Building on the resounding success of the maiden edition of the Fidelity International Trade and Creative Connect (FITCC) in London, UK last November, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has announced plans to host the second edition of the trade expo in Houston, Texas in the United States of America.

Tagged FITCC Houston, the event would hold on Wednesday, 18th and Thursday, 19th October 2023 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, Texas 77010.

Situating the critical role FITCC plays in the bank’s export trade strategy, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe stated that, “Fidelity Bank is very much invested in supporting export trade and has consistently demonstrated this by the interventions and innovations that we bring to the space. Beyond the instrument of financing, some of our key interventions in the space revolve around business management capacity development with initiatives like the Export Management Programme (EMP) which we host in partnership with the Lagos Business School and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and market access development initiatives like FITCC.”

To promote Nigeria’s non-oil exports and facilitate integrations to global supply-chain networks, FITCC Houston will host leading businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and regulators operating in the commodity, service, creative, fashion and FinTech sectors in Nigeria and the United States. The participants would explore partnership, co-creation and foreign direct investments opportunities.

Participating businesses will benefit from curated market access engagements, investment and partnership opportunities, extended brand exposure before a global audience as well as speaking and networking opportunities amongst a long list of benefits in FITCC Houston.

Interested businesses and participants are encouraged to register for the conference at www.fidelitybank.ng/fitcc .

Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged customer commercial bank operating in Nigeria with over 8million customers serviced across its 250 business offices and digital banking channels. The bank was recognized as the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards. The bank has also won awards for the “Fastest Growing Bank” and “MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year” at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

BUA Cement Plc, a leading cement manufacturer in Nigeria, has successfully secured a financing package of $500 million to support the expansion of its cement plants.

The financing was obtained from a syndicate of renowned development finance institutions, led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and includes participation from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and Deutsche Investitions – und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG).

The expansion projects will focus on BUA Cement’s integrated cement plants located in Kalambaina, Sokoto State, Nigeria. According to the company, the financing will enable BUA Cement to increase the production capacity of these plants to 8.0 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) and develop additional auxiliary utilities to support the company’s operations.

This significant financial achievement follows BUA Cement’s disclosure to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), its esteemed shareholders, and the investing public on 25th July 2022, where the company expressed its intention to pursue expansion projects and raise up to $500 million in debt.

BUA Cement’s expansion projects are expected to have far-reaching effects, including job creation, promotion of local economic development, and infrastructure growth. The increased production capacity will meet the rising demand for cement in Nigeria, supporting various infrastructure projects and bolstering the country’s economic development.

The syndicate of development finance institutions backing the financing highlights the confidence placed in BUA Cement’s potential and its positive impact on the Nigerian economy.

Wema Bank Plc recently held its highly anticipated Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 31, 2023, in a fully electronic format.

During the meeting, several crucial resolutions were presented and subsequently passed, marking significant milestones for the bank.

One of the most notable resolutions was the declaration of a dividend. The shareholders unanimously approved a dividend payout of 30 kobo per ordinary share of 50 kobo each. The dividend, stemming from the bank’s profits in the Financial Year ended December 31, 2022, will be paid to members on the company’s register as of May 9, 2023, after the deduction of the appropriate Withholding Tax.

Also, the AGM witnessed the ratification of a new Director’s appointment. Mr. Tunde Mabawonku was unanimously appointed as an Executive Director of the bank, bringing his wealth of experience and expertise to the organization.

In addition, the AGM addressed the re-election of Directors retiring by rotation. Shareholders unanimously voted for the re-election of Mr. Abubakar Lawal, Mr. Adeyemi Adefarakan, and Prince Olusegun Adesegun as Non-Executive Directors on the Bank’s Board.

Another significant resolution passed at the AGM involved the authorization of Directors to determine the remuneration of the auditors. The shareholders unanimously empowered the Board of Directors to fix the fees payable to the Bank’s Auditors.

Additionally, the election of members of the audit committee was a vital aspect of the AGM. The shareholders elected Professor Oyelakin Samuel Awobode, Mr. Ogbonna Joe Anosikeh, and Mrs. Omobola Esther Osijo as the shareholders’ representatives to the Bank’s Statutory Audit Committee.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abubakar Lawal and Mrs. Bolarin Okunowo were chosen as the Board’s representatives on the Committee.

Lastly, the AGM approved the directors’ fees for the financial year ending December 31, 2022. The Directors’ annual fee was fixed at N62,000,000.00, with the Chairman receiving N9,500,000.00 and Non-Executive Directors each receiving N7,500,000.00. Additionally, a sitting allowance of N300,000.00 was approved for the Chairman and N250,000.00 for other directors for the 2023 financial year. These fees reflect the bank’s commitment to fair and competitive compensation for its leadership team.