Economy
Afreximbank Opens Shareholding to Investors
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), an investment grade rated multilateral financial institution, says it is opening its shareholding to the investing public through the issuance of Depositary Receipts.
A statement issued by the lender noted that it was launching a $300 million equity offering, using Depositary Receipts backed by its Class ‘D’ shares.
It is in partnership with the SBM Group, a leader in the financial sector in Mauritius.
The Depositary Receipts, whose listing has been approved on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius, subject to raising the funds by the end of September, mark the fruition of a unique initiative on which Afreximbank and SBM Group have worked in the last few months and represent a big first for Africa’s equity capital markets. This represents the first time a supranational bank is issuing Depositary Receipts through an African stock exchange.
The rationale for the Depositary Receipts issuance, according to Afreximbank, is the need to enhance its capitalization in order to significantly narrow the trade financing gap in Africa, currently estimated at $120 billion annually, and to meet its strategic objective of growing intra-African trade in all regions of the continent, including island economies.
President of Afreximbank, Mr Benedict Oramah, noted that “Mauritius as a premier financial centre in Africa, has a conducive regulatory framework for this innovative equity offering. On the other hand, SBM possesses the competencies, investor contacts, infrastructure and support capabilities for the issuance of the Depositary Receipts.”
The Depositary Receipts issuance represents an opportunity for Afreximbank to diversify its shareholder base by enabling investors in Africa and beyond, who have not yet invested in the bank, to do so and to strengthen Africa’s premier trade finance institution, whose interventions in its various member countries have created acknowledged developmental impacts across the continent, he said.
In addition, the Depositary Receipts would enable Afreximbank to increase its permanent source of capital while giving investors a liquid instrument which will have strong portfolio diversification effects, added Mr Oramah.
Being a novel issuance in Africa, Afreximbank’s Depositary Receipts are expected to further deepen Africa’s equity capital markets, paving the way for similar issuances by other multilaterals.
Chairman of SBM Holdings Ltd, Kee Chong Li Kwong Wing, disclosed that, “It is a privilege for SBM to have been entrusted by Afreximbank to execute such an important transaction.
“The structuring and issuance of Depositary Receipts is an addition to the Group’s portfolio of services, a recognition of our competence and experience, and it reinforces the position of SBM Group and Mauritius as important financial players in the region.
“It is high time to see Global investors investing in Africa and tap into Africa’s huge potential.”
“This initiative is an innovation for the financial market,” said Mr Li. “This African ‘Premier’ shall be a model to other countries and financial institutions. Together, Afreximbank and SBM Group are creating opportunities for the reinforcement of trade, investment and development across the African continent and the deepening of Africa’s capital markets.”
Afreximbank’s shareholders are a four-tier mix of public and private entities, with Class ‘A’, constituted of African states, African central banks and African public institutions; Class ‘B’, made up of African financial institutions and African private investors; Class ‘C’, with shares held by non-African investors, mostly international banks and export credit agencies; and Class ‘D’, under which fully paid shares can be held by any investor.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian bourse rebounded by 0.57 per cent on Tuesday despite weak investor sentiment triggered by a negative market breadth index after finishing with 26 price gainers and 31 price losers.
Customs Street was saved from a further decline due to buying interest in some mid and large-cap equities, which offset profit-taking in others.
It was observed that the insurance sector bled by 1.64 per cent and the consumer goods index depreciated by 0.93 per cent. However, the industrial goods space appreciated by 2.27 per cent, the banking counter improved by 0.98 per cent, and the energy industry rose by 0.11 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) gained 1,430.59 points to settle at 251,635.42 points compared with the previous day’s 250,204.83 points, and the market capitalisation chalked up N917 billion to close at N161.280 trillion versus the N160.363 trillion it ended a day earlier.
FTN Cocoa led the advancers’ chart after rising by 10.00 per cent to trade at N9.79, Zichis increased by 9.97 per cent to N29.13, SAHCO jumped by 9.79 per cent to N156.95, Caverton flew by 9.76 per cent to N6.75, and Japaul grew by 9.73 per cent to N3.72.
Conversely, Unilever Nigeria depreciated by 10.00 per cent to N153.00, Trans-Nationwide Express crashed by 9.92 per cent to N6.99, Sovereign Trust Insurance fell by 9.81 per cent to N2.39, McNichols slumped by 9.26 per cent to N7.25, and Austin Laz declined by 7.28 per cent to N4.20.
The busiest stock on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited yesterday was Access Holdings with 88.4 million units sold for N2.3 billion. Linkage Assurance transacted 46.2 million units valued at N83.5 million, Sterling Holdings traded 44.9 million units worth N349.3 million, Secure Electronic Technology exchanged 35.0 million units valued at N31.6 million, and Zenith Bank sold 30.4 million units for N4.0 billion.
At the close of trades, a total of 704.0 million units worth N32.2 billion were executed in 64,539 deals versus the 800.5 million units valued at N37.1 billion traded in 87,096 deals on Monday, implying a decline in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 12.06 per cent, 13.21 per cent, and 25.90 per cent, respectively.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The oil market edged lower on Tuesday but remained well above $100 per barrel, as investors weighed mixed signals from President Donald Trump on the resumption of military strikes against Iran.
Brent crude futures lost 0.73 per cent to trade at $111.28 per barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 0.82 per cent to sell for $107.77 per barrel.
President Trump told reporters Tuesday that the US. might have to give Iran “another big hit” after he had previously posted that his administration would ‘hold off’ on a planned military attack, renewing the threat after he said he called off the attack scheduled for Tuesday at the request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The American President also said that Iran has a “limited period of time” to agree to a deal, giving options “two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something, maybe early next week.”
Iran’s latest peace proposal to the US involves ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, the exit of US forces from areas close to Iran and reparations for destruction caused by the war.
Meanwhile, the US imposed sanctions on an Iranian foreign currency exchange house and what it said were front companies overseeing transactions on behalf of Iranian banks. It also blocked 19 vessels, which it said were involved in shipping Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals to foreign customers. It also seized an oil tanker linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean overnight.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent extended a sanctions waiver by 30 days to allow “energy-vulnerable” countries to continue purchasing Russian seaborne oil.
Oil markets continue to price in persistent supply disruptions in the Middle East, with analysts noting that hopes that China would help broker progress during recent Trump-Xi talks failed to materialise.
Goldman Sachs forecasts that every month the Strait of Hormuz remains closed adds $10 to the price of oil at year’s end, while ING said some shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has resumed, including several crude tankers and a Vietnamese-bound Iraqi oil shipment, though flows remain well below normal levels and could deteriorate quickly.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the US fell by 9.1 million barrels in the week ending May 15. In the week prior, US crude oil inventories fell by 2.188 million barrels. Official data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will be released later on Wednesday.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Barring any last-minute changes, the 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Champion Breweries Plc will take place on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 11:00 am.
At the yearly shareholders’ gathering, some of the key statutory and governance matters to be considered will include the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, alongside the Reports of the Directors, Auditors, and the Audit Committee.
Other agenda items are the declaration of dividends, election and re-election of Directors, authorisation for Directors to determine the remuneration of the Auditors, and election/re-election of shareholders’ representatives to the Audit Committee.
In line with its commitment to transparency, accountability, and shareholder engagement, the AGM will be held physically while also being accessible to stakeholders via the company’s official website: www.championbreweries.com.
This year’s AGM comes at a defining moment in the organisation’s corporate journey, following a transformative year marked by strategic expansion initiatives, including the acquisition of Bullet Energy Drink and its successful engagement with the capital market to raise growth capital.
These developments reinforce Champion Breweries Plc’s commitment to strengthening its competitive positioning, expanding its portfolio, and delivering long-term shareholder value.
The brewer has strengthened its transition into a group structure with the acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in enJOYbev B.V., a strategic move already delivering early earnings contribution and validating its international expansion drive.
The subsidiary’s results are now being consolidated into the Group accounts for the first time, with enJOYbev B.V. already contributing positively to earnings through operating profitability within the reporting period, an early validation of the group’s expansion strategy.
“This AGM reflects a defining chapter in our journey as a Company. The acquisition of Bullet, our successful capital market engagement, and the integration of enJOYbev B.V. into our group structure all signal a deliberate strategy for sustainable growth and diversification.
“These milestones position Champion Breweries Plc for stronger performance, broader market reach, and enhanced shareholder value. We remain committed to disciplined execution, operational excellence, and the highest standards of corporate governance,” the chairman of Champion Breweries, Mr Imo Abasi Jacob, said.
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