Finance

Zenith Bank Maintains Position as Best Corporate Governance Financial Services’ in Africa for the Fourth Consecutive Time

For the fourth consecutive year, Zenith Bank Plc has been named as the Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom.

Published

4 months ago

May 31, 2023

Samed Olukoya

For the fourth consecutive year, Zenith Bank Plc has been named as the Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom. The award, which was published in the Spring 2023 edition of The Ethical Boardroom magazine, is in recognition of the bank’s adherence to global best practices and institutionalization of corporate governance, setting an industry-wide example of best practices in that field.

Speaking on the recognition, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, said: “I am extremely pleased that Zenith Bank has been awarded the Ethical Boardroom Corporate Governance Award as a regional governance champion for the fourth year running. No doubt, the bank’s board has pioneered the exemplary governance culture for which we are now renowned. Indeed, this recognition reflects our steadfast commitment, discipline and high ethos in the conduct of our business and dedication to the principles of good corporate governance. This award will motivate us to strengthen this culture internally and advocate for good governance at every forum”.

He dedicated the award to the Founder and Group Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for providing the template for an enduring and very successful institution; the Board for their vision and outstanding leadership; the staff for their dedication and commitment; and the bank’s customers for their unwavering loyalty to the brand.

Ethical Boardroom is a trailblazing and leading international magazine that delivers in-depth coverage and critically-astute analysis of global corporate governance issues to help boards stay ahead of the governance curve.

Zenith Bank has been generally adjudged a Corporate Governance compliant bank by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) hence its listing on the Premium Board of the Exchange. The bank continues to sustain this reputation and reappraise its processes to ensure that its business conforms to the highest global standards at all times.

The bank’s track record of excellent performances has continued to earn it numerous awards including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital, for the 13th consecutive year, in the 2022 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best Bank in Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria 2021 and 2022 in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation In Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards. Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021, and Retail Bank of the year, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. Similarly, Zenith Bank was named as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Bank of the Year 2021 by Champion Newspaper, Bank of the Year 2022 by New Telegraph Newspaper, and Most Responsible Organisation in Africa 2021 by SERAS Awards.

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Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Loans

Afrexim Bank Seeks Oil Traders to Finance $3 Billion Loan to Bolster Nigeria’s Naira

Published

16 hours ago

September 27, 2023

Investors King

Afrexim Bank has turned to oil traders to secure a crucial $3 billion loan for the state oil company NNPC LTD, sources close to the matter have revealed.

As the naira hit an all-time low of 1,000 to the dollar on the black market, Afrexim Bank’s initiative aims to provide much-needed relief to the country’s economic woes.

Afrexim Bank, Africa’s foremost export-import bank, has been actively seeking interest from traders over the past few weeks to back the loan, which will be secured against the country’s oil reserves. The bank is now in the process of finalizing the loan terms to present to potential trading partners.

One oil executive privy to the discussions commented, “There is a lot of interest, but they need to see terms.” The executive also noted that the recent surge in oil prices, which have climbed past $90 per barrel, is expected to fuel even greater interest in the deal.

Under the proposed arrangement, traders who provide funding will be reimbursed with physical cargoes of oil. Afrexim Bank is diligently calculating the precise volume of oil that will be offered to these traders in exchange for their financial support, according to one of the sources.

NNPC LTD, Nigeria’s state oil company, announced the $3 billion loan in August as part of its concerted efforts to bolster the weakening naira. The devaluation of the currency and the resulting gap between official and black market exchange rates have prompted individuals and businesses to turn to the unofficial market to obtain dollars, further exacerbating the country’s economic challenges.

The central bank of Nigeria is grappling with a substantial backlog of nearly $7 billion in naira forwards, constraining the availability of dollars in the official market. This has necessitated creative solutions, such as Afrexim Bank’s partnership with oil traders, to mitigate the currency crisis.

President Bola Tinubu, who assumed office in May, initiated reforms that allowed the official naira exchange rate to decline against the dollar.

This policy shift, accompanied by a nearly triple increase in fuel prices, was intended to align market dynamics. While initially successful in narrowing the gap between the official and black market rates, the discrepancy has since widened.

In another move to curtail fuel smuggling and reduce pressure on NNPC to import petrol, President Tinubu authorized a more than threefold increase in pump prices. Despite these measures, NNPC is still fulfilling its obligations to oil trading firms with crude oil, limiting its immediate access to oil resources.

As Nigeria navigates the challenging economic terrain, the collaboration between Afrexim Bank and oil traders presents a unique opportunity to strengthen the naira and stabilize the country’s financial outlook. However, the success of this innovative financing arrangement will depend on the final terms agreed upon and the willingness of traders to participate in the venture.

NNPC has yet to comment on the development, and Afrexim Bank has not issued an immediate statement regarding this initiative. Nevertheless, all eyes are on this groundbreaking partnership as Nigeria seeks to restore stability to its currency and economy.

Banking Sector

Access Holdings Posts 52.6% Profit for the First Half of the Year

Parent Company of Access Bank Celebrates Remarkable Financial Performance in H1’23

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2023

Investors King

Access Holdings Plc, the parent company of Access Bank, has reported a 58.9 percent surge in gross revenue to N940.3 billion for the first half of 2023.

The financial services giant also recorded remarkable growth in Profit Before Tax (PBT) and Profit After Tax (PAT) at 71.4 percent and 52.6 percent, respectively, culminating in N167.6 billion for PBT and N135.4 billion for PAT during the same period.

These financial milestones were unveiled as part of Access Holdings’ Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the period concluding on June 30, 2023.

The driving force behind this unprecedented growth can be attributed to a potent combination of factors. A 63.0 percent growth in interest income and a 51.9 percent increase in non-interest income fueled the surge in gross revenue.

Access Holdings also witnessed a 35 percent year-to-date growth in customer deposits, capping the first half of 2023 at an impressive N12.5 trillion. This remarkable achievement encompassed all business segments, reinforcing the Group’s status as Nigeria’s largest financial institution by total assets.

The company’s total assets grew by 39.0 percent year-on-year to N20.9 trillion while shareholders’ funds surged by 40.6 percent to N1.7 trillion.

These astounding figures underline the Group’s ability to generate value from a diversified business portfolio, spanning banking, asset management, and payment services.

Herbert Wigwe, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, commented on the company’s positive performance, saying, “Our growth plans for the African continent remain firm and clear, driven by the strong long-term growth prospects and trade opportunities seen across many of the countries.”

He went on to emphasize the company’s commitment to its 5-year cyclical strategy, stating, “Our primary objective remains to transform Access Holdings Plc into a leading financial and ecosystem player, fostering opportunities for shared prosperity among all stakeholders.”

Finance

Naira Struggles as Apex Bank Delays Clearing $10 Billion Forex Debts

Published

2 days ago

September 25, 2023

Investors King

The Nigerian economy is facing growing uncertainty as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has yet to fulfill its promise of clearing over $10 billion in foreign exchange debts owed to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs).

This delay has placed immense pressure on the country’s currency, leading to a challenging situation for both financial institutions and the general public.

Over two weeks ago, the immediate past acting CBN Governor, Folashodun Shonubi, had announced that negotiations on these dollar debts with commercial banks had been concluded and all forex exchange backlogs would be cleared within one to two weeks.

However, multiple top bank executives have revealed that the promise remains unfulfilled, leaving banks in a tight FX liquidity position.

This liquidity crunch has compelled many lenders to temporarily suspend various FX transactions, including school fees and Personal Travel Allowance applications. The situation has also worsened the dollar scarcity at the parallel market, prompting bank customers to turn to the black market to meet their forex needs.

The delay in clearing these forex debts has further eroded confidence in the naira, resulting in a decline in its value to between 990/$ and 995/$ in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Kano.

Economic experts warn that if the situation persists, it could lead to higher costs of goods and services, causing more businesses to shut down.

Manufacturers, who heavily rely on imported raw materials, fear that the rising costs will lead to unaffordable products and a preference for cheaper imported alternatives.

The appointment of a new CBN Governor, Dr. Olayemi Cardoso, comes at a critical time, with the central bank facing significant challenges related to the forex market and currency stability.

As the nation grapples with these economic pressures, it remains to be seen how the new leadership will address these issues and restore confidence in the financial markets.