Banking
Standard Bank Chooses Flutterwave to Drive Digital Transformation
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Africa’s leading payments technology company, Flutterwave, has been chosen to drive the digital transformation efforts of Standard Bank Group, the continent’s largest bank by assets.
With this development, Flutterwave will enhance digital payments experiences for the lender’s customers in Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Mauritius, Cote D’Ivoire and Malawi.
A statement from the bank said both parties are collaborating to build e-commerce, card issuing, payments, collections, USSD, lending, and buy-now-pay-later capabilities for millions of Africans.
The integration will help customers including individuals, SMEs, large companies and institutions to fully leverage the power of digital payments and e-commerce to grow their businesses.
The COVID-19 crisis has changed how people buy and sell across Africa – enabling a massive shift to digital payments and e-commerce.
According to Statista, digital responses were key to improving services within several sectors such as business, healthcare and education. A shift to digital payments accounted for 33 per cent of all COVID-19 responses by governments and the private sector of Sub-Saharan African countries in 2020.
Institutions, businesses and individuals continue to think of ways to reach their customers using digital channels. With this partnership, Standard Bank will provide agile tech solutions to its customers to help them grow their businesses online and offline. This partnership denotes the unique collaborative relationship that exists between banks and fintechs across Africa where the customers’ needs and satisfaction take utmost priority.
Commenting on the news, Olugbenga GB Agboola, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flutterwave said: “We are proud that Flutterwave’s white-label services power digital efforts for top banks in Africa.
“Our partnership with Standard Bank demonstrates that fintechs and banks are not competitors but trusted partners with the key focus being the customer.
“We plan to grow financial and digital inclusion through this partnership and in the long run, we expect to generate more jobs in the digital economy and enable rapid business growth across the continent.”
On his part, the CEO of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mr Demola Sogunle, reinforced the importance of the partnership to Stanbic IBTC’s customers.
“In its over three decades of existence, Stanbic IBTC has a rich heritage of serving customers and contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy. At Stanbic IBTC, we see Nigeria as our home and we drive her growth.
“The selection of Flutterwave as our digital transformation partner reflects our resolve to deliver real impact and opportunities to our various customers. It is also a reflection of our mission to adopt digital strategies to improve our services and processes, being an innovation-driven financial institution,” he said.
Also speaking during the announcement, Eric Fajemisin, Head, Wholesale Clients, Stanbic IBTC Bank said: “One of the mandates on our evolution to a client segment-led organisation is to partner with trusted partners in our ecosystem to meet our clients’ needs.
“This partnership with Flutterwave is one that gives credence to that and enables us to connect with our clients via digital platforms further reiterating our well-earned status as their partner as they also transform within their businesses.”
Commenting on the benefits of the Flutterwave partnership to the financial institution’s customers, Olu Delano, Head, Client Coverage, Stanbic IBTC Bank, stated: “Our collaboration with Flutterwave is a testament to a renewed drive and focus on our future-ready transformation ambition.
“With our clients as the focus and centre of this partnership, we are building a platform and payment system to support our customers and their targeted ecosystem across Africa, ultimately delivering exceptional service and enhancing customer experience.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
In recognition of its strategic leadership in advancing the growth and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has been honoured by the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON).
The lender was rewarded by the group for its suite of solutions designed to enable business expansion and long-term value creation.
At the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, held recently in Lagos, Union Bank was given the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award for 2025.
The ceremony was organised by ASBON in partnership with the Lagos State government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment.
The event convened stakeholders from the public and private sectors to recognise individuals and organisations driving meaningful impact across Nigeria’s SME ecosystem.
Receiving the award on behalf of the bank, its Head of SME Segment, Mr Ayokunnumi Abraham, described the recognition as a strong endorsement of the organisation’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses.
“We are honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects Union Bank’s continued commitment to helping SMEs grow by making banking simpler, faster, and more accessible.
“Through enhancements to our specialised platforms such as Union360, we have meaningfully reduced the time it takes for businesses to come on board and begin transacting.
“These improvements have shortened onboarding, increased digital adoption among our SME customers, and supported the acquisition of new business clients. Our focus remains on delivering practical solutions that help Nigerian businesses thrive,” he stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The stellar contributions of Polaris Bank Limited to youth employment, talent development, and workforce empowerment across Nigeria have not gone unnoticed, as the company was recently recognised at an event in Lagos.
At the 2026 Jobberman Partners’ Convening, the financial institution was bestowed with the Private Sector Champion Award.
The award recognises private sector organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment and leadership in advancing youth employability through impactful recruitment initiatives, graduate trainee programmes, executive hiring support, candidate assessment programmes, and strategic partnerships that create sustainable career opportunities for young Nigerians.
Themed From Impact to Action: Collectively Designing the Future of Youth Employment in Nigeria, the convening focused on fostering collaboration between the private sector and other stakeholders to expand access to meaningful employment opportunities and equip young Nigerians with the skills and opportunities required to succeed in an evolving economy.
On the recognition, Jobberman commended Polaris Bank for consistently going beyond transactional partnerships to deliver measurable impact within Nigeria’s employment ecosystem. The renowned recruitment firm described Polaris Bank as a credible and purpose-driven institution committed to advancing youth employability and supporting the future of work in Nigeria.
The Head of Talent Management at Polaris Bank, Ms Cynthia Sanyaolu, reaffirmed the lender’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians and strengthening the nation’s workforce through strategic people-focused initiatives designed to create long-term economic and social impact.
“This recognition reflects Polaris Bank’s unwavering belief in the potential of the Nigerian youths and our commitment to building platforms that enable them to thrive professionally and economically.
“At Polaris Bank, we see talent development and youth empowerment as critical drivers of national growth and sustainable development,” she stated.
Over the years, Polaris Bank has continued to invest in initiatives that promote learning, career growth, workforce inclusion, and economic empowerment.
Through strategic Graduate Trainee recruitment programmes via its flagship Polaris Graduate Intensive Training (PGIT) and Polaris Tech Ignite Training (TechIGNITE), among other talent development initiatives, and collaborative partnerships, the bank remains committed to supporting the next generation of Nigerian professionals while contributing to national development.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Plans are underway by Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) to approach the international debt market for a capital raise.
The parent company of the Ecobank Group intends to use proceeds from the proposed exercise to refinance “the concurrent any-and-all tender offer of the ETI $350 million 8.750 per cent tier 2 notes due June 2031.”
However, the issuance of the notes is subject to prevailing market conditions and the conclusion of the necessary transaction documentation, a statement signed by the organisation’s chief financial officer, Mr Ayo Adepoju, stressed.
After issuance, the debt instrument may be listed on the London Stock Exchange, with the expectation that the bonds will be traded on its regulated market.
Ecobank noted that it would allocate an amount equivalent to the full net proceeds of the issue of the notes to finance or refinance, in part or in full, new and/or existing eligible assets as described in its Green Bond Framework (Ecobank-Sustainability), as amended and supplemented from time to time.
Ecobank, which has banking operations in 34 countries in Africa, is listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, the Ghana Stock Exchange and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (Stock Exchanges).
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