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Transcorp Hotels Launches Aura, an Online Marketplace for Accommodation and Experiences  

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  • Nigeria’s largest hospitality brand launches a new platform for booking vacation homes, holiday lets, and experiences.
  • Aura is a new platform that connects people to great accommodation, great food, and memorable experiences in different cities across Africa
  • Aura to partner with homeowners, hoteliers, restaurateurs, tour operators, and locals to redefine travel and tourism

 Africa’s leading hospitality brand Transcorp Hotels Plc. has announced the launch of Aura, a new digital platform through which people can book accommodation, restaurants, and experiences.

 The new brand, Transcorp’s first in the alternative accommodation segment, is part of the company’s asset-light model, leveraging technology to deliver true hospitality, exciting experiences, and drive shareholder value. 

  “It’s a new dawn in the hospitality industry! I am thrilled to introduce you to Aura by Transcorp, the digital platform we are using to connect people to quality accommodation, great food, and awesome experiences,” Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc. Dupe Olusola said.

 “For more than 30 years, Transcorp Hotels Plc has been at the forefront of creating a superior guest experience at our locations. Today, our commitment to innovation has offered us an opportunity to extend this beyond the hotel premises,” Olusola added.

 The launch of Aura by Transcorp is one of the most significant developments in the company’s history as it seeks to transform the travel and tourism industry in Africa by focusing on three important components of travel, whether for leisure or business — where you stay, what you eat and how you spend your time. With its people-driven hospitality model, Aura is set to revolutionise travel and help remind Africans of our deep history of hospitality. 

 Speaking on the launch of Aura, Obong Idiong, Chief Executive Officer at Africa Prudential Plc, Aura’s technology partners, expressed his excitement. “Finding the right accommodation when you travel can be incredibly complex. Options available for the right prices are often limited, and travellers sometimes end up with accommodation that taints the travel experience. Transcorp Hotels Plc has been able to fix that with Aura and we are proud to be associated with them.”

 “To ensure topnotch user experience, we built a solution to drive digital transformation through the adoption of shared living spaces for the Aura business. With an advanced search algorithm powered by artificial intelligence, Aura determines the relevance of locations taking into consideration, the customers’ preferences and requirements to meet them at the point of their needs,” Idiong added.

 Priscilla Adeboye, a travel enthusiast and early adopter of Aura, said the global pandemic has pushed international travel down her list. “But I still want to be able to take some time off work or spend a weekend away from home with the family. I have found incredible homes on Aura that meet my need for space and privacy.”

 Working with thousands of partners across Nigeria and different cities in Africa, Transcorp Hotels Plc. is building the continent’s largest platform for people-driven hospitality. While travellers enjoy the right selections at the best prices on Aura, hosts can also earn a lot of money by receiving guests in their unoccupied homes and sharing the local culture with them.

 For travellers who would rather stay in hotels, Aura also has a great selection of some of the best hotels in every city.

 With the launch of Aura, Transcorp Hotels Plc. has further cemented its leadership in the hospitality industry and reinforced its commitment to innovation and superior guest experience across different demographics. 

 Guests and hosts can sign up at aura.transcorphotels.com to start booking or hosting. The service is currently available in Nigeria only, but the company said plans are already in place to expand to major cities in Africa.

 Note to Editors

Transcorp Hotels Plc is one of Africa’s leading hospitality companies, committed to redefining service standards across the continent while remaining truly and authentically African.

www.transcorphotels.com

 Aura by Transcorp

Aura is Africa’s best platform for connecting travellers with great accommodation, good food, and memorable experiences. The platform is also an avenue for people with unoccupied homes, hotels, restaurants, or different skill sets that may interest others can earn an income by becoming hosts.

 

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Access Holdings Topsin Asset Qualityin Proshare’s 2025Tier1 Banking Rankings

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Access Holdings PLC has been ranked the Tier 1 bank
withthebestassetqualityinNigeria,havingpostedthelowestNon-PerformingLoan
Ratio(NPLR)at2.76percent,accordingtoProshare’s2025Tier1BankingReport
released, recently. This marks a significant achievement for Access Holdings, reinforcing
its leadership in credit discipline, risk management, and sustainable lending practices.
The report, titled “The Class of 2025: Getting Bigger, Bolder, and Dominant”, ranks
AccessHoldingssecondoverallintheTier1category,placingjustbehindEcobank
TransnationalIncorporated(ETI),whichledwithapercentilescoreof100.Access
Holdingsfollowedcloselywitha91stpercentileranking,aheadofZenithBankat73
percent, FirstHoldco at 82 percent, UBA at 64 percent, and GTCO at 55 percent.
In terms of NPLR performance, Access Holdings maintained a remarkable 2.76 percent,
outperforming Zenith Bank at 3.54 percent, GTCO at 4.07 percent, UBA at 3.80 percent,
ETI at 6.25 percent, and FirstHoldco at 6.70 percent. This places Access Holdings at the
forefrontofassetqualitymanagementamongNigeria’stopbanksandreaffirmsits
reputation for operational discipline amid market volatility.
Commenting on the achievement, Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of
Access Holdings PLC, said: “This ranking is not just a measure of our financial health; it
reflects the strength of our governance, thequality of our decision-making, and the focus
we place on long-term value creation. It is a testament to the discipline of our people and
the effectiveness of our pan-African strategy.”
She added: “At Access Holdings, we believe that sustainable success lies in balancing
growthwith resilience.Wewill continuetoexecutewith precision,buildwithpurpose, and
innovate with integrity as we expand our presence across Africa and beyond.”
The 2025 edition of the Proshare Bank Strength Index (PBSI) introduces a recalibrated
framework that reflects the realities of the ongoing recapitalisation exercise in Nigeria’s
bankingsector. Thisedition goesbeyond traditionalfinancialmetrics andincorporates
broaderdeterminantsofprofitability,stability,andstakeholdervalue.ThePBSImodel
emphasisescapitaladequacyandscale,assetqualityandsustainablegrowth,digital
transformation andearnings diversification,governance qualityand boarddiversity, as
well as profitability and cost-efficiency.
  • www.accessbankplc.com
    AccessHoldingsdemonstratedstrongfundamentalsacrossalltheseparameters.It
    closed Full Year 2024 with total assets of 41.5 trillion and a loan book of 13.1 trillion.₦ ₦
    The Group’scapitaladequacyratiostoodat20.46percent,whileassetgrowthforthe
    periodreached55.49percent.Itscostofriskwasheldat1.25percent,netinterest
    margin recorded at 6.80 percent, and earnings growth was an impressive 88.05 percent,
    all indicators of a business built on financial soundness and execution excellence.
    Speaking at the launch event, Olufemi Awoyemi, Chairman of Proshare, described the
    report as a vital mirror into the shifting dynamics of Nigeria’s financial services industry.
    “AccessHoldingshasprovenitselfasastrong,adaptiveinstitution.Itsrobustcapital
    base, successful fundraising, and continental expansion efforts show a group that is not
    onlygrowingbutevolving.Asrecapitalisationreshapesthebankinglandscape,
    institutions like Access Holdings will continue to define the future of finance in Africa.”
    He further remarked on the nuance behind E
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ZENITH BANK TO EXIT CBN’S REGULATORY FORBEARANCE BY 30TH JUNE, ASSURES SHAREHOLDERS OF CONTINUED DIVIDEND PAYOUT

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Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest bank by Tier-1 Capital, has assured shareholders and investors of its readiness to satisfy all relevant conditions to exit the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) regulatory forbearance by June 30, 2025. The bank also expressed confidence in meeting shareholders’ dividend expectations in the 2025 financial year.The clarification comes on the back of heightened scrutiny of Nigerian banks’ capital health following the new CBN directive that suspends dividend payments and tightens oversight for banks with outstanding forbearance-related loans or breaches of the Single Obligor Limit (SOL).In a statement presented to the Nigeria Exchange (NGX) Group on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the Bank stated that its exposure under the Single Obligor Limit (SOL) forbearance relates solely to a single obligor, pointing out that this exposure will be brought within the applicable regulatory limit on or before June 30, 2025. The bank also confirmed that the forbearance granted on other credit facilities applies to only two (2) of its customers, noting that it has made substantial provisions in respect of these facilities and taken appropriate and comprehensive steps to ensure full provisioning by June 30, 2025.The bank further emphasized its strong financial footing, stating that it has successfully raised and surpassed the new regulatory capital requirement of N500 Billion, and is therefore well positioned to continue delivering value to all its key stakeholders.Zenith Bank has continued to distinguish itself in the Nigerian financial services industry through superior service offering, unique customer experience and sound financial indices. The bank has remained a clear leader in the digital space with several firsts in the deployment of innovative products, solutions and an assortment of alternative channels that ensure convenience, speed and safety of transactions.The Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the fifteenth consecutive year in the 2024 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking, published by The Banker Magazine. The Bank was also awarded Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards for 2020, 2022 and 2024; Best Bank in Nigeria from 2020 to 2022, 2024 and 2025, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023; and was listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in 2023.Further recognitions include Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2024 in the World Finance Banking Awards and Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 and 2024 Banking Awards. Additionally, Zenith Bank has been acknowledged as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards for 2022, 2023 and 2024 and ‘Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom. The Bank’s commitment to excellence saw it being named the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands for 2020 and 2021, Bank of the Year 2023 and 2024 at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, and Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022 and in 2024 at the BAFI Awards. The Bank also received the accolades of Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards. Zenith Bank was also named Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, Best Company in Transparency and Reporting and Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at the SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024; Bank of the Year 2024 by ThisDay Newspaper; Bank of the Year 2024 by New Telegraph Newspaper; and Best in MSME Trade Finance, 2023 by Nairametrics. The Bank’s Hybrid Offer was also adjudged ‘Rights Issue/ Public Offer of the Year’ at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards 2025

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National Credit Guarantee Company Limited: Powering Inclusive Growth Through Risk-Sharing Guarantees

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The National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (“NCGC” or the “Company”) is set to commence operations on 01 July 2025, as a specialised financial institution established to unlock access to credit and drive inclusive economic growth across Nigeria’s real economy. With an initial capital commitment of ₦100 billion, recently announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NCGC is positioned to reshape how Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), manufacturers, and strategic sectors access much-needed financing.

For decades, Nigerian businesses especially micro, small and medium scale enterprises have faced significant challenges accessing loans due to collateral barriers and high-risk perception. NCGC is bridging that gap. By providing partial credit coverage, the company will offer banks and other financial institutions a safety net, allowing them to lend more confidently to eligible borrowers, particularly in underserved and high-growth sectors.

NCGC does not lend directly to businesses. Instead, it partners with Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) including commercial banks, microfinance banks, fintechs, CBN-licensed institutions and other development financial institutions to share lending risk and support broader financial inclusion. The model is simple but powerful: enable lenders to do more by reducing the risk that prevents them from reaching viable, underfunded borrowers.

Key Beneficiaries

NCGC’s framework targets a wide range of beneficiaries:

· MSMEs across all regions

· Local manufacturers and value chain operators

· Credit consumers

· Youth and women-led enterprises

· Export-oriented and non-interest-based businesses

· Large enterprises within priority sectors

Our Core Services

NCGC offers three primary services:

· Partial Credit Guarantees – Covering up to 60% of outstanding principal on qualifying loans.

· Co-Guarantees – Collaborating with other institutions to jointly share lending risk.

· Technical Assistance – Providing capacity-building support for lenders and borrowers to enhance credit readiness and portfolio quality.

Guiding Principles

The company’s operations are underpinned by globally accepted credit risk-sharing principles:

· Risk-sharing, not risk transfer

· Strategic issuance to preserve borrower discipline

· Tiered eligibility to promote inclusion and developmental impact

· Full alignment with CBN regulations

These principles ensure every guarantee issued is responsible, irrevocable, and impact-driven.

Product Suite

NCGC offers a diverse set of guarantee products:

· Individual Guarantees – For high-value, project-specific loans.

· Portfolio Guarantees – For pool of loans in homogeneous sectors (e.g., agro-processing, creative economy).

· Performance Bond Guarantees – For businesses seeking to meet contract-based obligations.

Sectoral Coverage

Our guarantees are available across critical sectors including:

· Agriculture & Agribusiness – From inputs to processing and logistics.

· Renewable Energy & Green Economy – Including solar, clean tech, and mini-grids.

· Manufacturing & Infrastructure – Targeting value-added production and light industry.

· Digital & Tech Enterprises – Including startups, fintechs, SaaS, and logistics tech.

· Solid Minerals and Metal – Metal fabrication, recycling, beneficiation, coating, etc.

· Textile – Fashion, leather works, jewelry

· Export-Oriented SMEs – Especially in non-oil sectors.

· Women & Youth Enterprises – Including all women-owned businesses (promoter age not more than age 65).

· Islamic Enterprises (coming soon) – Non-interest, Shariah-compliant financing models.

A New Era of Credit Confidence

NCGC is more than just a financial institution; it is a catalyst for Nigeria’s economic transformation. By incentivizing lenders to serve more businesses safely and sustainably, NCGC is enabling job creation, driving productivity, and fostering a more self-reliant economy.

Its operational model is built to:

· Unlock access to finance for real sector growth

· Create jobs and alleviate poverty

· Drive inclusive economic outcomes

· Strengthen the MSME ecosystem

· Build trust and scale in Nigeria’s credit markets

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