E-Financial
Investors Stampede for Safety as Trump Strikes Again

By Lukman Otunuga, Senior Research Analyst at FXTM,
A wave of risk aversion is sweeping across financial markets this morning after US President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariff hikes on Chinese imports.
In an unexpected move that dealt a crippling blow to global sentiment, Trump said he would impose a 10% tariff on the remaining $300 billion of Chinese imports from September 1. With China already pledging countermeasures if the US implements the additional tariffs, things could get really messy – something that will ultimately cripple risk sentiment even further.
The negative mood across markets suggests that investors are jittery over sizzling trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies sabotaging the already fragile global growth outlook.
Asian equities were painted red during early trading following Wall Street’s declines overnight. In Europe, shares are positioned to open lower as investors avoid riskier assets. The caution from Asian and European markets could find its way back into Wall Street this afternoon.
King Dollar hit by Trump tariffs, NFP in focus
Investors who were looking for an opportunity to attack the Dollar were given the thumbs up yesterday after Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China.
Trump’s decision has certainly placed the Federal Reserve in a tricky position and boosted expectations over another US rate cut this year. The Dollar is likely to extend losses against a basket of major currencies ahead of the US jobs report this afternoon. Given how future US rate cuts will be influenced by economic data, there will be a strong focus on this afternoon’s jobs data.
This week has already offered some mixed data surrounding US employment. The July ADP employment data topped expectations by rising 156k while jobless claims rose by 8,000 to 215,000 in the seven days ending July 27.
Should the July NFP meet or exceed market forecasts, investors may re-evaluate whether the Fed will cut interest rates again. However, a disappointing report should strengthen the argument for lower rates in the United States – ultimately weakening the Dollar.
Pound diced and minced by no deal Brexit fears
Sterling has been diced and minced by rising fears over the United Kingdom crashing out of the European Union with no Brexit deal in place.
The thickening fog of uncertainty around Brexit has prevented the Bank of England from joining the global monetary easing train this month. Although the BoE has stated that “interest rates could move in either direction if there’s a no-deal Brexit”, the next move is veering towards an interest rate cut as Brexit fears shroud the UK economy. With domestic economic conditions likely to deteriorate further as uncertainty over Brexit intensifies, it is a question of when rather than if the BoE will cut interest rates in 2019.
The GBPUSD remains bearish on the weekly charts. With bears firmly fastened into the driving seat, the downside momentum has the potential to send prices towards 1.2000 in the short to medium term.
Commodity spotlight – Gold
Gold glittered with extreme intensity on Thursday, jumping to a fresh two week high above $1445 as Trump’s tariff tweets sent investors stampeding for safety.
The precious metal has scope to push higher this afternoon if the pending US jobs report fails to meet market expectations. With concerns over slowing global growth, renewed US-China trade tensions and Brexit uncertainty accelerating the flight to safety, Gold is fundamentally bullish.
Focusing on the technical picture, an intraday breakout above $1445 could encourage a move higher towards $1450 and $1470, respectively.
E-Financial
Banks Stops Instant Alerts for Cheques Pending Clearance

Banks in the country have begun suspending instant transaction alerts for cheques drawn from other banks until such cheques are fully cleared.
This is in compliance with a recent directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This new policy affects customers who receive cheques from other banks, signaling a major change in how cheque payments are confirmed.
According to the CBN directive, the move is intended to prevent confusion around the status of cheque payments and to curb premature release of goods and services before the actual receipt of funds.
In an email sent to its customers, Access Bank stated that moving forward, alerts for cheques deposited into accounts will only be sent after the cheque has been completely processed.
This is to notify you of the recent directive by the CBN which requires banks to send transaction alerts on payments of other bank cheque only upon cheque clearance.
This means that you would only receive alerts for other banks’ cheques paid into your account after the cheque has been fully processed, that is, after the funds are paid into your account or if the cheque is unpaid and and returned from the other bank.
As a result of this new directive, you will no longer receive alerts for cheques lodged into your account until the cheque is cleared or returned”, the bank stated.
Access Bank also advised customers to monitor their accounts through other available channels such as the AccessMore app, internet banking platforms, PrimusPlus, and the USSD service *901# to stay updated on the status of their cheque deposits.
To track your transactions and ensure you do not part with your goods and services prior to payment. Please use our other channels; Accessmore, Internet banking, PrimusPlus, *901#.
We remain committed to delivering seamless and secure banking services to you always”, it said.
The CBN’s directive is designed to protect both payees and payers by ensuring that goods or services are not exchanged before the actual payment has been confirmed.
Previously, customers often received immediate alerts once a cheque was lodged, leading to confusion when the cheque was later dishonoured.
A banking industry insider commented, “This change is critical in promoting financial discipline. It safeguards businesses from losses due to bounced cheques and helps maintain the integrity of cheque payments.”
While digital payment methods are on the rise in Nigeria, cheques still remain a significant payment instrument in various sectors, particularly in wholesale trade and business-to-business transactions.
The apex bank’s new guideline is expected to strengthen trust in cheque transactions by ensuring that payment confirmations are accurate and timely.
As the financial ecosystem evolves, this move is one among several measures aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of banking transactions across Nigeria.
Credit: Daily Sun
E-Financial
Sterling HoldCo Delivers Stellar H1 2025 Results; Capital Raise Strategy Gains Momentum

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc (“Sterling HoldCo”) has reported a remarkable 157% year-on-year growth in profit-after-tax, hitting ₦41.78 billion for the half-year ended June 30, 2025. This jump from ₦16.26 billion in H1 2024 reflects the Group’s strategic excellence and operational resilience.

Yemi Odubiyi
Profit after tax rose to ₦41.78 billion, while earnings per share climbed to 89 Kobo from 56 Kobo in the prior period. Gross earnings increased by 39.7%, reaching ₦212.61 billion. Interest income grew by 38.3% to ₦167.16 billion, and non-interest income surged 45% to ₦45.45 billion.
The Group’s cost-to-income ratio also improved significantly, declining from 75.7% to 64.5%, thanks to focused cost optimisation.
Sterling HoldCo’s total assets increased to ₦4.08 trillion as of June 2025, up 15.3% from ₦3.54 trillion in December 2024. Shareholders’ funds rose by 22.9% during the period, driven by strong retained earnings and successful recapitalisation. Asset quality also improved, with the non-performing loan ratio down to 5.1% from 5.4%.
Building on its financial strength, the Group completed a ₦100 billion private placement and rights issue, which enabled the recapitalisation of Alternative Bank and bolstered Sterling Bank’s capital base. A public offer to raise an additional ₦53 billion is set to launch in the coming weeks, forming the first phase of a US$400 million capital programme approved at the Group’s Annual General Meeting on June 30, 2025.
Group CEO Yemi Odubiyi attributed the half-year performance to strategic clarity and operational agility, noting that the results reflect resilience and value creation in a dynamic macroeconomic environment.
He reiterated the Group’s commitment to responsible growth, sustainable impact, and continued investment in Nigeria’s growth sectors, including renewable energy, healthcare, and community development.
Sterling HoldCo remains focused on leveraging its robust capital strategy to fuel long-term expansion, innovate across its financial services, and deepen its contribution to Nigeria’s economic progress.
E-Financial
Onuoha Takes Helm at ICAN Fidelity Chapter, Vows to Deepen Professional Excellence

Fidelity Bank Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has inaugurated Mr. Audifax Onuoha as its new Chairman, ushering in a fresh era of professional development and strategic collaboration within the bank.

L-R: Chairman of the Occasion and Regional Bank Head -Ikeja, Fidelity Bank Plc, Jude Monye, FCA; Associate Prof. & Member, Governing Council, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Dr. Mrs Obal Usang Edet Usang, FCA; 4th Chairman, ICAN Fidelity Bank Chapter, Audifax Onuoha, FCA; 61st ICAN President, Mallam Haruna Yahaya MNI, PhD, FCA; and Immediate Past Chairman, ICAN Fidelity Bank Chapter and Chief Financial Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Victor Abejegah; during the 4th Investiture and Patron Conferment Ceremony of the ICAN Fidelity Bank Chapter, held at the Fidelity Bank Head Office in Lagos recently.
The investiture, which took place at Fidelity Place, Lagos, also featured the swearing-in of the Chapter’s 2025–2027 Executive Committee and the conferment of a Patron award on Mr. Stanley Amuchie, Executive Director/Chief Operations and Information Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc.
Onuoha, who currently serves as Group Head, Compliance Risk Management at Fidelity Bank, succeeds Mr. Victor Abejegah, the bank’s Chief Financial Officer. In his acceptance speech, Onuoha pledged to prioritise capacity building and continuous learning for ICAN members and non-members across the bank.
He said the new administration would focus on equipping professionals with the skills required to navigate the evolving financial services landscape, while strengthening the strategic alliance between ICAN and Fidelity Bank.
“We will deepen the synergy between Fidelity Bank and ICAN as a foundation for a resilient financial ecosystem,” he said.
Delivering the opening address, Mr. Jude Monye, Regional Bank Head – Ikeja, Fidelity Bank Plc, urged the new leadership to make professional development a top priority, describing capacity building as imperative in today’s financial environment.
Monye commended the Chapter’s growth and attributed its success to the support of Fidelity Bank’s leadership, particularly its Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe.
In his remarks, Abejegah highlighted achievements during his tenure, including entrepreneurship training in fish farming, snail farming, poultry, and export processing, as well as improved member welfare and insurance support for bereaved families.
The event also saw the conferment of the Chapter’s Patron award on Amuchie, in recognition of his over 25 years of exemplary service in banking. He described the honour as a call to serve as a mentor and advocate within the ICAN community and Fidelity Bank family.
The ceremony concluded with the swearing-in of the new executive committee by ICAN’s 61st President, Mallam Haruna Yahaya.
Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged commercial bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital channels, 255 business offices across Nigeria, and its UK subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited. The bank has received multiple awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award and the Euromoney Award for Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria.
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