E-Financial
AfDB Celebrates Milestone with First Social Bond Listing on London Stock Exchange
The African Development Bank’s “Fight Covid-19” social bond, the largest social bond to date to be issued in the capital markets, listed on London Stock Exchange on Friday 3 April 2020, and is now available through its Sustainable Bond Market.
The listing marks an important milestone as the Bank launches its first bond on London Stock Exchange.
The over-subscribed transaction, which attracted $4.6 billion of interest in the book and raised an exceptional $3 billion, was launched to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s economies and livelihoods.
The three-year maturity bond garnered interest from central banks and official institutions, bank treasuries and asset managers including Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) investors.
Several high-quality ESG investors actively supported this remarkable transaction, including Affirmative Investment Management (UK), Breckinridge, Columbia Threadneedle (USA), the Government Pension Investment Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Pension Boards – United Church of Christ, PineBridge Investments, Praxis Impact Bond Fund, TIAA/Nuveen and the United Nations Development Program.
“The international community must work together to successfully tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The UK, along with partners like the African Development Bank and London Stock Exchange Group, is supporting the most vulnerable countries to invest in their own health systems and avoid economic hardship,” International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said about the listing.
“While we invest in areas like vaccine research to help end the pandemic sooner, this private investment through the AfDB, and our support for emergency lending through the IMF, will also help limit its impact on the global economy,” Trevelyan further noted.
The London Stock Exchange, at the heart of London’s vibrant financial hub, is championing forward-looking initiatives aimed at deepening and diversifying the market. Its dedicated Sustainable Bond Market (SBM) draws innovative issuers and improves access, flexibility and transparency for investors.
Eligible social or sustainability bonds with use of proceeds aligned to mitigating the impact of Covid-19 will be admitted on the exchange with admission fees waived for an initial period of three-months, London Stock Exchange has announced.
Such social and sustainability bonds fund essential services such as healthcare, water and sanitation, supporting employment, or with a link to the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Nikhil Rathi, CEO, London Stock Exchange plc and Group Director of International Development, said: “We welcome the first bond from African Development Bank to list on our market and support them in their vital efforts to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 across Africa. This bond highlights the important role that social and sustainability bonds can play in directing funding to those countries, sectors and people across the world heavily impacted by this pandemic.”
The Bank established its Social Bond framework in 2017 and raised the equivalent of $5 billion through issuances denominated in US dollars, Euro and Norwegian krone.
The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, said: “We are proud to announce that our first listing on London Stock Exchange is a social bond. This is only the beginning of a stronger partnership between the African Development Bank and London Stock Exchange. We will mobilize all we can on the capital market to fight the coronavirus in Africa.”
The Bank’s previous activity in the social bond market has seen financing to build hospital capacity, boost access to health and healthcare services, strengthen health systems, provide improved access to water and sanitation, and create jobs across the continent.
Commenting on the listing, Martin Scheck, CEO of The International Capital Market Association or ICMA, said: “We believe Social and Sustainability Bonds can provide an immediately actionable channel for the market to finance projects that directly contribute to alleviating the social and economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis.”
Swazi Tshabalala, Acting Senior Vice President, African Development Bank Group, said: “The African Development Bank is at the forefront of helping African countries fight this pandemic with innovative financing solutions. We welcome this partnership with London Stock Exchange which will help us expand the horizon of investors that are interested and committed to Africa’s sustainable development.”
Hassatou N’Sele, Treasurer, African Development Bank Group, said: “We appreciate the partnership with London Stock Exchange as we strive together to move the African continent forward. Today more than ever, Africa and the world need to stand as one to ride out the Covid-19 crisis.”
E-Financial
MoneyMaster PSB Customers to Enjoy 10% Data Bonus Per Recharge
Customers of foremost payment service bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank (MMPSB), will henceforth, enjoy a 10 percent data bonus offer on every recharge above N1,000 on their Glo lines.
The data bundle offers one of the highest volumes in the country and the data purchases come with 30-day validity, with an automatic rollover of unused data upon subscription for a new plan.
The offer, which is meant to reward loyal customers and new ones, also underscores the bank’s dedication to empowering Nigerians to master their money via efficient offers that make every naira count.
The 10 percent bonus offer is available for Glo customers on banking channels including the MoneyMaster PSB app, USSD banking code *995# and MoneyMaster PSB Web banking.
MoneyMaster is a provider of innovative digital financial products and services that transform lives. It has the mission to deepen financial inclusion and has been pivotal in providing financial technology services to bridge the gaps between the banked, underbanked and unbanked population.
Mr. Julius Arhebun, head of Agency Banking at MoneyMaster, said, the offer shows the bank’s commitment to offering its customers products that enhance their lifestyle and help them master their money.
“With this offer, our existing and new customers can enjoy extended access to quality internet services whether it is streaming their favourite content, browsing top sites, or catching up on trends on their favourite social media apps”, he noted.
He further explained that existing customers can buy a data bundle of N1000 or above from their mobile wallets, savings account or individual current account via our USSD banking code *995#, mobile app or web banking. For new customers, the offer comes via opening accounts via the USSD banking platform or downloading the mobile application.
E-Financial
UBA Set to Establish Subsidiary in Saudi Arabia
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s Global Bank, has set the wheels in motion to expand its operations in the Middle East with plan ongoing to open a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia, its largest economy.
This move which is expected to happen within the next year will mark the bank’s second subsidiary in the Gulf Region, following the expansion of its business to the United Arab Emirates in 2022.
Muyiwa Akinyemi, group deputy managing director, UBA, who disclosed this during a panel session during the 8th Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and in an interview with Arise TV, underscored the bank’s strategic commitment towards fostering Africa’s growth through infrastructure development, youth empowerment, and sustainable partnerships across key global markets.
He said, “Opening a presence in Saudi Arabia represents the next step for us in connecting the Africa-Gulf region. We are excited to bring UBA’s expertise in financial services to Saudi Arabia, where we aim to facilitate knowledge transfer and create strong economic linkages.
“This venture will further enable us to access Saudi expertise in food security, energy transition, and sustainable practices, which are all critical for Africa’s continued development.”
While emphasising the importance of Africa as a strategic investment destination for long-term capital, he said, “Africa’s infrastructure deficit is an opportunity for investors worldwide. Our pitch to the Gulf and Southeast Asia emphasizes that Africa must be part of their investment horizon. Today, food security is paramount as our population expands.
Akinyemi also highlighted the bank’s dedication to nurturing Africa’s youth talent through entrepreneurship.
“Guided by our Group Chairman’s efforts with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, UBA is committed to supporting young entrepreneurs in tech, agriculture, and entertainment, which are all burgeoning sectors in Africa. With such a young and dynamic population, we see enormous potential for innovation and growth.”
He also reiterated the bank’s continuous support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa and beyond as he outlined the bank’s commitment to these businesses, which he referred to as key players in the African economy and vehicles for employment and economic growth.
“SMEs are the backbone of economic development in Africa. They contribute significantly to job creation and value chains, particularly within Nigeria. Over the last year, UBA has committed billions to support SMEs across Africa, and our network of over 20 countries enables us to make a substantial impact.”
During the panel discussions, Akinyemi took time to emphasize UBA’s longstanding experience on the continent as it navigates an ever-evolving investment landscape, adding that “As investors, we focus on infrastructure and sustainable projects that encourage economic prosperity while addressing pressing issues such as talent migration.
“Our goal is to ensure that people can thrive in Africa without needing to relocate. By investing in local talent and fostering growth sectors, we contribute to building the next generation of global innovators right here in Africa,” he noted.
The DMD further articulated UBA’s approach to risk management on the continent, emphasizing that the bank’s 75-year history has uniquely equipped it with insights and strategies to navigate diverse markets.
“With over seven decades of experience, Africa is what we know, and that knowledge allows us to manage risks effectively. We see tremendous opportunities in various sectors across the continent, and our continued investments are driven by a commitment to bring economic empowerment to communities, increase GDP, and improve socioeconomic quality. Our anniversary is a celebration of UBA’s legacy of contributing to Africa’s progress. We look forward to leveraging this milestone to drive even greater impact across sectors and empower future generations,” he said.
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than forty-five million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries. With presence in New York, London, Paris and Dubai, 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.
E-Financial
PalmPay Marks 5th Anniversary, Highlights Achievements
PalmPay, a leading emerging markets-focused fintech, has marked the 5th anniversary of its operations in Nigeria at a celebratory event held in Lagos recently.
During the event, Palmpay highlighted key milestones in its journey and updates on its growth and impact in the country.
Speaking at the anniversary, Chika Nwosu, managing director, PalmPay Nigeria, said: “We’ve built a platform that 35 million users trust, and with our growing network of agents and merchants, PalmPay is playing a key role in digitising Nigeria’s economy. Looking ahead, our strategy is clear—continue to lead with secure, reliable solutions while fostering partnerships that empower more people and businesses to reach their financial goals.”
At the core of PalmPay’s approach, is making financial services more accessible in a market where traditional banking options have left many underserved.
The new *861# USSD code allows customers to access PalmPay services without the internet, offering greater accessibility for users who run out of data or are in areas with low network coverage.
The company also emphasised its commitment to security at a time when financial fraud is increasing globally.
PalmPay has implemented security measures such as facial recognition, biometric login, and AI-driven transaction monitoring to ensure secure payments. Every account is verified through NIN or BVN, and customers who lose their phones can now freeze their accounts via the newly launched USSD service.
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