line with international best practices.
Mr Cardoso described the foreign exchange market as a critical pillar of any open economy, noting that effective governance of the sector is essential for sustaining macroeconomic stability and investor confidence.
“Foreign exchange is more than a financial instrument. It anchors price stability, facilitates the flow of goods and capital, and shapes investor sentiment,” he said.
The CBN governor stressed that the revised manual became necessary due to changing global economic realities, domestic reforms and the need for a more coherent and forward-looking regulatory framework.
According to him, the last edition of the FX manual was issued in 2018, making the latest review both timely and necessary.
Mr Cardoso disclosed that Nigeria’s foreign exchange market has witnessed significant improvement in liquidity since the current administration began reforms in the sector.
He added that daily turnover in the FX market increased from an average of about $100 million in the early days of the administration to between $400 million and $600 million daily.
The CBN Governor added that the market had also recorded transactions of up to $1 billion per day on several occasions in recent months.
“We have gone from a situation where it was more or less a one-way market, where the central bank came in, intervened and went away, to a much more dynamic market,” he stated.
The apex bank boss noted that the reforms were gradually restoring confidence among investors and market participants, encouraging freer entry and exit in the market without unnecessary restrictions.
He also maintained that the nation’s foreign reserves should not be used as the primary tool for funding the foreign exchange market.
“Reserves are reserves. They are not what you look to fund a market,” he said.
The CBN Governor assured stakeholders that the revised manual would be distributed free of charge to authorised dealers while the bank strengthens monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance, fairness and accountability across the foreign exchange market.
On his part, the Deputy Governor for Economic Policy, Mr Muhammad Abdullahi, said the review formed part of broader reforms initiated by Mr Cardoso to restore confidence, improve transparency and deepen liquidity in the foreign exchange market.
Mr Abdullahi explained that the revised manual introduces several changes aimed at improving ease of doing business and reducing transaction bottlenecks.
Among the notable changes, he noted, are provisions allowing unfettered access to export proceeds, the introduction of non-resident investment accounts and operational guidelines for Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) transactions to support regional trade.
Mr Abdullahi added that the manual also contains new provisions on service exports, revised documentation requirements and updated operational procedures designed to align Nigeria’s FX market with global standards.
He said the apex bank deliberately adopted an ease of doing business approach during the review process to eliminate inefficiencies and ambiguities identified by stakeholders.
“The revised manual is not a stand-alone exercise but part of a broader institutional reform effort designed to strengthen the integrity, credibility and effectiveness of Nigeria’s foreign exchange system,” he said.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the appointment of Mr Julius Omodayo-Owotuga to the board of First Bank of Nigeria Limited as an executive director.
A statement from the company said the appointment of Mr Omodayo-Owotuga became effective on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
He was appointed to the board of the subsidiary of First Holdco Plc to further strengthen its leadership capacity across strategic finance, governance, risk management, and institutional transformation.
Before now, he served on the board of First Holdco as a non-executive director between 2021 and 2026.
The appointee brings to the board 24 years of experience spanning banking and financial services, infrastructure finance, power, oil & gas, and audit and consulting.
His appointment, according to the notice to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, reflects the Bank’s continued commitment to strong governance, disciplined execution, financial resilience, and sustainable long-term growth.
He most recently served as deputy chief executive of Geregu Power Plc, Nigeria’s first listed power generation company, where he played a pivotal role in institutional transformation, governance strengthening, capital market positioning, operational optimisation, and major financing initiatives, including the company’s landmark listing on NGX.
Mr Omodayo-Owotuga previously served as group executive director, Finance & Risk Management at Forte Oil Plc (now Ardova Plc), where he was instrumental in the company’s financial and operational transformation, leading strategic restructuring, capital raising, treasury optimisation, enterprise risk management, and governance improvement initiatives that strengthened long-term shareholder value.
His professional career also includes roles at Africa Finance Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank, KPMG Professional Services and MBC International Bank (Now First Bank Nigeria Limited), providing him with deep experience in institutional finance, treasury management, financial controls, regulatory engagement, and corporate advisory.
Mr Omodayo-Owotuga is a CFA Charter Holder, KPMG-trained Accountant, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), and the Institute of Credit Administration. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria and a Certified Management Accountant.
He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He is an alumnus of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, IE Business School, Geneva Business School, and the University of Lagos.
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