E-Financial
Fidelity Bank Eyes Oversubscription to N127.1Bn Combined Offers
Against the background of groundswell of supports and enthusiasm for the bank’s ongoing offers, Fidelity Bank Plc has started preparations to allow the bank absorb oversubscriptions.
With investors rallying behind the bank’s N127.1 billion combined rights and public offer, market pundits had indicated that the bank would raise more than initial size of the combined offer.
Reports have shown high subscription levels for the offers early weeks of the offer period, riding on the back of acceptances by existing shareholders and demand by the general investing public.
Fidelity Bank is offering a rights issue of 3.2 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N9.25 per share. The bank is also simultaneously offering 10 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to the general investing public at N9.75 per share.
The acceptance and application lists for the rights issue and public offer, which opened on Thursday, June 20, 2024, are scheduled to close on Monday, July 29, 2024. The rights issue has been pre-allotted on the basis of one new ordinary share for every 10 existing ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Friday, January 05, 2024.
With promising feedbacks from receiving agents and as shareholders, investors, experts and other stakeholders continue to rate the combined offers high, the board of Fidelity Bank has called an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to enable the bank to absorb expected surplus funds.
Shareholders are scheduled to meet later this month to authorise the company “to accept surplus monies arising from potential oversubscription of the combined offer in such proportion as may be determined by the board of directors, subject to the company’s issued share capital and obtaining relevant regulatory approvals”.
Shareholders are also expected to increase the issued share capital of the company from N22.6 billion divided into 45.2 billion ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each to N26.70 billion through the creation of up to 8.2 billion in order to “accommodate potential oversubscription of the combined offer in the proportion of 5.0 billion additional ordinary shares under the public offer and 3.2 billion additional ordinary shares under the rights issue”.
The meeting will also mandate the board to take all necessary actions in line with the absorption of the oversubscription funds.
The board of the bank reiterated its commitment to retain the bank’s international banking license by meeting the new capital requirement within the regulatory timeframe.
According to the board, the resolutions proposed for shareholders’ approval at the upcoming EGM of July 26, 2024, are to enable acceptance of potential oversubscription from the combined offer, subject to relevant regulatory approvals.
The board pointed out that with the resolutions to accept oversubscription, the bank will be in stronger position to take advantage of emerging business opportunities and secure long-term profitability and competitive advantage, while ensuring increased shareholder value.
The net proceeds of the offer would be applied to investments in information technology infrastructure, business and regional expansion, and product distribution channels.
“The company is on a strong growth trajectory and requires additional capital for improved profitability, expansion- domestic and international, and enhancement of its digital capabilities.
“Continuing advances in technology, the rapid evolution of the business of banking, and changes in the operating landscape also make it imperative that the bank remains agile, adaptable and properly positioned to respond appropriately to developments, whilst remaining a competitive and forward-looking institution,” the board stated.
Directors of the bank assured that notwithstanding the continued rapid evolution of the banking industry, Fidelity Bank has been placed on foundation for strong and sustainable growth.
Fidelity Bank Plc’s combined N127.1 billion rights and public offer had struck early success as enthusiastic shareholders mobilise to pick their pre-allotted shares and buy more stakes in Nigeria’s most-widely owned commercial bank.
Shareholders have said they would pick their rights and buy more shares from the public offer in a massive show of support and positioning in the bank. Fidelity Bank had delivered an average annual capital gain of more than 100 per cent over the past five years and ranked among the elite stocks with the highest corporate governance rating at the Nigerian stock market.
In separate interviews, shareholders across Nigeria’s leading shareholders’ associations, said the pricing of the highly discounted rights issue and public offer, the operational growth of the bank over the years, dividend records and capital gains were attractions to buy more stakes in the bank. Fidelity Bank is one of the few companies that pay dividends twice a year at the stock market.
They envisioned that a post-recapitalisation Fidelity Bank would deliver higher returns and continue to be a leading preserver of values for shareholders’ wealth.
The shareholders, who spoke through their leaders, said recapitalisation has offered good opportunity to the investing public to buy into good banking stocks at reduced prices, noting that banks are the most influential stocks at the Nigerian market. Subscribers to primary market issues are exempted from paying transaction costs, unlike direct purchase through the secondary market.
Shareholders, under the auspices of Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Ibadan Zone Shareholders Association (IBZA), Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria and Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria among others, said they were picking up their rights and mobilising supports for the bank.
The general shareholders’ endorsements represent a major boost for Fidelity Bank, which has the most diversified retail shareholders’ base among Nigerian banks.
With nearly 400,000 shareholders, no single shareholder held up to 5.0 per cent of the issued share capital of the bank. Five per cent and above are considered the material shareholding under extant laws and market regulations.
Rights issue is traditionally pre-allotted on the basis of existing shareholdings and its success, most often, depend largely on the satisfaction and enthusiasm of existing shareholders.
Fidelity Bank appears to be riding high on its highly diversified shareholding base with its popularity showing across all cadres of investors in the market. The shareholders’ comments came on the heels of similar positive comments by investment experts and capital market stakeholders.
The combined rights and public offers had opened to a rousing support from the investing public as key capital market stakeholders recalled the symbolic importance of Fidelity Bank’s impressive growths and investor-friendly disposition over the years.
From the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) to stockbrokers, investors and customers; the N127.1 billion combined rights and public offer received unreserved recommendations, with industry thought leaders citing the performance of Fidelity Bank in its core banking operations and as a quoted company at the stock market.
They said Fidelity Bank’s N127.1 billion combined rights and public offer was the right way for the nation’s banking recapitalisation exercise to start as the bank, which has the highest corporate governance rating and an average annual capital gain of more than 100 per cent at the stock market, has strong appeal to the investing public.
The Doyen of Stockbrokers, the oldest practicing stockbroker, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuff, said Fidelity Bank has good records going for it with its history of impressive growth and profitability and dividend payments.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised bank customers to be cautious about the use of fake SWIFT messages during foreign exchange (FX) remittances.
SWIFT messages are sent through the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication network to facilitate financial transactions between banks and financial institutions.
The CBN gave the warning in a statement signed by Hakama Sidi-Ali, acting director of corporate communications department, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The apex bank said it had been inundated with claims by some stakeholders about the conclusion of foreign currency transfer to their Nigeria bank accounts.
According to Sidi Ali, stakeholders like private entities, individuals, law firms, and government agencies complained that foreign currency funds allegedly transferred to them by foreign entities have yet to be credited to their accounts with Nigerian banks.
“In some instances, the claimants alleged that the funds were withheld by either the beneficiary bank in Nigeria or the CBN and requested assistance towards releasing the funds to them,” She said.
“The requests are usually supported with fake documents such as SWIFT MT103, SWIFT Ack copy, etc.
“It has become imperative to state that the SWIFT ack copy and SWIFT MT103 that these claimants usually attach as evidence of remittance to beneficiary banks in Nigeria are not reliable.”
Sidi Ali added that the SWIFT messages are always not traceable on the SWIFT platform and the funds are not received to enable their application to the beneficiary’s account.
“In a situation where a fund transfer beneficiary receiving bank claims non-receipt of funds remitted by the foreign entity, the standard practice is for the sending customer to contact the sending bank.
“The purpose for the sending bank to send a tracer to trace where the fund is hanging and recall it.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state emphatically that the CBN neither provides correspondent banking services for Nigerian banks in foreign payments nor maintains accounts for private business entities.
“Consequently, petitioners’ claim that the alleged expected inflows for onward credit into the accounts of private business entities are trapped in the CBN is not only spurious but deceitful.”
The CBN spokesperson urged the general public to be careful with such unauthentic SWIFT messages and documents containing spurious claims of non-application of substantial foreign currency funds allegedly transferred into the beneficiary’s account.
She also warned that the CBN would not hesitate to report any bank customer making unsubstantiated and illegitimate claims to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution.
Federal Government is to establish a National Youth Development Bank and a Youth Data Bank, according to President Bola Tinubu.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Kashim Shettima, his vice, , disclosed this at a Stakeholders Roundtable on Northern Youth Development organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, in Abuja.
The President described the banks as crucial tools for “providing financial and informational support to young Nigerians.”
He said since assumption of office, his administration unveiled a comprehensive youth development strategy spanning multiple key sectors to drive Nigeria’s economic transformation.
Tinubu extolled the legacy of the late Sardauna of Sokoto and former Premier of Northern Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello
” The late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, was one of the towering giants on whose shoulders we have ascended as a nation.
” His vision was clear: the North cannot progress in isolation, and Nigeria cannot prosper unless every part of this nation thrives,” he said.
Tinubu declared that the development of Northern Nigeria remains fundamental to the nation’s prosperity.
According to him, “whatever disrupts the growth of one region sets back the entire nation.
“For far too long, we have been taunted as a nation with the most children out of school—a reality that should not elicit pride but provoke urgent action.
“This alarming statistic has turned the promise of our population into a challenge rather than the dividend it ought to be,” he added.
In a move that signposts its market leadership, Africa’s fastest-growing financial institution, Moniepoint has been recognized as the Financially Inclusive Fintech of the Year at the 2nd International Financial Inclusion Conference (IFIC).
This prestigious event which was hosted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had in attendance, several key stakeholders in the financial services industry that include Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria, Philip Ikeazor, Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran, Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa, Mastercard, Folasade Femi-Lawal, and Chairman of Committee of e-Business Industry Heads (CeBIH), Ajibade Laolu-Adewale among others.
Themed “Inclusive Growth: Harnessing Inclusion for Economic Development,” this year’s conference brought together global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore strategies for advancing financial access and fostering economic development.
Moniepoint’s stellar contributions and nationwide impact in promoting financial inclusion across underserved communities were celebrated alongside its innovative products and solutions that bridge gaps and provide a secure, fast and transparent way to access digital financial services .
In addition to this accolade, in recent weeks Moniepoint has received several other industry awards, further cementing its position as a leader in driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment across Nigeria.
Commenting on the awards and wins, CEO Moniepoint Inc, Tosin Eniolorunda said “these recognitions underscore our commitment to engineering financial happiness via solutions that empower individuals, small businesses and communities at large. At Moniepoint, we believe that financial inclusion is not just a goal but a necessary foundation for sustainable economic growth and development. We are honored to contribute and support the Federal Government’s aspirations and agenda to become a trillion dollar economy by 2030 and we remain dedicated to making a meaningful impact.”
He continued, “the laurels and accolades are a strong validation of the hard work and dedication that our DreamMakers put into powering the dreams of millions of Nigerians, and it will continue to fuel our passion for driving excellence in Nigeria’s financial services sector. It’s just Day One for us and we will continue to develop solutions that make financial services more accessible to all.”
Scoring an uncommon hattrick, Moniepoint Inc was listed for the third year in a row in the seventh edition of CB Insights annual Fintech 100, a list of the 100 most promising private fintech companies in the world and described as high-momentum companies shaping the future of financial services.
At the prestigious BusinessDay Banks & Other Financial Institutions BAFI Awards 2024, now in its 12th year, which highlights excellence and innovation within the financial services sector and celebrates the institutions that have set new standards in performance, customer service, and leadership, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank won the award for “SME Microfinance Bank of the Year” and Tosin Eniolorunda emerged as the Fintech CEO of the Year.
At the Phillips Consulting (pcl.) Digital Jurist Awards 2024, which celebrates the remarkable achievements of organizations that have exemplified innovation and excellence in leading digital transformation across various sectors in Nigeria, Moniepoint was recognised for Best Digital and Best Website in the Microfinance Bank sector, while winning the award for the Overall Best OFI in Digital Banking Solution Delivery (Vision Category) at the NEXUS 2024 Gala and Awards Night organized by Qore, a leading fintech infrastructure and Banking-as-a-Service platform provider.
Moniepoint Inc. is Africa’s all-in-one financial ecosystem, helping 10 million businesses and individuals access seamless payments, banking, credit, and business management tools since 2019. As Nigeria’s largest merchant acquirer, it powers most of the country’s Point of Sale (POS) transactions. Through its subsidiaries, Moniepoint Inc. processes $17 billion monthly for its customers while operating profitably.
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