Beyond Delisting: The CBN’s Automated AML Standards and Nigeria’s Shift to Continuous Compliance
Following reforms to its anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework, Nigeria was removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list of “Jurisdictions Under Increased Monitoring” (Grey List) in 2025. Subsequently, in January 2026, the European Commission (EC) followed with a formal delisting of Nigeria from its list of “High-Risk Third Country […]
The Poison Pill+ White Knight: Can This Hostile Takeover Strategy Be Applied in Nigeria?
A Practical Guide for Boards, Investors and Deal Advisers in Nigeria Most Nigerian boards have never faced a hostile takeover. That is changing, and the playbook for responding has not yet been written. Hostile takeovers represent one of the most intense struggles in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and they are not just reserved for the […]
Beyond Credit Scores: The Rise of AI-Driven Lending in Nigeria
Nigeria’s credit challenge is often misunderstood. The issue is not that Nigerians are inherently poor borrowers. Rather, the difficulty lies in how creditworthiness has traditionally been assessed. Traditional credit scoring models rely heavily on formal credit histories and bureau data. In Nigeria, however, such data covers only a limited portion of the population, leaving many, […]
Unlocking Upstream Liquidity: Assessing the Impact of the CBN’s March 2026 FX Circular on IOC Operations
In March 2026, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced a significant shift in Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) framework by revising its approach to cash pooling for International Oil Companies (IOCs). This regulatory pivot signals a transition away from restrictive controls toward a more pragmatic and investor-friendly regime within the oil and gas sector. […]
The Trap Door Strategy: How J. Crew Moved Its Crown Jewel Out of Lenders’ Reach
The Trap Door Strategy: How J. Crew Moved Its Crown Jewel Out of Lenders’ Reach Introduction When structuring a facility in leveraged finance, it is important to bear in mind that a lender’s protection is only as strong as the loopholes in the financing agreement. Sometime in 2016, an American clothing retailer, J Crew Group […]
Cutting Costs, Not Corners: A Legal Playbook for Layoffs in Nigeria’s Tech Sector
Introduction Across global tech ecosystems, the shift from “growth at all costs” to disciplined, efficiency-driven operations is unmistakable. Major companies have reduced headcount, restructured teams, and doubled down on profitability and productivity. This global reset is not happening in isolation. Nigerian founders, operating in a capital-constrained environment, are facing similar pressures to extend runway, optimise […]
OPL 245 Dispute Settlement: A Milestone in Repositioning Nigeria’s Economic Landscape
Dear Readers, After nearly three decades of legal battles, arbitration proceedings, and international scrutiny, the long-running dispute over OPL 245 has finally come to an end. On March 5, 2026, the Nigerian government announced it had reached a settlement with Italian energy giant Eni and its subsidiary Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAEL) over the ownership […]
How Much Debt is Too Much Debt? Leveraging in Finance
You have likely heard the saying, “the rich keep getting richer.” One of the reasons often attributed to this is their ability to access debt easily and use borrowed capital to expand their businesses and investments efficiently. In the world of finance, debt is not merely an obligation; it is a strategic business tool. When […]
Compliance as a Competitive Advantage in African Fintech
Most fintech founders treat compliance the same way many Nigerians treat car insurance: get the bare minimum coverage, pay the premium, hope you never need it, and try not to think about it too much. That mindset is quietly undermining a lot of promising companies. Philip Kimonge, Business Development Lead for Financial Crime Compliance at […]
Contactless Payments and the Future of Retail Finance in Nigeria
Nigeria’s fintech story has been built on transfers. From USSD to instant bank transfers, Nigerian Fintechs have engineered a system that moves money fast, but not without friction. Network latency, failed sessions, manual input errors, and OTP delays remain embedded in everyday transactions. In high-traffic retail environments, those seconds compound into measurable inefficiency. Contactless payments, […]
