KEY POINTS
• Stanbic IBTC Capital won the Best Corporate Bond House of the Year at the 2025 AIHN Awards.
• The firm also received the Best Commercial Paper House and Equity House of the Year awards.
• AIHN marked its 30th anniversary with awards recognising firms involved in major capital market transactions.
MAIN STORY
Stanbic IBTC Capital Ltd has won three awards at the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria, AIHN, Awards, including the Best Corporate Bond House of the Year.
The firm, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, also emerged as the Best Commercial Paper House of the Year and Equity House of the Year.
The awards were presented at AIHN’s 30th anniversary and awards night held in Lagos on Wednesday.
Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Ltd also won three awards, taking the Best Public Sector Bond House, Best Debt Capital Market House and Best Investment Banking Firm of the Year categories.
United Capital Plc was named Most Prolific Issuing House of the Year, while Iron Capital Markets Ltd received the Best Prodigy Firm of the Year award.
Eight firms shared the Best Corporate Sukuk Deal of the Year award for their roles in TAJBank Ltd’s Series 2 Mudarabah Sukuk Issue.
The firms were Ava Capital Partners Ltd, Greenwich Capital Markets Ltd, FCMB Capital Markets Ltd, Finmal Finance Services Ltd, FSDH Capital Ltd, Marble Advisory Ltd, One17 Financial Services Ltd and Tiddo Securities Ltd.
Seven firms were recognised in the Equity Deal of the Year category for their roles in Zenith Bank Plc’s rights issue. They were Stanbic IBTC Capital Ltd, Quantum Zenith Capital Ltd, CardinalStone Partners Ltd, Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Ltd, Coronation Merchant Bank, Meristem Capital Ltd and Vetiva Advisory Services Ltd.
Rand Merchant Bank and Vetiva Advisory Services Ltd jointly received the Best M&A Deal of the Year award for their roles in Helios Investment Partners’ divestment of a 75 per cent stake in Axella Ltd.
Five firms were recognised for Innovative Issuance of the Year for their involvement in the first two series of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund, MREIF.
They were Vetiva Advisory Services Ltd, Constant Capital Markets & Securities Ltd, Parthian Partners Ltd, Iron Capital Markets Ltd and ICMG Securities Ltd.
The awards formed part of activities marking AIHN’s 30 years of contribution to the development of Nigeria’s capital market.
Speaking at the event, AIHN President Kemi Awodein said the association would prioritise digitalisation, investor education and collaboration as it seeks to deepen the capital market.
Awodein, the association’s first female president, said she was building on the foundation laid by previous leaders.
“Going forward, we will focus on digitalisation, investor education and collaboration to deepen Nigeria’s capital market,” she said.
She said technology and digitalisation would be used to improve the association’s activities and strengthen its contribution to the capital market.
Awodein also said greater investor education and collaboration among stakeholders were needed to support the development of the real economy.
She added that AIHN would continue initiatives aimed at financing the real economy and expanding opportunities for Nigerians to participate in wealth creation.
Victor Ndukauba, Group Deputy Managing Director of Afrinvest, said Nigeria’s capital market had undergone rapid changes, driven partly by digital technology and changing patterns of investor participation.
He said the contribution of issuing houses over the past three decades had helped lay foundations for the development of the Nigerian economy.
Ndukauba said digital technology would increasingly influence how companies access investors and how investors participate in the capital market, urging stakeholders to adapt as the market evolves.
THE ISSUES
- The awards recognise activity across several segments of Nigeria’s capital market, including corporate and public sector debt, equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, Sukuk and structured investment products.
- Stanbic IBTC Capital’s three awards span corporate bonds, commercial paper and equity, reflecting recognition across both debt and equity segments.
- Several of the awards were given jointly to firms involved in major transactions. This includes the TAJBank Sukuk, Zenith Bank rights issue, Axella divestment and MREIF transactions.
- AIHN is placing digitalisation and investor education among its priorities as it enters another phase after 30 years of operations.
- Ndukauba said technological changes would increasingly affect the relationship between companies seeking capital and investors participating in the market, making adaptation an important consideration for industry stakeholders.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Going forward, we will focus on digitalisation, investor education and collaboration to deepen Nigeria’s capital market.” – Kemi Awodein, President, AIHN
“Looking back over 30 years, we can see some of the important landmarks that have shaped the market.” – Victor Ndukauba, Group Deputy Managing Director, Afrinvest
“Issuing houses can take pride in their contribution to laying the foundations for the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.” – Victor Ndukauba, Group Deputy Managing Director, Afrinvest
WHAT’S NEXT
AIHN will focus on digitalisation, investor education and collaboration as it seeks to deepen the capital market and strengthen its contribution to financing the real economy.
BOTTOM LINE
Stanbic IBTC Capital won three awards at AIHN’s 30th anniversary event, covering corporate bonds, commercial paper and equity. AIHN is entering its next decade with digitalisation, investor education and collaboration identified as key areas of focus.
