Banking
Sustainability Remains Essential Part of Ecobank—Adeleke
By Dipo Olowookere
The Executive Director in charge of Corporate Bank at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Kola Adeleke, has said sustainability remains an essential part of the lender’s mission and vision of building a world-class pan-African bank.
The banker said this while receiving the Starsight Sustainability Award 2020 from the Head of Sales, SMEs at Starsight Energy, Ms Teme Jack, in Lagos recently.
According to him, the Ecobank Group Sustainability framework is focused on four thematic areas which include Economic Transformation, Environmental Sustainability, Socially Responsible Financing and Human Capital Development.
He noted that these focus areas are aligned with the tenets of the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP), adding that Ecobank is a signatory member of a number of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework, including the Equator Principles and the United Nations Global Compact.
“We have set a target of achieving the goals as regard SDG/Climate change and society’s wellbeing.
“For instance, the bank is committed to taking bold steps to reduce our carbon footprint, demonstrated in carbon emission from our business operations, travels, paper use and office waste disposal.
“We further commit to investing in energy efficiency by incorporating the use of renewable energy products and practices, design architecture for energy-efficient building in new branch expansions, including retrofitting programmes; as well as mainstreaming sustainable practices in third-party contractor’s agreement for supply and procurement activities,” Mr Adeleke said.
Speaking further, he said the sustainable actions of Ecobank support the development of Nigeria and Africa as a continent.
“Ecobank is focused on mainstreaming environmental and social best practices in its operations and has adopted various ESG frameworks, including the NSBP as benchmarks for measuring its environmental stewardship.
“We have been in partnership with Starsight Energy to deliver a market-leading renewable energy solution across our branches in Nigeria, they have delivered over 100 branches facilities with renewable energy solution, thereby reducing our carbon footprint and making Ecobank one of the market leaders in the implementation of Principle 2 of NSBP,” he added.
On her part, Ms Jack lauded the commitment of Ecobank towards the application of renewable solutions, thereby reducing carbon footprints.
She stressed that the award, given to Ecobank, Starsight Renewable Energy Sustainability Award for 2020, was well deserved.
She was optimistic that Starsight partnership with Ecobank would further go a long way to environmental sustainability.
“Our partnership with Ecobank has delivered an outstanding result in a short window of time and we look forward to expanding our partnership in Nigeria and other geographical regions of operations,” Ms Jack stated.
The award given to Ecobank indicated that Ecobank is well placed to be the market leader in the establishment of Green Branches across the country.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, says Nigeria anticipates remittances from citizens living abroad to increase by two-thirds in 2026 as it seeks to bolster its foreign-exchange reserves to $1 billion monthly.
“We are expecting that by the end of the year, we will hit about a billion Dollars a month from diaspora remittances,” he said at the 14th Annual BusinessDay CEO Forum in Lagos on Thursday, themed From Stability to Shared Prosperity.
Mr Cardoso said remittances are expected to be boosted from more than $600 million currently, banking on the CBN’s deliberate target at remittances to diversify reserve sources beyond oil earnings.
According to him, the apex bank engaged Nigerians abroad, banks and international partners to identify barriers to official remittance flows.
He said the lender subsequently reviewed policies to ensure easier movement of funds into and out of the country.
Mr Cardoso described the approach as providing free entry and free exit for foreign exchange.
He said the reforms helped double diaspora inflows within one year and exceeded initial expectations, also projecting annual remittances could reach about $8 billion if the current momentum was sustained, adding that the development reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and foreign exchange market.
Mr Cardoso said reforms introduced by the apex bank had restored stability in the foreign exchange market and improved investors’ confidence.
He identified exchange rate unification as one of the central bank’s major achievements under the reforms programme.
According to him, replacing multiple exchange rate windows with a market-driven system eliminated distortions and improved transparency.
Mr Cardoso said improved foreign exchange liquidity and stronger reserves were among the gains from the reforms.
He said Nigeria’s net external reserves had risen from about $3 billion at the start of the reforms to above $40 billion currently, noting that gross external reserves had grown to about $52 billion, representing about 10 months of import cover.
According to him, the reserves are designed to shield the economy from external shocks and excessive market volatility.
He said the reserves were not meant for routine interventions or day-to-day exchange rate management.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The flagship banking subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Limited, has been announced as the winner of Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank award at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026.
The lender clinched this accolade at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 ceremony, held on July 17, 2026, at The Peninsula London, England, for its outstanding performance, innovation, customer service, and leadership.
GTBank’s recognition as Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank reflects its continued leadership in digital innovation and its commitment to delivering seamless, secure, and customer-centric financial solutions.
As the banking franchise of GTCO, GTBank has consistently set industry benchmarks in digital transformation, pioneering solutions that have redefined how individuals and businesses access, manage, and experience financial services.
Over the years, GTBank has transformed the banking experience through a suite of innovative digital platforms, including the GTWORLD mobile app and solutions that provide millions of customers with seamless, secure, and convenient access to financial services.
The bank continues to strengthen its digital capabilities by introducing products and services that meet evolving customer needs while maintaining the highest standards of security, reliability, and service excellence.
This latest recognition underscores the company’s position as a market leader and reflects its sustained investment in technology, operational excellence, and innovation.
“This recognition is a testament to the legacy upon which GTBank was built and the vision that continues to guide us today.
“From inception, our goal has been to deliver on the Group’s vision to make end-to-end financial services accessible to everyone by leveraging technology to remove barriers, simplify experiences, and create meaningful value for our customers,” the chief executive of GTBank, Mrs Miriam Olusanya, stated.
“While we are honoured by this recognition, we see it as an acknowledgement of what we have achieved and a motivation to do even more.
“We remain focused on raising the bar for digital banking, investing in innovative solutions, and delivering exceptional experiences that create lasting value for our customers.
“As the financial services landscape continues to evolve, we will continue to innovate, adapt, and lead with the same commitment to excellence that has defined our franchise for decades,” she added.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 convened leading financial institutions, industry executives, and policymakers from across the globe to celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in the financial services sector.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A collaboration to enable fast money transfers into Nigeria has been entered into between Flutterwave and Xoom, PayPal’s international digital money transfer service.
The partnership allows Xoom transfers to be converted by Flutterwave and settled locally in Naira, enabling quick transfers directly into recipients’ bank accounts at Access Bank, UBA, Zenith Bank, First Bank, GTBank, and additional participating banks across Nigeria.
The deal also enables Xoom’s global network with Flutterwave’s local payout infrastructure, allowing users globally to send funds directly into Nigerian bank accounts with improved speed and efficiency.
Nigeria is the leading remittance recipient in Sub-Saharan Africa, receiving over $20 billion in personal remittances in 2024. Despite this volume, receiving international payments has historically remained complex due to FX constraints and settlement delays. This collaboration helps address those challenges in a market of more than 232 million people, where the ICT sector is projected to contribute 21 per cent of GDP by 2027.
By combining Xoom’s expansive reach with Flutterwave’s local compliance and banking partnerships, the two companies are providing a more accessible financial corridor for the continent.
Xoom, a PayPal service, is a fast and secure international digital money transfer service that enables consumers to send money, pay bills, and reload phones for friends and family in approximately 160 markets globally.
As part of PayPal’s global payments ecosystem, Xoom leverages advanced fraud protection, compliance capabilities, and a trusted global network to help millions of customers move money quickly and securely across borders.
“We’re excited to have been chosen by Xoom for their Nigeria expansion. Millions of Nigerians rely on money from abroad to support everyday needs, whether it’s families receiving help from loved ones, freelancers getting paid for their work, or individuals earning income from the global economy. This helps make it easy and more reliable for people in Nigeria to receive funds and stay connected to opportunities beyond borders,” the chief executive of Flutterwave, Mr Olugbenga GB Agboola, stated.
