Currency reforms present challenges, opportunities for investment banking — AIHN Past President
The ongoing currency reforms instituted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have presented challenges and opportunities for the investment banking industry, immediate past President, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN), Ike Chioke, has said.
Speaking during the Investment Banking Awards Night held on Tuesday in Lagos, he said the free floating of the naira and removal of fuel subsidy have impacted on key sectors of the economy.
He said, “Nigeria is obviously bracing up to the impact of the new government and they are already making changes to what I will call non unorthodox policies. These policies had also introduced pain and hardship with the free floating of the naira and removal of fuel subsidy forcing their weaknesses on various sectors of the economy.”
Chioke said that despite the hiccups to their implementation, they have thrown up major opportunities for investment banking, urging menacers to apply their best skills and expertise to make the best of the opportunities.
“As you know, the investment banking industry is a critical one for the Nigerian economy and we represent the best brains and the best expertise in that space,” he said.
The Awards night held at the Civic Centre, Lagos, and attended by both the top executives and middle level staff within the financial markets industry, presented opportunities for many players in the industry to receive awards, in recognition of their excellent performance in the year 2022.
In the Debt Capital Market Category, Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Limited, won the Private Company Bond House 2022 Award; Best Commercial Paper House 2022 Award and Best Bond House 2022 Award while the Best Commercial Paper House 2022 Award went to Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited.
Also, in the Equity Capital Markets Category, the Equity Deal of 2022 Award was won by three companies — namely Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, UCML Capital and Rand Merchant Bank.
Additionally, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited won the Best Equity House 2022 Award within the category.
In the Financial Advisory Category, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited won the M&A Deal of 2022 Award while Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Limited won the Best Financial Advisory House 2022 Award.
The Investment Banking category saw Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited take the prize as the winner, Best Investment Bank 2022 Award.
The Lagos State Government was awarded the Capital Markets Titan Award, within the Capital Markets Titan category.
On her part, the newly elected President, AIHN, Kemi Awodein, said the recognition of the winners was a way of acknowledging the excellent work they are doing in their different areas of specialisation and motivation to do even more.
She promised to continue and improve on the culture of excellence and development of the financial markets to the benefit of customers, investors and the economy.
