E-Financial
Wema Bank to Drive Growth with Technology- CEO
Wema Bank, will leverage technology and innovation to drive its growth, according to Mr Ademola Adebise, the bank’s managing director/chief executive officer.
This, he said, would enable the bank to realise its goal of doubling the key indices of its assets, deposits and profits within the next two years.
He added that the transformational efforts by the bank to become a strong retail bank had been yielding results with its ability to declare dividends in 2018, the first time in 14 years.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos recently, Adebise explained that the bank was refreshing its information technology tool, which he said would be deployed responsibly to bring about the desired growth.
He said, “We intend to be a strong retail bank leveraging technology and innovation. For us, what we have said is that in the next two years, we would work to double our key indices of assets, deposits and profits through organic growth.
“Today, we are about N400bn, in the neighbourhood of N500bn in assets, and if we stretch that, we would be shooting for N800bn by the time we double our indices. We want to get to N1tn mark in terms of our assets.
“We have all the right tools in place and we are refreshing our IT, side by side our Alat product, which is doing well out there and what we are doing now is to review it and take it to the next level. It’s not just about pumping money to excite ourselves; we know what we are doing. Shareholders are interested in returns, so we have to deploy our limited resources in a way that would benefit all stakeholders. We have a clear digital journey we are working on.”
He stressed that innovation was a key ingredient in the sector.
He said, “To remain competitive in this market, one needs to be very innovative, and for us, we want to be innovative, agile and deploy products that appeal to the needs of the customers. We would leverage technology as much as possible.
“We want to be an innovative bank, generate ideas and solve problems using technology and the three main problems we want to solve are; reduce the cost to service our customers, improve top line revenues for the bank and the last one is to solve societal problems.
“We have key sectors of the economy that we have mapped out to achieve this growth. We are also trying to ensure that we have well trained and well remunerated staff to be able to achieve the vision and we are very committed to it.”
Adebise explained that the bank had identified sectors it would play in, including small and medium scale enterprises, agriculture value chain, oil and gas and the creative industry.
He said, “We have sectors we have mapped out for us to play in, I mean in the retail space, like SMEs, oil and gas and agriculture and what we have done is to tailor our products along the intervention schemes of the government.
“For example, there is a Central Bank of Nigeria intervention scheme towards agriculture, so we have done our strategy and we have looked at the value chain. We want to focus on processing and we would look at the aggregators for all the SMEs and peasant farmers. And in supporting the aggregators, we look at key crops like cassava in the South-West and rice in the North and we are looking at engaging them. We have clearly mapped out products that we would use to appeal to these segments of the market.
“What is of interest today is that business models are changing. It’s not the old style of doing agriculture ; we are talking about the different players within that value chain and being able to use technology to put everything together. Agriculture is the major contributor to our Gross Domestic Product, so we look at how to boost export, which would bring back a lot of forex into the system and our reserves.”
He stressed the bank’s commitment to discipline and corporate governance in giving out quality loans.
The CEO also noted that since the bank got its national licence in 2015, it had returned to the North and the East. “They are picking up and what we are doing is opening branches based on business exigencies and considerations, not wishful thinking or sentiments,” he added.
Nigerian insurance industry has recorded a gross written premium of N1.562 trillion in the 2024 financial year. Mr Kunle Ahmed, Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association, disclosed this during the 54th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) in Lagos.
Ahmed said that this represented a 56 per cent increase over the N1.003 trillion generated in 2023.
According to him, the industry’s total assets rose to N3.9 trillion, a 46.1 per cent increase from N2.67 trillion in 2023.
He said: “The Nigerian insurance industry in 2024 experienced notable developments, shaped by regulatory changes, economic conditions, and evolving market dynamics. “Available data indicated robust growth in gross premiums.
The industry reported a gross written premium of N1.562 trillion, a 56 per cent increase over the N1.003 trillion recorded in 2023. “Non-life business accounted for N1.1 trillion, while life business generated N470 billion.
“The industry’s total assets expanded significantly to N3.9 trillion, a 46.1 per cent rise from N2.67 trillion in 2023. “Market capitalisation also grew substantially, reaching N1.2 trillion, a 41 per cent increase from N850 billion in 2022.”
Ahmed further disclosed that the net claims paid by the industry stood at N622 billion, with the non-life segment accounting for N437 billion and the life segment for N185 billion.
He said within the non-life sector, fire, oil and gas insurance lines were key drivers of revenue growth, with all non-life products demonstrating strong quarter-on-quarter increases.
Ahead of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2025, scheduled for July 10 and 11 in Lagos, co-conveners Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations in Nigeria held a high-level press briefing at the United Nations House in Abuja.
L–R: Mohamed Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria; Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; and Abubakar Sulieman, MD/CEO, Sterling Bank, at the recently held Africa Social Impact Summit 2025 World Press Conference at the United Nations House, Abuja.
The event brought together development partners, policymakers, and the media to outline expectations for the upcoming summit and reflect on Africa’s role in defining local responses to global challenges.
Since its launch in 2022, ASIS has grown into a key platform for regional development collaboration. From eight founding partners, the summit now brings together over 40 institutions working across climate, healthcare, education, finance, governance, and digital inclusion. This expansion points to a growing shift: African institutions are pushing to set the agenda, not wait to be handed one.
The 2025 summit, themed “Scaling Action for the SDGs: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation,”will focus on strengthening sub-national development, rethinking finance flows, and tackling structural inequalities through long-term investment and reform.
Speaking at the press briefing, Mohamed M. Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, reinforced the urgency of this year’s convening.
“The climate crisis is eroding decades of development across Africa, displacing communities, disrupting education and health systems, and undermining economic stability. But lasting solutions must come from those living the impact daily.
“As co-conveners of the summit, and with this year’s theme Scaling Action: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation, ASIS offers a platform for African institutions to lead and for global partners to respond with investment, policy reform, and serious commitment.”
In a presentation on the summit’s evolving impact, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, reflected on the summit’s trajectory:
“ASIS has never been about convening for its own sake. Each summit marks a deliberate step to mobilize capital, shift policy, and advance African-led solutions. Already, we have seen over 100 million dollars unlocked through coalition efforts.
“That scale is not accidental. It is the product of systems thinking, partnership, and a commitment to putting Africa’s priorities at the center of global development conversations.”
In his remarks, Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO, Sterling Bank, emphasized the private sector’s enduring role in the ASIS journey: “Sterling Bank has been a strategic partner to ASIS from the very beginning.
“As global development funding becomes more constrained, it is increasingly clear that the private sector must help drive scalable solutions.
“Our engagement with ASIS reflects a belief that impact is not a side effort but core to building resilient economies and inclusive growth.”
Other partners in the room echoed the need for bold, cross-sector investment in areas such as health systems, youth employment, education access, and digital infrastructure.
ASIS boasts a coalition of over 40 institutions that includes Afreximbank, Coca-Cola, United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, Sterling Bank, and other theme and technical partners, with Lagos State as the host city.
Interested participants are encouraged to register at theimpactsummit.org
Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, has been named in the TIME100 Most Influential Companies List of 2025, marking its second appearance on the prestigious global ranking.
Previously honoured in 2021, Flutterwave joins industry giants such as Amazon, Netflix, and OpenAI in the TITANS category of the fifth-annual list, which recognizes companies driving significant global impact.
The selection process, led by TIME editors, evaluated nominees based on innovation, ambition, impact, and success, highlighting Flutterwave’s transformative role in the fintech sector.
Founded in 2016, Flutterwave has grown into a powerhouse facilitating seamless payments across Africa and beyond, empowering businesses and individuals in the digital economy.
Its solutions span critical sectors such as cross-border remittances, e-commerce, travel, payroll, and hospitality.
The company’s 2021 TIME100 recognition followed its impactful campaign to help businesses pivot online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s inclusion underscores Flutterwave’s sustained influence, with its technology now reaching over 34 African countries and expanding into new markets such as Bahrain, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, supporting a leading global ride-hailing company’s operations.
Flutterwave’s flagship remittance product, SendApp by Flutterwave, has gained significant traction in the US, UK, and EU, offering faster and more affordable money transfers for the African diaspora.
In 2024, the company secured 20 additional licenses in the US, bringing its total to 34 and achieving near-complete coverage through strategic partnerships.
Flutterwave’s focus on profitability and market expansion, coupled with a strengthened executive team, has fuelled its growth, with nearly half of its customers receiving payments in new markets last year.
Olugbenga Agboola, founder and CEO, Flutterwave, expressed pride in the recognition, stating, “Being recognized by TIME once again is a true honour. It’s a testament to our team’s incredible work. We’re shaping Africa’s financial future and connecting the continent to the world.”
The accolade follows other recent honours, including topping Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies list for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and earning a second consecutive ranking in the FXC Top 100 Cross-Border Payment Companies.
The TIME100 listing solidifies Flutterwave’s position as a global fintech leader, bridging Africa to the world through innovative payment solutions.
As the company continues to expand its reach and refine its growth strategy, its influence in transforming the financial landscape remains undeniable, setting a benchmark for innovation and connectivity in the digital economy.
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