E-Financial
CBN Raises BDC’s Share Capital to N2bn
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has proposed two categories of Bureau De Change (BDC) licence- Tier 1 and Tier 2- that would see the minimum capital requirement of operators in the former and latter categories pegged at N2 billion and N500 million respectively.
The apex bank stated this in the draft Revised Regulatory and Supervisory Guidelines for BDC operations in Nigeria posted on its website late on Friday.
Under the extant regulations, BDCs had to apply for a general license and have a minimum capital requirement of N35 million.
The new guidelines contain several new changes to the guidelines for BDC operations in the country. If approved, the new guidelines will be effective at a date that will be announced by the CBN.
Specifically, the proposed new guidelines state that: “Tier 1 BDC is authorized to operate on a national basis. It can open branches and may appoint franchisees, subject to the approval of the CBN. A Tier 1 BDC (which is the franchisor) shall exercise supervisory oversight over its franchisees. All franchisees shall adopt their franchisor’s name, branding, technology platform and rendition requirements.
“A Tier 2 BDC is authorized to operate only in one state or the FCT. It may have up to three locations – a head office and two branches, subject to approval of the CBN. It is not permitted to appoint franchisees.”
Furthermore, in addition to the N2 billion capital requirement, a Tier 1 BDC is expected to pay an N200 million mandatory caution deposit, N1 million non-refundable application fee, N5 million non-refundable license fee and N5 million non-refundable annual fee.
Tier 2 BDC operators, apart from N500 million minimum share capital, are expected to deposit a mandatory caution deposit of N50 million as well as non-refundable application and license fees of N250,000 and N2 million respectively.
In addition, Tier 2 BDCs are expected to pay a non-refundable annual fee of N1 million.
The apex bank also stated that the prescribed minimum capital of BDCs and any subsequent capital injection shall be subject to its verification.
On operators’ permissible and non-permissible activities, the new guidelines propose that BDCs should 25 per cent of foreign exchange purchased for Business Travel Allowance or Personal Travel Allowance in cash while the remaining 75 per cent should be transferred electronically to the customer’s Nigerian domiciliary account or prepaid card.
However, the guidelines said that customers receiving $500 or less than $500 should be paid fully in cash.
The guidelines also stipulate that BDCs should retrieve resident customers’ Bank Verification Numbers, (BVN), or Tax Identification Numbers, TIN before carrying out foreign exchange transactions.
Other highlights of the guidelines include: “A BDC or its franchisee shall not engage in the following activities: Street-trading, maintaining any type of account for any member of the public, including accepting any asset for safekeeping/custody; Taking deposits from or granting loans to members of the public in any currency and in any form;
“Retail sale of foreign currencies to non-individuals, except for BTA International outward transfers; Engaging in off-shore business or maintaining the foreign correspondent relationship with any foreign establishment; Opening or maintaining any account with any bank or financial institution outside Nigeria;
“Acting as custodian of foreign currency on behalf of customers; International inward transfers, except for operators that serve as cash-out points for IMTOs;
“Borrowing sums which in aggregate exceed the equivalent of 30 per cent of its shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses, in the BDC’s audited financial statements of the preceding year;
“ Engaging in forwards, futures, options, or other derivative/speculative transactions; obtaining foreign exchange from sources other than those listed in Section 4.0;
“ Granting of loans and advances in any currency; selling foreign exchange on credit to any customer; engaging in any trade-related import activities and serving as payment or collection agents on behalf of customers.”
PalmPay, a leading neobank and fintech platform focused on emerging markets, has been recognised in CNBC and Statista’s 2025 Top 300 Fintech Companies in the World list. This marks the second year in a row that PalmPay has earned a place among the world’s most innovative and impactful financial technology firms.
The selection is based on a rigorous evaluation of thousands of companies globally, assessing growth, innovation, market penetration, and impact. This year’s list includes a mix of global leaders – including Revolut, Nubank and Ant Group – alongside rising stars from high-growth markets, underscoring the growing influence of emerging-market fintechs like PalmPay.
PalmPay’s inclusion reflects its continued momentum as one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms. With over 35 million registered users and up to 15 million transactions processed daily, the company offers a comprehensive suite of digital financial services tailored to the needs of underserved communities.
In its main market, Nigeria, PalmPay operates as a full-service neobank, offering consumer financial services such as transfers, bill payments, credit, savings, and insurance – all accessible through its user-friendly app and supported by a nationwide network of over 1 million agents and merchant partners. The company also provides POS and API-driven B2B solutions tailored to the needs of merchants and enterprise clients.
“To be recognised as one of the world’s top fintech companies by CNBC and Statista is a powerful affirmation of our mission to build a more inclusive financial system,” said Sofia Zab, Founding Chief Marketing Officer at PalmPay.
“Through cutting-edge technology, deep local distribution, and a customer-first mindset, we’ve built Nigeria’s leading neobank. As we scale PalmPay to more emerging markets, including Tanzania and Bangladesh, our focus remains on closing financial access gaps for everyday consumers and businesses, while expanding the partner ecosystem that fuels our reach and impact.”
As part of its broader expansion strategy, PalmPay recently launched in Tanzania and Bangladesh through a smartphone device financing model that serves as an entry point to digital financial services.
“PalmPay is building a neobanking platform tailored to the realities of emerging markets,” said Jiapei Yan, Group Chief Commercial Officer at PalmPay. “We are creating the infrastructure for a connected digital economy – where people and businesses can thrive through reliable, inclusive financial tools.
This recognition from CNBC and Statista affirms our progress and also the scale of the opportunity ahead. As we expand across more emerging markets, we are committed to creating lasting value for our users, partners, and the communities we serve.”
PalmPay’s inclusion follows another major recognition earlier this year: the company ranked #2 overall and #1 in the financial services sector on the Financial Times – Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2025 list. The ranking, based on revenue growth between 2020 and 2023, highlighted PalmPay’s rapid scale and market traction across Africa.
PalmPay currently operates in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh, and is expanding its presence across Africa and Asia through device financing, digital banking, and B2B payment services. Backed by a robust neobanking platform and a partnership-led approach, the company is committed to shaping the next chapter of inclusive financial growth.
Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to quality education and youth empowerment with the renovation of a classroom block and donation of textbooks to Aso Pada Government Secondary School in Karu LGA, Nasarawa State.
L-R: The Team Lead, CSR, Fidelity Bank Plc, Victoria Abuka; Vice Principal, Government Secondary School, Aso Pada, Maraba, Mr. Abdullahi Idris; Project Co-ordinator, Elite Bankers 2025 Inductee Class, Fidelity Bank Plc, Onyinyechi Ihesiaba; Vice Principal -Academics, Government Secondary School, Aso Pada, Maraba, Mr. Ela Isa; during the commissioning of a renovated block of classrooms and the distribution of Back-to-School Materials at Government Secondary School Aso Pada, Maraba, Nassarawa State recently.
The project was executed through the Fidelity Helping Hands Program (FHHP), a corporate social responsibility initiative that enables staff to identify community needs, raise funds, and receive matched support from the bank.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, Divisional Head, Brand and Communications, said the school was chosen due to its impact on the local community and its lack of renovation in over 15 years.
Vice Principal Abdullahi Idris praised the bank’s gesture, calling it “an investment in the future of our nation,” and expressed hope for a lasting partnership.
The initiative follows Fidelity Bank’s recent donation of 1,000 solar-powered schoolbags to pupils across Ogun State, aimed at improving study conditions in areas with limited electricity.
Fidelity Bank serves over 9.1 million customers and has received multiple awards for innovation and SME support, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation Award and Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by Euromoney.
Eight leading Nigerian banks collectively set aside N156 billion as impairment charges on their credit and financial assets, marking a significant financial impact amidst a challenging economic environment, in the opening quarter of 2025.
Known commonly as loan losses or credit impairments, these charges highlight the banks’ defensive measures against risks arising from inflation, naira depreciation, and tightened liquidity affecting consumers and businesses alike.
The level of impairment varied considerably across institutions, reflecting divergent risk appetites and credit management practices.
Zenith Bank led with the highest provision of N49.38 billion, an 11.8 percent reduction from the previous year’s N55.97 billion.
This decline may suggest enhanced asset quality or more rigorous loan recovery tactics.
Broken down, loans and advances contributed N35.95 billion to impairments, while investment securities and treasury bills added N7.1 billion and N2.16 billion respectively.
Despite heavy provisioning, Zenith recorded a notable 20.7 percent increase in post-tax profit, soaring from N258.34 billion to N311.83 billion.
Similar trends emerged at First HoldCo, which posted N37.25 billion in impairment (down 11.2 percent), driven mainly by loans and advances provisions of N41.23 billion.
Offsetting this were write-offs and reversals that mitigated losses.
First HoldCo’s profit, however, fell to N171.10 billion from N208.11 billion.
Access Holdings and Guaranty Trust Holding Company also demonstrated reduced impairment charges, indicating stronger credit monitoring.
Access’s net provision dropped 4.5 percent to N21.77 billion, while Guaranty Trust’s impairment stabilized near last year’s N13.42 billion figure.
Yet, Guaranty Trust’s profit plunged 43.6 percent to N258.03 billion, a striking contrast to other banks’ profit growth.
On the other hand, United Bank for Africa (UBA) faced a staggering 332.2 percent surge in impairment, from N3.28 billion to N14.18 billion—pointing to amplified credit risks possibly driven by external economic pressures.
Nonetheless, UBA recorded a 33.1 percent profit uptick to N189.84 billion.
FCMB’s impairment charge fell notably by nearly 60 percent to N9.52 billion, aided by significant recoveries of previously written-off loans, boosting its profit to N32.23 billion.
Meanwhile, Fidelity Bank and Wema Bank posted sharp rises in impairment—285.8 percent and 64.7 percent increases respectively—reflecting heightened write-downs that underscore growing risk exposure amidst portfolio expansions.
Overall, while the cumulative impairment charge diminished by 5.2 percent compared to Q1 2024, individual bank results were mixed, embodying the varied strategies and external pressures in Nigeria’s banking sector.
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