By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Flutterwave has secured a strategic investment from Circle Ventures to expand its USDC payments and settlement infrastructure across Africa.

This funding support aligns with Flutterwave’s mission to modernise cross-border money movement on the continent, allowing merchants to collect locally and settle in USDC, reducing delays and costs while enabling near-instant settlement beyond traditional banking hours.

“This support from Circle Ventures is about backing the rails that will power the next era of global money movement from Africa.

“Stablecoins like USDC are no longer an experiment; they are becoming core financial infrastructure. By embedding USDC settlement into our current payments infrastructure, we are building a system that lets businesses move money at the speed of the internet.

“This fundamentally changes how payments from Africa connect to the world, and it positions Flutterwave as the default stablecoin gateway for the continent,” the chief executive of Flutterwave, Mr Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, stated.

Business Post gathered that Flutterwave attracted this investment after its participation in the launch of Circle Payments Network in 2025.

At the core of this investment is Flutterwave’s strategy to position stablecoins as critical financial infrastructure to provide reliable and fast settlements in Africa.

Global stablecoin circulation currently exceeds $300 billion, with Africa emerging as one of the fastest-growing regions for its adoption.

By expanding its platform into a multi-rail payment system that includes fiat, cards, bank transfers and stablecoins, Flutterwave is enabling businesses to choose the fastest, cheapest and most reliable settlement option for their needs.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Foremost Nigerian real estate lending institution, Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc, has rebranded to Abbey Bank Plc.

This is to reflect its new status as a full-fledged financial institution as against its previous status as a bank for only the real estate sector.

The company, which trades its securities on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, informed the investing community of its transformation.

This was in line with the approval granted by shareholders to the board of the organisation to change the name at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in January 2025.

The NGX Regulation Limited last week confirmed the name change via a circular signed by Bonaventure Onwuji on behalf of its Head of Issuer Regulation Department.

“Trading license holders and the investing public are hereby notified that the change of name of Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc to Abbey Bank Plc has been implemented by Nigerian Exchange Limited.

“This is in line with the approval obtained from the shareholders of the bank at its Extraordinary General Meeting held on January 24, 2025, and the receipt of a new certificate of incorporation from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Please note that the company’s trading symbol has also been changed from ABBEYBDS to ABBEYBANK,” the notice read.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

In recognition of its outstanding performance, operational excellence, and commitment to delivering superior Institutional Cash and Trade Finance services, Ecobank Nigeria has clinched the Client Excellence Award.

The accolade was given to the subsidiary of the leading pan-African financial services group, Ecobank Group, by Deutsche Bank.

It recognises Ecobank Nigeria’s consistent achievement of high standards in transaction processing, service delivery, operational efficiency, and collaboration within the global trade finance ecosystem.

It further reinforces the lender’s position as a leading financial institution providing innovative financial solutions that support corporates, financial institutions, and businesses engaged in domestic and international trade.

“The Client Excellence Award recognises institutions that consistently demonstrate outstanding quality, efficiency, and reliability in transaction banking operations.

“Ecobank Nigeria distinguished itself through its commitment to excellence, strong operational controls, and customer-focused service delivery that has created measurable value for clients and counterparties alike,” the Managing Director for Global Head of TFFI and Regional Head of Trade & Lending for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) at Deutsche Bank, Mr Anand Jha, said.

“We are pleased to recognise Ecobank Nigeria’s achievements and appreciate the strong partnership we have built over the years. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in supporting trade, payments, and financial flows that drive economic development across Africa and beyond,” Mr Jha added.

In his remarks, the Coverage Head of Corporate and Investment Bank at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Segun Anjorin, thanked Deutsche Bank for the recognition, noting that the award reflects the bank’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer-centric service delivery.

“We are honoured to receive the Deutsche Bank Client Excellence Award. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to delivering seamless and innovative solutions that enable our clients to thrive in an increasingly interconnected global marketplace.

“At Ecobank Nigeria, we remain focused on leveraging our extensive pan-African network, digital capabilities, and strategic partnerships to facilitate trade, improve transaction efficiency, and support economic growth across Nigeria and the African continent. We value our longstanding relationship with Deutsche Bank and look forward to further strengthening our collaboration in the years ahead,” Mr Anjorin said.