Fidelity Bank Plc has announced that it has successfully met the N500 billion minimum capital requirement set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for commercial banks with international authorisation.
The disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the bank’s Company Secretary, Ezinwa Unuigboje, as the March 31 regulatory deadline draws closer.
The bank raised N259 billion in its latest Private Placement, increasing its eligible capital from N305.5 billion to N564.5 billion, surpassing the N500 billion threshold. It is now awaiting regulatory approvals to confirm its status.
What the statement is saying
According to the statement, the bank successfully opened and closed a Private Placement of Ordinary Shares on December 31, 2025, following regulatory approvals.
“Fidelity Bank Plc (the Bank) is pleased to inform the general public that, following approvals granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission, it successfully opened and closed a Private Placement of Ordinary Shares on December 31, 2025,” the bank said.
The exercise raised N259 billion, significantly boosting the bank’s capital position.
“This exercise resulted in the Bank raising N259 billion, increasing its eligible capital from N305.5 billion to N564.5 billion, awaiting regulatory approvals,” the statement added.
Shareholders’ approval backed the exercise
Fidelity Bank explained that the Private Placement was conducted pursuant to approval obtained from shareholders at its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on February 6, 2025.
“The Private Placement was conducted pursuant to the authorisation received from the Bank’s shareholders at the Extraordinary General Meeting of February 6, 2025, to issue up to 20 billion Ordinary Shares by way of Private Placement,” the bank stated.
Earlier capital raises strengthened position
The bank recalled that it had earlier raised N175.85 billion through a Public Offer and Rights Issue in 2024, which brought its eligible capital to N305.5 billion at the time.
“This left a margin of N194.5 billion to meet the new regulatory capital requirement of N500 billion for commercial banks with international authorisation,” the statement noted.
With the latest Private Placement, Fidelity Bank has now exceeded the required threshold.
In March 2024, the CBN revised sector‑wide minimum capital requirements to N500 billion for international commercial banks, N200 billion for national banks, and N50 billion for regional banks. The 24‑month compliance window ends on March 31, 2026.
What you should know
In November, the CBN revealed that 16 banks have met its recapitalisation threshold, marking steady progress in the industry’s efforts to strengthen balance sheets and comply with new regulatory requirements ahead of the March 2026 deadline.
CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso disclosed the development during a press briefing at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja.
The updated figure reflects an improvement from the 14 banks that had met the minimum capital requirement as of the last MPC meeting in September, signalling what the Bank described as growing compliance across the sector.
