Nigeria banking magnate, Jim Ovia has obtained approval from the Central Financial institution of Nigeria(CBN) to remodel Zenith Financial institution Plc right into a non-operating monetary holding firm.
This was contained in a just lately launched trading update shared on the Nigerian Alternate. The approval from Nigeria’s apex financial authority is a significant enhance for Zenith Financial institution’s strategic growth plans and can facilitate the structural transformation of the financial institution.
It’ll additionally allow the financial institution to hitch the league of different monetary providers suppliers, reminiscent of Entry Holdings, Warranty Belief Holdings Co., Plc., First Financial institution of Nigeria Holdings Plc., and Stanbic IBTC Holdings, that at the moment function below a holding firm construction.
Jim Ovia turns into Chairman of Zenith Holdco Plc
The approval additionally made provision for the appointment of Jim Ovia because the chairman of Zenith Holdco Plc. The Nigerian banking mogul may also proceed to function the chairman of Zenith Financial institution till the transformation course of is full.
Jim Ovia, who can also be the founder and Chairman of Zenith Financial institution, has been an integral a part of the evolution and digital transformation of the Nigerian banking trade. He owns a major 16.2 per cent stake within the main monetary providers group, which quantities to five,072,104,311 atypical shares.
The financial institution’s current transfer has been considered by market contributors as a response to a directive issued by the CBN. The CBN directive incorporates new tenure tips for business banks’ Government Administrators (EDs), Deputy Managing Administrators (DMDs), and Managing Administrators (MDs).
A number of prime financial institution executives, together with Zenith Financial institution’s former Deputy Managing Director Adaora Umeoji, have been compelled to resign following the CBN’s disclosure of the brand new tips.
Zenith Financial institution which boasts a market capitalization of N835 billion ($1.81 billion) is the biggest listed monetary providers group on the Nigerian Alternate.
It ranks as Nigeria’s most worthwhile bank and the seventh-most worthwhile firm on the native bourse.