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 Aduragbemi Omiyale
No fewer than 20 fresh millionaires have emerged in the Fidelity Bank Plc Get Alert in Millions (GAIM) Season 6 promo.
They winners were picked at the second and third monthly draws of the financial institution held at its corporate headquarters in Lagos recently.
The events were monitored by the representatives of relevant regulatory bodies, including the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC), Mrs Aboluwade Margaret; and the Principal Legal Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Oyinkan Kusamotu.
A statement from the lender disclosed that the 20 lucky winners were randomly selected through an electronic draw across Lagos, North, Abuja, South-West, South-South, and South-East zones and would be rewarded with N1 million each.
The Fidelity Bank GAIM campaign was launched in November 2024 and about N19.75 million has been won by 869 customers across different categories.
The GAIM 6 campaign, which will run until August 2025, is set to reward lucky customers with a total of N159 million.
Speaking at the draws, the promo Chairperson and Executive Director for Lagos and South-West, Fidelity Bank, Dr Ken Opara, noted that the GAIM 6 promo was designed to reward customers’ loyalty, encourage a savings culture, and promote financial inclusion across the country.
Dr Opara, represented by the Regional Bank Head for Ikoyi, Chetachi Okechukwu, said, “Fidelity Bank is dedicated to the financial well-being of our customers and this commitment inspired the launch of the GAIM Promo, designed to cultivate a strong culture of savings.
“Through this promo, customers have the chance to win substantial cash prizes up to N10 million by saving and transacting with their Fidelity Bank Savings accounts.
“In addition to the monetary rewards, winners will receive complimentary financial advisory services to secure and grow their wealth for the future.”
Fidelity Bank, ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 8.5 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
As part of its commitment to deliver quality service to customers, Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has finally embraced the trade finance software of Union Systems Limited (USL), Kachasi.
The lender said its migration from Finastra’s Trade Innovation (TI) to USL’s Kachasi is a testament to the strength, reliability and competitiveness of this homegrown solution.
Kachasi is Nigeria’s leading indigenous trade finance software built to empower banks with seamless automation, regulatory compliance, and enhanced operational efficiency.
The platform has consistently proven to be a game-changer in the trade finance sector, offering key features such as full compliance with statutory and local regulatory requirements, end-to-end automation of trade finance processes, compliance with international trade regulations, advanced risk management and reporting tools, as well as seamless integration with core banking, local portals and third-party systems.
RMB said its decision to integrate Kachasi into its operations reinforces the platform’s reputation as a trusted trade finance solution.
As international trade becomes more complex, financial institutions require cutting-edge technology to navigate regulatory requirements, mitigate risks, and ensure operational excellence.
“This win affirms our commitment to revolutionizing trade finance automation across Africa. As more financial institutions embrace Kachasi, we remain dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions that drive efficiency and elevate the banking sector,” the financial institution stated.
Also, the chief executive of USL, Mr Chuks Onyebuchi, said, “This partnership with Rand Merchant Bank marks a defining moment, not just for Union Systems Limited but for African-built fintech solutions on the global stage.
“The successful transition from Finastra’s Trade Innovation (TI) to Kachasi proves that our homegrown technology is not only competitive but also better suited to the evolving needs of banks and trade finance institutions.
“Kachasi’s seamless automation, deep integration capabilities, and understanding of the local and international trade landscape make it the ideal choice for financial institutions looking to drive efficiency and innovation. This achievement is a testament to our commitment to building world-class technology, and we are excited to support RMB in revolutionizing their trade finance operations.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian non-interest bank, TAJBank, is finalising arrangements to raise the sum of N20 billion Mudarabah Sukuk to beef up its additional tier 1 capital with the aim of fueling its business expansion drive in the country.
The issuance is part of its larger N100 billion Sukuk programme.
The new investment initiative, which is coming two years after the issuance of the first-ever N10 billion Sukuk on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited in 2023, presents a unique opportunity for individuals and institutions to invest in an ethical instrument with a competitive 20.5 per cent per annum return.
The Mudarabah Sukuk, which is open to all investors, is designed to offer a stable and ethical investment option, allowing investors to participate in the bank’s profit-sharing ventures.
According to a statement, the the move underscores its commitment to expand access to innovative financial solutions and promoting financial inclusion in the country.
The Mudarabah Sukuk issuance terms and conditions are undergoing final regulatory assessment and approval processes.
The chief executive of TAJBank, Mr Hamid Joda, said, “We are excited to bring this Mudarabah Sukuk to the market, offering a compelling investment opportunity that aligns with ethical financial principles.”
“This listing on the NGX will enable a wider range of investors to participate in our growth and benefit from our profit-sharing model”, the banker added.
Mr Joda had, at the beating of the gong during the listing of the TAJBank’s maiden N10 billion Sukuk bond on the NGX in February 2023, assured investors that the bank’s board and management would ensure good returns on their investments.
Business Post reports that the bond was over-subscribed by over 115 per cent.
“As TAJBank gets the NGX’s endorsement today on its fund raising for operations, I want to assure all investors in the maiden Sukuk bond offer by our bank that the board and management will surpass their expectations in terms of return on their investment and other benefits,” he said.
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