Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), the umbrella organization for Guaranty Trust Bank which ranks as Nigeria’s fifth-largest commercial bank in terms of assets, is preparing to petition its shareholders for the green light to accumulate an additional $750 million in capital. This strategic move comes on the heels of a decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to increase the minimum capital requisites tenfold for the country’s largest financial institutions.
The capital augmentation initiative will involve GTBank issuing an array of financial instruments, such as new ordinary shares, preference shares, convertible notes, and bonds, among others. This capital drive is not merely a response to regulatory changes but also a step towards fortifying the banks with a solid financial cushion. This buffer is intended to shield them from both international and internal economic perturbations, thereby contributing to the fortitude and consistency of the overall financial framework within the nation.
Moreover, this move aligns with the economic aspirations of President Tinubu, who has set forth an ambitious plan to elevate Nigeria to the status of a trillion-dollar economy by the year 2030. The mobilization of supplemental capital is poised to play a vital role in catalyzing the country’s economic growth towards this milestone.
However, the capital raise does come with potential consequences for current stakeholders. It is anticipated that the introduction of new capital will lead to a significant dilution of equity for the existing shareholders. This prospect is reflected in the recent performance of GTCO’s stock, which saw a 4% dip to N41.40 after news broke out regarding the upcoming annual general meeting that took place last Friday.
The banking landscape in Nigeria is no stranger to such capitalization ventures; in fact, for some bank chiefs, this will be a second experience following regulatory amendments. In 2005, the CBN undertook a similar maneuver by raising the minimum capital requirement from ₦2 billion to ₦25 billion, which sparked a series of consolidations within the industry. The eventual outcome was a dramatic reduction in the number of operational banks from 89 down to 25, as they were compelled to merge or be acquired to meet the new criteria.
With the current change in regulations and a 24-month window to meet the revised capital requirements, the Nigerian banking sector may be on the brink of another period characterized by mergers and acquisitions to comply with the stringent capital standards set by the monetary authority.
As the financial industry adjusts to these new requirements, GTCO is not alone in its pursuit to bolster capital reserves. Within the past two weeks, at least three of the nation’s leading five banks have made public their intentions to secure additional funds, signaling a widespread response to the central bank’s heightened capital mandates.
