Unity Bank has raised N19.23 billion ($117.4 million) in a share sale to existing shareholders to bolster its capital position as the central bank implements stricter international regulations.
The mid-tier lender sold N38.45 billion shares at 50 kobo each, the issuing adviser said on Thursday.
The issue was oversubscribed and the bank will refund excess subscription monies to shareholders.
Unity Bank raised the funds to bolster its capital base and finance working capital, the adviser said in a notice.
Nigeria’s central bank has asked lenders to convert to stricter international capital requirements, meaning that several of them would have to raise funds this year as the new rules would see capital levels drop by 100-400 basis points to near the regulatory minimum of 16 per cent, analysts have said.
Rival lender Diamond Bank, which has just concluded a N50.3 billion rights issue, issued a $200 million Eurobond in May.
Access Bank has said it will seek shareholders’ support in October to raise N68 billion via a rights issue.
Source: Reuters