Business
Sterling Bank Promotes Renewable Energy-Powered Agriculture with Fresh AATIF Fund
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The $15 million medium-term facility from the Africa Agriculture and Trade Investment Fund
extends our partnership with Sterling Bank, which started in 2019 with an initial vision to
support the growth of the bank’s agricultural activities. Since then, Sterling Bank and AATIF
have worked together on numerous projects, with the bank making commendable
contributions to the Nigerian agricultural sector.
The extension of this partnership marks a new chapter in this fruitful relationship.
In a statement issued by the lender, Group Head for Agriculture and Solid Minerals Finance, Dr Olushola Obikanye, said the funding will further deepen Sterling’s agricultural investments in the agribusiness industry, promote sustainable practices, and encourage farmers to explore environment-friendly systems.
Also speaking on the funding, Sterling Bank’s Group Head for Energy, Dele Faseemo, said the fund will seek to increase Sterling’s funding for renewable energy installations in the agricultural sector and will positively impact lending in the sector as well as the Nigerian economy.
Ms Doris Koehn, chair of the AATIF Board of Directors, said of the deal, “When we first invested in Sterling Bank, we were keen to help actualize its impressive ambitions in growing its agricultural portfolio in Nigeria.
Four and a half years later, we are proud to renew our partnership with the Bank and are focused on further enabling its efforts towards serving local smallholder farmers.”
The Bank has become renowned as one of the key partners and lenders to the agricultural
sector, with over N100 billion, or approximately 13 percent of its lending portfolio, currently
financing agricultural businesses across Nigeria.
This, amongst other initiatives such as the Agriculture Summit Africa; the continent’s largest private sector-driven conference on the industry, and the Nigerian Farmers’ Radio; an educative radio programme promoting good agricultural practices aired in all geo-political zones of Nigeria, has endeared the bank to primary producers, aggregators, commodity processors, and exporters.
These initiatives recently saw Sterling awarded the best-participating bank by the Agric Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund.
Sterling has also innovated in the renewable energy space with the launch of Imperium, its
solution to power homes and businesses, and is currently in the final stages of deploying
Nigeria’s largest solar-powered solution for commercial property with the ongoing
transformation of its Lagos Marina headquarters.
The 18-storey building has been fitted with over 3,000 photovoltaic panels and will generate power from renewable sources
Agriculture and Renewable Energy form two of the five core pillars of Sterling’s now-famous
HEART strategy. With the remaining sectors being Health, Education and Transportation
About Sterling Bank Plc:
Sterling Bank Plc “Your one-customer bank” is a full-service national commercial bank in
Nigeria. At Sterling Bank, our customers are our number one priority, and we value their feedback and ideas.
In over 60 years of operations, Sterling Bank (formerly NAL Bank) has evolved from the
nation’s pre-eminent investment banking institution to a fully-fledged commercial bank;
and completed a merger with 4 other banks – Indo-Nigeria Merchant Bank, Magnum Trust
Bank, NBM Bank and Trust Bank of Africa – as part of the 2006 consolidation of the Nigerian
banking industry.
About The Africa Agriculture and Trade Investment Fund (AATIF):
The Africa Agriculture and Trade Investment Fund is a public-private partnership dedicated to promoting the food / agri sector across Africa by providing patient capital and technical assistance.
The fund provides debt financing to small, medium, and large-scale agribusinesses along the entire agriculture value chain, as well as financial institutions active in the sector. DWS is acting as an investment advisor to AATIF. For more information, visit www.aatif.lu.
Business
UBA Champions Youth Empowerment through Graduate Programme, Employs 398 Across Africa.
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
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.
Business
Transcorp Hotels Breaks All-time Revenue Record in Q1 2024, Achieves 844% PAT Growth
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Transcorp Hotels Plc, the hospitality subsidiary of one of Africa’s leading, listed conglomerates Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), has sustained its remarkable financial performance as shown in its released Q1 2024 unaudited financial statements, for the period ended March 31, 2024.
The company recorded a 72% increase in revenue to N13.8 billion compared with N8 billion reported in Q1 2023.
Highlights of Transcorp Hotels Q1 2024 Results
Q1 2024 RevenueN13.8 billion, up 72%, in comparison with N8 billion reported in Q1 2023.
Profit before Tax rose by 568%, amounting to N6 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N911.6 million during the same period last year.
Profit after Tax grew by 844 % year-on-year to N5 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N531 million in the same period last year.
Occupancy grew to 82% in Q1 2024, up from 75% in Q1 2023.
Commenting on the Q1 results, Oluwatobiloba Ojediran, the Chief Financial Officer said, “This outstanding performance highlights the continuous improvement we have recorded in all parts of our business, and how our operational efficiency has given us a competitive edge.
We have continued to break our own revenue records and outperform industry performance on all indices”.
Transcorp Hotels Plc Managing Director/CEO, Dupe Olusola said, “Our excellent first quarter performance marks the beginning of another great year for our company.
We broke our all-time monthly revenue record in March, a demonstration of our commitment to excellence and superior performance.
We leveraged opportunities across our segments for continuous growth. Demand in our International Business Travel and leisure segments remained strong in Q1 2024, delivering an industry-leading revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 74% and profit growth in excess of 844%”.
“We assure our stakeholders that we will continue to deliver exceptional value and leverage innovative tactics to rapidly expand our business portfolio.”
About Transcorp Hotels Plc
Transcorp Hotels Plc is the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), one of Africa’s leading, listed companies with strategic investments in the power, hospitality, and energy sectors.
Transcorp Hotels is redefining hospitality standards in Africa through its businesses, including the iconic Transcorp Hilton, Nigeria’s flagship hospitality destination, and digital platform, Aura by Transcorp Hotels. www.transcorphotelsplc.com
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