Banking
Standard Chartered Launches Banking Services for ‘Digital’ Customers
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
In order to satisfy the needs of its customers who are technologically/digitally inclined and require minimal personal contact, Standard Chartered Bank (Nigeria) has launched its premium banking segment.
According to the bank, this banking segment was designed to specifically cater to the financial needs of the emerging affluent providing a wide variety of services and solutions such as an end to end digital onboarding, online investment options and seamless bills payment.
Those to enjoy these services are clients between the ages of 25 and 45 years old and are typically graduates, start-up entrepreneurs, SMEs, new working professionals etc.
It was said that the premium segment of the bank addresses specific needs for its client’s such as buying a first home, starting a family, children education funds, travel and lifestyle improvement etc with access to dedicated premium executives for banking related queries and Investment advisors for Investment related queries.
The Head of Retail Banking at Standard Chartered, Mr David Idoru, speaking at the launch, said, “It gives me great joy to announce the launch of our premium banking segment to our clients today.
“At Standard Chartered Bank, our clients remain at the centre of everything that we do, which clearly shows in how we develop business segments, products for investments, the markets where we operate in, the entire process of how we deliver value to our clients through engagement platforms such as the SC Mobile app.
“As a bank, we believe in building long term relationships with our clients and having the premium banking segment enables us to do so more strategically with our clients within this age bracket.
This is one of the many ways we continue to demonstrate and reiterate to our clients that we are here for good.”
He added that, “As a bank today, we are clearly also focused on driving digital banking across all segments from a convenience perspective which makes delivering value to our clients easier, faster, secured and a lot more efficient.
“This basically means that our clients including our premium banking clients can start and end their journey of subscribing to any of our investment products strictly on their mobile devices and this has changed how we deliver value and investment products to our clients.”
Standard Chartered Bank announced the launch of its digital bank in Nigeria in December 2019 with the SC Mobile 2.0 app.
It offers savings accounts, current accounts, fixed deposits (with the option of joint accounts) along with lending and wealth management solutions.
“For both existing and new to bank clients, various benefits to be enjoyed on the app include zero charges on all interbank transfers; zero charges on SMS notification, zero charges on ATM withdrawals, performing funds transfer without adding beneficiaries and generating a soft token for all transactions, free bank card delivery nationwide and account management and service request.
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.
