E-Financial
Kuda, New Bank Offers Zero Fees for All Transfers for Life

Kuda, a digital-only bank licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has kickstarted a revolution in Nigeria’s banking sector with no charges for all transfers for everyone forever.

Kuda
Kuda, which is about three months old provides full banking services through its apps for Android phones and iPhones, allowing everyday Nigerians with internet access to run a current account, save money automatically and earn up to 15 percent annual interest without the burden of bank charges.
By running a business model that excludes card maintenance fees, account maintenance fees, and excessive transfer fees, Kuda has set a precedent that sets it apart from other banks.
The bank also provides its customers with free debit cards which are delivered at no cost nationwide, differentiating it from digital wallets.
Babs Ogundeyi, CEO of the bank said that being exclusively digital saves the bank the heavy cost of running a network of branches, savings which are then transferred to customers in the form of free.
Ogundeyi also used the occasion to announce Kuda’s lifetime offer of 25 free interbank transfers every month for all its existing customers and everyone who opens a Kuda account before January 1, 2020.
“We discovered that most people make less than 20 transfers every month for personal use, so we decided to give everyone who opens a Kuda account this year 25 free transfers every month forever,” he said.
At the same event, Kuda’s efforts to make banking affordable for Nigerians were praised by several stakeholders in the finance and tech sector including Samuel Goriola Oluyemi, head of Emerging Markets/IFR/Agency Management at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Scheme (NIBSS).
“[Kuda has] revolutionized banking in Nigeria. Things we never thought could be done are things you’re doing,” Mr. Oluyemi said.
Also in attendance at the town hall meeting were: Hakeem Adeniji Adele, Deputy Managing Director of eTranzact; Chidinma Iwueke, a partner at Nigerian venture capital firm Microtraction and Wale Olokodana, Business Group Director, Cloud & Enterprise at Microsoft Nigeria.
The town hall meeting was supported by Microsoft Nigeria through the 4Afrika Initiative, an important partner in the bank’s mission to democratize financial services for Africans through digital technology.
Reiterating the global technology giant’s commitment to helping Kuda achieve its important goals, Microsoft 4Afrika’s EduAbasi Essien said, “Our mission at Microsoft is to empower every person on the planet to achieve more and our partnership with Kuda is a local case in point.
“We first joined forces with Kuda about two years ago, when they first emerged on the fintech scene. Known as Kudimoney at the time, Microsoft4Afrika identified this aspiring startup, selecting it for our BizSpark programme – a global platform that provides startups with access to Microsoft Azure cloud services, software and support free of charge over a one-year period.
“4Afrika’s volunteering program, MySkills4Afrika also provided further technical training to suit Kuda’s development at every stage of their startup journey – providing hands-on practical solutions and best practices on how to structure their technical infrastructure for improved outputs,” concluded EduAbasi.
Earlier this year, Kuda announced pre-seed funding of $ 1.6 Mn. The bank has since processed over N6.5 Bn (almost $18 Mn) worth of transactions and saved its customers tens of millions in fees.
E-Financial
UBA Expands to More African Cities, Stamps Footprint in Saudi Arabia

United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced strategic expansion into more African countries even as it plans to open a new office in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone in its mission to connect Africa with key global markets.

Oliver Alawuba, GMD/CEO, UBA group,
This emerged during the Group’s Half Year Business Review held at its global headquarters in Lagos, where Oliver Alawuba, group managing director/CEO, UBA group, met with senior executives overseeing UBA’s 24-country footprint.
The meeting reaffirmed the bank’s pan-African strategy while outlining bold new steps into global markets.
Alawuba highlighted UBA’s continued growth outside Nigeria, with more than 51.7% of Group revenues now generated from its ex-Nigerian operations.
He described the Saudi expansion as a move that positions UBA to support cross-border trade, attract investment flows, and better serve the African diaspora.
“UBA’s vision is clear—we are building a truly global institution anchored in Africa, but serving customers across continents. Our entry into Saudi Arabia signals confidence in new opportunities and commitment to supporting economic connectivity between Africa and the Middle East,” he said.
The Saudi expansion adds to UBA’s international presence, which currently includes the United Kingdom, United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates. Alawuba also disclosed that the bank is upgrading its operating licence in France to further strengthen its European operations.
“In Europe, UBA has operations in the United Kingdom and is upgrading its licence in France, expanding its capacity to serve cross-border trade, investment flows, and the African diaspora, complementing our over 40-year presence in New York,” Alawuba noted.
Since launching its pan-African journey with an entry into Ghana in 2004, UBA has expanded rapidly across 20 African countries, establishing itself as a leading driver of financial inclusion, innovation, and regional integration.
E-Financial
Ecobank Plans to Raise $250m Capital Through Private Placement

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated announced its plan to raise up to $250m in Additional Tier 1 capital through a private placement of contingent convertible notes.
In a statement filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited recently, the capital raise was approved by shareholders at the company’s Extraordinary General Meeting held in Lomé, Togo. The private placement offer was launched on July 9 and will run for ten days.
“Following the approval of the shareholders at its Extraordinary General Meeting held on May 28, 2025, in Lomé, Togo, to raise up to $250m in additional Tier 1 capital qualifying instruments via a private placement of contingent convertible notes, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated announces the launch of the AT1 effective July 9, 2025, for ten days. Renaissance Capital Africa has been appointed as the transaction adviser to ETI.”
The move is an initiative aimed at strengthening Ecobank’s capital adequacy, enhancing financial resilience, and supporting its long-term growth ambitions across its diversified pan-African banking platform.
Additionally, Madibinet Cisse, Ecobank’s Company Secretary, said, “This proposed capital raise represents a critical step in our efforts to fortify the bank’s financial foundation and support sustainable growth across Africa.”
It would be recalled that Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, the parent company of the Ecobank Group, has raised an additional $125m through a Eurobond tap, bringing the total size of its 2029 notes to $525m.
E-Financial
EFCC Recovers Funds Lost to CBEX Fraud

Ola Olukoyede, chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced that the body has recovered lost funds from the CBEX fraud scheme.
Olukoyede did not announce the amount recovered, but he assured Nigerians that the EFCC is taking action against the promoters of the scheme.
The EFCC Chairman emphasised that the suspects found are facing prosecution.
“We have found a lot of people culpable. Those who promoted that scheme are within our jurisdiction and have been arrested. So, at this moment, they are being prosecuted. And we can also say that money has been recovered, even though the process is still ongoing for us to finally forfeit it,” he said.
Olukoyede also urged Nigerians to exercise caution when investing their resources into online platforms.
“Ponzi schemes remain one of the most pervasive threats facing unsuspecting investors. The CBEX case is a clear example. We all remember the outcry that followed the collapse of the scheme, but these unfortunate situations are preventable. Nigerians must begin to conduct due diligence before committing their resources to such platforms,” Olukoyede said.
He also stressed that the body remains committed to fishing out the culprits and recovering the lost funds.
“It was only when the bubble burst that people wanted EFCC to perform magic and recover their money. In the case we investigated in Lagos, which we dubbed Operation Flush, we arrested a large number of foreigners involved in various cybercrimes, including CBEX. I want Nigerians to know that as of today, we have secured close to 150 convictions. Some of them are already serving their jail terms. And when they are through with that, we are going to send them back to where they came from. So we are monitoring them,” he added.
He urged the public to stay vigilant, assuring them that the body will see the case to the end.
“We are no longer the EFCC that drops cases halfway. Whatever we start, we will finish. Nigerians should trust us and believe in our capacity to do justice. Some of these cases are complex and may require cross-border investigations, but we are up to the task,” he said.
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