E-Financial
Nigeria’s OneFi Secures First Ever Credit Rating for an African Fintech
One Finance Limited (OneFi) announces that is has been assigned a “BB” rating with a Stable outlook, from Global Credit Rating Co. The company behind Paylater, Nigeria’s leading digital financial services platform that specialises in consumer lending, becomes Africa’s first fintech company to secure such a rating, as it looks to increase transparency around its credit and lending service.
Global Credit Rating Co. is Africa’s leading ratings agency, accounting for the majority of all ratings accorded on the African continent.
The report analysed key financial and operational factors including risk management, liquidity positioning, borrowings and capital under management. In arriving at this rating of “BB” with a Stable outlook, Global Credit Rating Co’s analysis found that OneFi is well capitalised vis-a-vis its current risk level, and also highlighted the fact that the company currently has a low liquidity risk.
Commenting on the news, Chijioke Dozie, OneFi CEO says, “The entire process of securing this rating from Global Credit Rating has been rigorous, testing, but ultimately, hugely beneficial for the company.
It has allowed us to scrutinise our finance and business models, as well as provide full transparency not only to our stakeholders, but to Paylater’s tens of thousands of customers across Nigeria.
“The work does not stop here. We are a young company, and the very first African fintech platform to be awarded with a credit score, and whilst we are pleased with our “BB” rating and Stable Outlook, which we believe fairly reflects our current standing, we are now focussed on expanding our product offering, improving our asset quality, driving up customer loan applications and looking at ways in which we can bring our innovative approach to finance management to additional markets”.
Paylater, launched in 2016 by Nigerian finance entrepreneurs Chijioke and Ngozi Dozie, provides hassle-free loans without need for human intervention or bias in decision making.
Loans are disbursed to applicants account within 5 minutes of approval. The credit-as-a-service company aims to be a one-stop-shop where all the financial needs of the Nigerian consumer can be met through one platform.
To-date, the Paylater app has been downloaded over 1 million times with over 1,575 loans approved daily. The average disbursement time is 12 seconds and the average loan borrowed is $80 with a 3 month loan tenor.
As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency, the lending platform has, since September, provided each Paylater loan applicant with a free credit bureau report, irrespective of decision, with 100% reporting of positive and negative data. To date, the company has shared over 60,000 reports with customers.
Chijioke Dozie concludes, “With the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] currently revising the Licensing Regime for finance providers and fintech platforms in Nigeria, and with more formality and regulation surrounding the sector, this was the right time for OneFi to undertake the positive step of securing a credit rating score, as we work to build a legitimate, trusted lending brand. We are now held to the same levels of transparency and scrutiny as other leading financial institutions in Nigeria”.
Keystone Bank Limited and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), youth entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion across Nigeria.
The MoU signing ceremony took place at the bank’s head office in Lagos on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Nnenna Anyim Okoro, the Executive Director, Corporate and South, Keystone Bank, described the partnership as a bold and strategic step toward accelerating national economic transformation.
According to her, the collaboration underscores Keystone Bank’s unwavering commitment to empowering the next generation of business leaders and fostering an inclusive financial ecosystem.
“At Keystone Bank, we believe that entrepreneurship is the heartbeat of sustainable economic development.
Across Nigeria, MSMEs are not just businesses; they are the dreams and daily struggles of men and women determined to create value, provide jobs, and build a better future. They are, quite literally, the engine room of our national economy.
“Our sponsorship of the Annual EDC SME Conference 2025 and support for the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Walk reflect our deep belief in the transformative power of small businesses.
“This partnership is also about financial inclusion, youth engagement, capacity building, job creation, and collaboration,” she stated.
Olayemi Sule, Group Head, Retail & Digital Banking, Keystone Bank, emphasized the innovative offerings customers can expect as a result of the partnership.
“Our customers should look forward to a suite of innovative financial products and digital solutions specifically designed to support business growth, enhance financial literacy, and improve market access.
Also speaking, Dr. Nnenna Ugo, EDC board member and Head, Alumni Relations and Support Services at Pan-Atlantic University, expressed optimism about the partnership’s long-term impact.
“We are super excited about this partnership and confident that it will drive transformation for both institutions.
“The EDC was established to build capacity and provide support services for SMEs. In the past 21 years, we have trained over 350,000 entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
“Keystone Bank’s support comes at a critical moment as we scale our programs and expand our reach ahead of the 2025 SME Conference and GEW Nigeria.
“The SME Conference is a powerful platform that brings together key players in the ecosystem each year to address pressing issues affecting small businesses.
“This collaboration strengthens our capacity to engage more entrepreneurs, provide deeper insights, and drive conversations that inspire growth, resilience, and innovation.
“We commend Keystone Bank’s leadership for its vision and dedication to inclusive economic growth. The bank has truly distinguished itself as a champion of enterprise, and we are proud to have them as a strategic partner,” she concluded.
As part of the agreement, Keystone Bank becomes the major sponsor of the 2025 EDC SME Conference and a key supporter of the GEW Walk, a flagship event during Global Entrepreneurship Week Nigeria 2025.
Both events are expected to attract thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, thought leaders, and policymakers, offering a vibrant platform for knowledge-sharing, networking, and business empowerment.
Fidelity Bank Plc on Wednesday refuted claims that its Managing Director, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, is involved in an ongoing fraud case concerning the account of Woobs Resources.
The Bank’s position follows reports published by Sahara Reporters alleging that Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe was listed as a defendant in the case.
However, documents sighted by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek revealed that the charge sheet dated May 12, 2025, named the defendants as Victor Ukutt, Fidelity Bank Plc, Whoba Ugwunna Ogo, and Safiya Whoba.
A statement by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice dated June 9, 2025, confirmed that Onyeali-Ikpe’s name was struck off the charge list.
The Ministry noted that she was neither the Managing Director nor the account officer at the time the account in question was opened.
The clarification aims to dispel misinformation and uphold the integrity of the institution and its leadership.
Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 1, 2025, for the commencement of trial in a money laundering case involving Cititrust Holdings PLC and three of its subsidiaries.
The subsidiaries are Cititrust Funding PLC, Cititrust Credit Limited and Cititrust Financial Services Limited,
The companies are facing an eight-count charge filed by a team of prosecutors from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), comprising Anasoh Henry Onyekachi, Frankklin Ofoma, Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, and A.A. Usman.
According to the charge, between 2021 and 2023, the companies, all incorporated in Nigeria, allegedly operated investment management services without a valid licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This act contravenes Section 57 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and is punishable under Section 57(5) of the same legislation.
The prosecution also alleged that the companies conducted a Collective Investment Scheme without registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), another violation of regulatory requirements.
In one of the counts, Cititrust Credit Limited is specifically accused of failing to report high-value financial transactions to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
These transactions include a N20 million transfer on January 7, 2021; a N200 million transfer on April 4, 2021; and a N200 million lodgement on January 29, 2021.
Additionally, both Cititrust Credit Limited and Cititrust Financial Services Limited are alleged to have made a single transfer and lodgement respectively of N42 million into their bank accounts on January 29, 2021, without proper disclosure to relevant authorities.
The alleged offences are in breach of Sections 11(1)(b) and 11(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as Section 54(1) of the Investment and Securities Act 2007, and are punishable under the respective laws.
The court is expected to begin full proceedings on July 1.
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