Business

Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) Is A Critical Enabler For Intra-Africa Trade – Ecobank MD

Published

2 years ago

January 19, 2022

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Managing Director/Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan has described the recently launched Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) as a critical enabler for intra Africa trade. Akinwuntan who spoke on Arise TV on the launch of the payment settlement system regulatory framework, emphasized that the new payment method will serve as a backbone through which all the countries in Africa are able to actualize transactions done within the free trade area, adding that it will also create employment, wealth, and deliver values to exporters on the continent.

“This common payment platform will enable Africa to move intra trade from the current 16%, representing $70 billion to the range of 50-55% in the next two to three years. This is huge because we could be talking about $300 billion dollars intra African trade close to 15% of Africa GDP. Besides, PAPSS will also eliminate payment delays, third party currencies as well as benefit households, small businesses, and financial institutions. This is positive developments for intra Africa trade. It is a step in the right direction. It will promote cross border trade for African exporters, liberalize payments and will deliver payment that delivers value. Africa is here for real business. Africa is ready. Let’s go for it,” he said.

Further, Mr. Akinwuntan disclosed that “Ecobank is a supporter of this initiative. Today, we can reach up to 35 countries because we already have a Pan African switch, and we are already connected to PAPSS. I call for collaboration of all stakeholders to achieve the desired objectives; we have the key industry sectors that deals on Pan African trade. We need to go through with them, helping them to see the practical possibilities. We have a responsibility to take this message to them that if they want to do any transaction across Africa, they don’t need to look for an international bank. PAPSS will work the same way NIBSS works in Nigeria.”

PAPSS, developed by Afreximbank, is expected to boost intra-African trade by transforming and facilitating payment, clearing and settlement for cross-border trade across Africa. At the launch, Prof. Benedict Oramah, the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, said “we are eager to build upon AfCFTA’s creation of a single market throughout Africa. PAPSS provides the state-of-the-art financial market infrastructure connecting African markets to each other, thereby, enabling instant cross-border payments in respective local African currencies for cross-border trade.

“Afreximbank as the main settlement agent for PAPSS, provides settlement guarantees on the payment system and overdraft facilities to all settlement agents, in partnership with Africa’s participating Central Banks. “PAPSS will effectively eliminate Africa’s financial borders, formalise and integrate Africa’s payment systems, and play a major role in facilitating and accelerating the huge AfCFTA-induced growth curve in intra-African trade.” He stated.

Also speaking at the event, PAPSS’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mike Ogbalu, emphasised that the payment system was not designed to compete with or replace existing payment systems. He said it would facilitate the connectivity level that brings all payments systems together into one network that was interoperable, efficient and affordable. “PAPSS is designed to make our currencies regain value to domesticate intra-Africa payments in this journey toward African prosperity. This is done while providing the superhighway which connects others to reach every part of this continent as we seek to create the Africa that we want.”

The PAPSS pilot in WAMZ central banks has been completed and all six central banks have tested and gone through the trial operations. In the last week of August 2021, all the central banks became live on the system and have since been sending through live transactions across the WAMZ region. PAPSS has been successfully piloted in the six countries of the West African Monetary Zone, and promisesto deliver multiple advantages and efficiencies to intra-African trade payments.

As a major supporter of this initiative, Ecobank is already connected to PAPSS.

Business

GTCO Plc Releases 2024 Q1 Unaudited Results…….. Reports Profit Before Tax of ₦509.3billion

Published

14 hours ago

May 5, 2024

august24admin

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO or the Group) has released its Unaudited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the period ended March 31, 2024, to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE).

The Group reported profit before tax of ₦509.3billion, representing an increase of 587.5% over ₦74.1billion recorded in the corresponding period ended March 2023. The Group’s loan book (net) increased by 21.9% from ₦2.48trillion recorded as at December 2023 to ₦3.02trillion in March 2024, while deposit liabilities increased by 26.0% from ₦7.55trillion in December 2023 to ₦9.51trillion in March 2024.

The Group’s balance sheet remained well structured, diversified, and resilient with total assets and shareholders’ funds closing at ₦13.0trillion and ₦2.0trillion, respectively. Full Impact Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very strong, closing at 24.9%, while asset quality was sustained as IFRS 9 stage 3 loans improved to 3.1% in March 2024 from 4.2% December 2023 and cost of risk (COR) closed at 0.4% from 4.5% in December 2023.

Commenting on the results, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Our first quarter results reflect the unfolding value of what we have created in all our business verticals through the Holding Company Structure – from Banking and Payments to Funds Management and Pension, we are positioned to compete effectively on all fronts and fulfil all our customers’ needs under a unified, thriving financial ecosystem. Despite the challenging operating environment, we delivered a solid performance, recording significant growth across all financial and non-financial metrics, and we remain on track to meeting our full year guidance.”

Mr. Agbaje further said: “Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on strengthening our relationships with our loyal customers, supporting not just individuals and businesses but also our communities through our well-attested free business platforms as well as innovative products and services. We are confident in our credentials to lead the future of financial services in Africa and will not relent in our commitment to excellence whilst delivering long-term value to all stakeholders.”

Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian financial services industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., pre-tax return on equity (ROAE) of 117.0%, pre-tax return on assets (ROAA) of 18.0%, full impact capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 24.9% and cost-to-income ratio (CIR) of 16.3%.

GTCO is a leading financial services group with banking operations in Nigeria, West Africa, East Africa, and the United Kingdom alongside non-banking verticals in HabariPay, Guaranty Trust Fund Managers, and Guaranty Trust Pension Managers. Its leadership in the banking industry and efforts at empowering people and communities has earned it many prestigious awards over the years. Recently, Guaranty Trust Bank was recognized as Nigeria’s Best Bank and Best Bank in CSR at the 2023 Euromoney Awards for Excellence, Best Banking Group in Nigeria by World Finance, and Best Bank in Nigeria by Global Finance. GTCO’s Guaranty Trust Bank is featured in the Top 1000 Banks in the World and Top 100 Banks in Africa rankings by The Banker.

Business

UBA Champions Youth Empowerment through Graduate Programme, Employs 398 Across Africa.

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2024

august24admin

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

African’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), held the second edition of its expanded Graduate Management Acceleration Programme (GMAP) class of 2024, where 398 young Africans were inducted into the UBA Tribe after a rigorous six-month hands-on-work and learning experience.

The event, which was held in a grand ceremony in Eko Hotel, Lagos on Thursday, was graced by esteemed guests, the UBA management, faculty members, mentors, and the graduating cla

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), held the second edition of its expanded Graduate Management Acceleration Programme (GMAP) class of 2024, where 398 young Africans were inducted into the UBA Tribe after a rigorous six-month hands-on-work and learning experience.

The event, which was held in a grand ceremony in Eko Hotel, Lagos on Thursday, was graced by esteemed guests, the UBA management, faculty members, mentors, and the graduating class.

The graduands are from six African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.

Addressing the gathering, UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, who congratulated all the graduates, expressed profound pride and admiration for their success having completed the intense capacity-building programme, combining learning with on-the-job training experience, garnered while rotating across several departments and units in the bank.

Elumelu took time to highlight the bank’s passion for youth empowerment in Africa, while bridging the unemployment gap, which according to him, remains one of the greatest challenges of the continent.

“For me these young UBA Graduates are a testament to who we are: a truly pan-African Group, that invests in African talent.This milestone is more than just numbers. It signifies UBA’s commitment to youth empowerment. Unemployment is the greatest challenge we face – a tragic and cruel betrayal of a generation. We know governments alone cannot create all the jobs we need – so it is up to us, the African private sector, to partner our government in improving lives and livelihoods. This is Africapitalism, and it is gratifying to see UBA play its part. UBA is dedicated to creating a positive impact, through the GMAP programme UBA is creating employment, boosting economic growth, and transforming lives across Africa,” Group Chairman said.

Continuing, he said, “At UBA, identifying these young ones, bringing them to the centre, training them, equipping them for the future and the task ahead, not just for a career in UBA, but wherever they end up remains our passion, because this is how we play our role as a Pan-African bank, in helping to empower the next generation, which is the African youth. We are helping to create employment and this for us is our driving force.”

Earlier in his speech, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, commended the graduating class for their unwavering commitment and emphasized the program’s role in cultivating the next generation of UBA leaders.

“Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment have been nothing short of inspiring. Each of you has demonstrated the qualities of a true UBA ambassador, and today, we celebrate not just your achievements but also the collective strength of our UBA family.

While recognizing the invaluable support extended by families and friends, the GMD said, “Let us take a moment to express our deepest appreciation for their steadfast support as the invaluable support of your families and friends throughout this journey. Their love, encouragement, and understanding have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in your success.”

UBA’s Group Head, Human Resources, Modupe Akindele, said the bank remains committed to nurturing talent and leadership within the organisation. She noted that the GMAP programme, which marked its second graduation will be a continuous initiative, as it culminates an intensive journey towards leadership excellence.

“Already, the programme has graduated over 1,100 graduates, that is about 700 in 2023 and now we have 398 graduates. The fact remains that at UBA, we believe in equal opportunity for all, regardless of age, tribe, gender, or background; and so, we will continue to pursue our dream to nurture these young ones to their full potential,” she added.

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-five million customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points, in 20 African countries and across 4 continents.

With presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France and more recently the United Arab Emirates, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services.

Picture 1: l-r: Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi; Group Head, Human Capital Management, Modupe Akindele; Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba; Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu; Group Head, Customer Experience, Michele Nwoga; Executive Directors, Ugo Nwaghodoh and Alex Alozie flanked by graduands of Graduate Management Accelerated Programme(GMAP) of United Bank for Africa(UBA), held in Lagos on Thursday

Picture 2: l-r: Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi; Group Head, Human Capital Management, Modupe Akindele; Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba; Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu; Group Head, Customer Experience, Michele Nwoga; Executive Directors, Ugo Nwaghodoh and Alex Alozie flanked by graduands of Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) of United Bank for Africa(UBA), held in Lagos on Thursday

Picture 3: l-r: Group Treasurer, Stephen Amangbo(1st from Left) ; Executive Director, Alex Alozie(3rd from left); Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi(5th from left); Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu(middle); Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba(9th from left); Executive Directors, Ugo Nwaghodoh(11thfrom left); Group Head, Human Capital Management, Modupe Akindele(12 from left); and Company Secretary, Bili Odum, flanked by graduands of Graduate Management Accelerated Programme(GMAP) of United Bank for Africa(UBA), held in Lagos on Thursday

Business

Access Bank Advocates for Innovative Financing Models to Realise SDGs

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2024

august24admin

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

At the 2024 Medic West Africa Event, organised by ABCHealth in collaboration with Informa Markets, Access Bank reaffirmed its dedication to fostering positive transformation in healthcare across Africa.

L-R: Mories Atoki, Chief Executive Officer, ABCHealth; Jane Ike-Okoli, Head of Specialised Sectors Business & Commercial Banking, Stanbic IBTC; Ralph Opara, Group Head, Commercial Banking Division (Lagos 2), Access Bank PLC; Odunayo Sanyo, Executive Director, MTN Foundation; Ibironke Akinmade, Group Head, Health Finance, Sterling Bank, and Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation at the 2024 Medic West Africa Event hosted by ABCHealth in partnership with Informa Markets in Lagos…recently.

The event, which served as a platform for stakeholders across industries deliberate on the theme ‘Healthcare Investments in Africa: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Drive Healthcare Investments in Africa,’ aimed to chart a path through which corporates can leverage innovative financing models and strategic partnerships in fostering the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The discussions also explored strategies for strengthening healthcare infrastructure, leveraging technological advancements, as well as enhancing community health initiatives.

Lending his voice to the conversation, Ralph Opara, Group Head, Commercial Banking Division at Access Bank Plc, stressed that, “The government can’t carry the burden of the health sector alone. Hence, it is imperative that the private sector explores and implements innovative financing models and strategic partnerships to bridge the healthcare investment gap.”

Opara noted that collaborative effort between the public and private sectors is not only crucial but essential to driving innovation, improving healthcare accessibility, and ensuring sustainable development across the continent.

Walking the talk on partnerships, Access Bank partnered with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), to launch the Adopt-A-Health Facility Program (ADHFP) with the primary aim of delivering, at least, one global standard Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in each of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria. So far, the initiative has resulted into over 180 PHCs adopted across the country.

Other notable participants at the event include Mories Atoki, CEO, ABCHealth; Jane Ike-Okoli, Head of Specialised Sectors Business & Commercial Banking, Stanbic IBTC; Odunayo Sanyo, Executive Director, MTN Foundation; Ibironke Akinmade, Group Head, Health Finance, Sterling Bank, and Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation.