Banking
UK’s Impact Investor Gives Ecobank $50m for African Trade
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United Kingdom’s Development Finance Institution and impact investor, CDC Group, has approved a $50 million trade finance facility for Ecobank International (EBI SA), the Paris based member of the Ecobank Group.
The loan would enable the lender to provide further support for African trade, especially at a time the businesses need funds to be able to unlock the several opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
But the facility was given to Ecobank to support businesses across the continent, which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global health crisis has had a significant adverse effect on trade flows, business operations and jobs in Africa’s markets. This CDC facility will support the continent’s economic recovery and is expected to generate between $70 million to $140 million in additional trade annually.
The investment will enhance the import of essential goods, commodities and capital equipment, while also helping to expand access to goods and services in general.
“Our partnership with Ecobank presents an opportunity for CDC to provide trade support where it is most needed.
“Keeping trade flowing across the continent is a key objective in CDC’s COVID-19 response, and we are thrilled that our patient capital can support businesses that are at the centre of economic activities in our markets.
“We remain committed to playing our part in closing the trade finance gap in Africa, by helping to facilitate business and job growth, and building resilience for the long term,” the Director, Head of Trade & Supply Chain Finance, CDC Group, Admir Imami, said.
Also speaking, the Ecobank Group Executive Corporate and Investment Banking, Akin Dada, disclosed that, “Our partnership with CDC to enhance finance and capacity comes at a crucial time in Africa’s history with much-needed recovery from the challenges of COVID-19 and the immense trade and investment opportunities being created by the AfCFTA.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with development finance institutions such as CDC to help realise Africa’s potentials and sustainably drive its economic development.”
Also, the acting Managing Director at EBI SA, Jean Erwin NIZET, said, “This partnership with CDC will allow EBI SA to provide further support for African trade.
“In this challenging COVID-19 environment, this represents an important step in increasing Ecobank’s trade capacity and better serve its clients in Africa. This will ensure that Ecobank continues to contribute to the creation of value and sustainable growth across the continent.”
EBI SA, the international subsidiary of Togo-based Ecobank Group, is regarded as an ideal partner to boost CDC’s impact across Africa and help strengthen financial support for local banks and the businesses that they serve.
With the Ecobank Group’s extensive footprint and operations across 33 countries on the continent, the facility will broaden economic opportunities and inclusive growth, particularly in markets such as Togo, Burkina Faso and Chad.
The trade finance risk-sharing facility will meet the liquidity needs of local African banks at a crucial time especially with the economic impact of the pandemic.
By committing capital to address these shortfalls, CDC is taking on additional risk and providing further credit support and trade finance lines to local banks, thus protecting commerce across the continent.
The facility contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8).
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About N2 billion is expected to be used to finance renewable energy products for customers by the end of 2026 in an effort to accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
To meet this goal, Sterling Bank is launching Sterling Solar Financing Hubs inside StarTimes retail outlets to embed on-the-spot solar financing at the point of purchase.
From the N2 billion earmarked for this initiative, N600 million has already been used up.
Under this programme, customers can now walk into participating outlets, select their preferred solar solution, receive financial guidance from dedicated Sterling Solar Financing Advisors, and begin the financing process immediately, subject to the bank’s credit assessment.
The first phase of the rollout commenced this July with five Solar Financing Hubs across Lagos, located in Lekki, Ikeja, Festac, Surulere, and Victoria Island.
The network will expand rapidly to 46 StarTimes outlets nationwide before the end of the third quarter of 2026, with a view to extending the model to more than 200 StarTimes locations nationwide.
Both parties have promised to continue working together to democratise access to clean energy financing, empowering more Nigerians to solarise their homes and businesses while contributing to a greener future.
“Sterling exists to enrich lives, and we believe that access to clean, reliable energy should be within everyone’s reach. Through this partnership with StarTimes, we are democratising access to solar by bringing financing directly to the point of need, enabling more families and businesses to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of prohibitive upfront costs. This is about unlocking opportunity, improving livelihoods, and powering Nigeria’s future,” the Divisional Head of Renewable Energy and Mobility at Sterling Bank, Mr Darlington Nwankwo, said.
Also commenting, the Vice President of StarTimes Nigeria, Mr Eric Xiao, said, “With the rollout of the Sterling Solar Financing Hubs, we are doing more than just selling solar products; we are building a sustainable energy ecosystem. By integrating StarTimes’ extensive service network with Sterling Bank’s professional financial services, we are significantly lowering the barrier for Nigerian households and small businesses to access clean energy.
“Moving forward, we will continue to deepen this partnership, ensuring that more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, affordable, and smart energy solutions, ultimately turning our vision of energy accessibility into a reality for all.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour of Stanbic IBTC Bank made a detour to Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The event brought together business leaders, development partners and government representatives to discuss pathways for sustainable enterprise development across the South-West.
Participants engaged in practical masterclasses on export opportunities; access to finance and business growth strategies; gaining actionable insights into market expansion; trade documentation; credit readiness; financial record-keeping; and structured financing solutions designed to support long-term business success.
The Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Olajumoke Bello, informed participants that the programme is part of the lender’s commitments to supporting MSMEs through practical business education, strategic partnerships and improved access to growth opportunities.
The Executive Director of Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Remy Osuagwu, on his part, said, “Our ambition is to be more than a financial institution to Nigerian businesses. We want to be a trusted growth partner, providing the financing, business insights and advisory support entrepreneurs need to build sustainable enterprises and unlock new opportunities.”
Similarly, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, who reinforced the company’s commitment to enterprise development, highlighted the importance of providing businesses with the right support structures to enable sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we believe that sustainable economic growth depends on the success of small and growing businesses. That is why we are focused on providing access to finance, practical advisory support and the connections businesses need to move from ambition to scale,” he stated.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives, and Industry, Professor Soliu Adelabu, said the initiative was designed to support businesses and strengthen the state’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, praising the bank for its support for traders, entrepreneurs, and artisans in the state.
The Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs O.M. Shotonwa-Roagess, highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in expanding economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups across Oyo State. She noted that the ministry remains open to collaborating with organisations such as Stanbic IBTC, development partners and the private sector to drive financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic empowerment.
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour forms part of Stanbic IBTC’s broader commitment to empowering entrepreneurs through capacity building, financial inclusion and strategic business support, helping enterprises unlock new opportunities for growth and long-term success.
The Ibadan leg built on the momentum of previous tour stops in Katsina and Aba.
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.
