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FMDQ kicks off 2019 with listing of Sterling Investment Management SPV Plc Bond

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FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange (FMDQ) has kicked off this year with the commemoration of the listing of Sterling Investment Management SPV Plc Bond.

The successful listing of Sterling Investment Management SPV Plc N32.90 billion Series 2, 7-Year 16.50percent Fixed Rate Unsecured Bond, under a N65 billion Debt Issuance Programme follows the approval granted by the FMDQ Board Listings, Markets and Technology Committee.

For the past five years since its inception, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange (FMDQ) has progressively championed and effectively supported initiatives aimed at boosting the growth and development of the Nigerian financial markets, with focus on the debt capital market (DCM).

Consequently, credible issuers in the private sector have been able to successfully tap the DCM to access stable long-term finance to fund key activities that ultimately translate to the development of the Nigerian economy.

To formally welcome this listing, FMDQ, in keeping with its tradition, held a prestigious Ceremony at its business complex, Exchange Place, on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, and played host to the issuer, Sterling Investment Management SPV Plc, represented by the Managing Director, Sterling Bank PLC, Abubakar Suleiman, and other representatives of the bank.

Also present at the ceremony were the sponsor of the Bond on FMDQ and the Registration Member (Listings), Constant Capital Markets & Securities Limited (Constant Capital), and representatives from the Joint Issuing Houses, CardinalStone Partners Limited, FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, FSDH Merchant Bank Limited and Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, as well as the solicitor to the listing, G. Elias & Co, amongst others.

Tumi Sekoni, Associate Executive Director, Capital Markets, FMDQ, whilst delivering the welcome address, congratulated the issuer for having successfully raised N32.90 billion from the Nigerian DCM. She commended the issuer for yet again joining the league of corporate entities whose debt profiles have been raised via the value-packed listings, quotations and noting service offered by FMDQ, for the second time. She further highlighted that this listing would contribute to the growth of the Nigerian corporate bond market, consistently injecting renewed confidence into the DCM. Sekoni went on to assure all parties that FMDQ will continue to innovate and provide efficient services, as may be necessary, to support issuers and investors, towards achieving a globally competitive and operationally excellent DCM.

In delivering his special address, Abubakar Suleiman, commented, “We are pleased to list the Sterling SPV Bond on FMDQ. The success of the bond reflects the increasing appetite of local institutional investors for long term debt instruments. We are happy with the very strong outcome which shows investors’ confidence in Sterling Bank Plc, and further strengthens and diversifies our corporate funding strategy. The bank looks forward to same peerless support in its future bond issues. We would also like to use this opportunity to appreciate FMDQ for its strategic role in deepening the Nigerian DCM by facilitating active secondary market trades and promoting the transparency of the listed instruments”.

Speaking on behalf of the sponsor to the issue and FMDQ Registration Member (Listings), Niyi Omojola, stated, “Constant Capital, the lead issuing house in this transaction, crafted a unique and innovative investment structure which enabled the Sterling SPV Bond share in the same investment grade rating as Sterling Bank Plc, enlarging the range of potential investors in the bond. The innovative structure, he commented, protects investors by providing bond-backed credit enhancement while investing in the Tier II capital of Sterling Bank Plc. As a result of the compelling proposition offered by Sterling Bank Plc and the structuring and distribution efforts of Constant Capital, the transaction was extensively oversubscribed. This innovation has allowed investors benefit from an enhanced rating, while providing Tier II capital to Sterling Bank Plc”.

Kaodi Ugoji, Associate Executive Director, Corporate Development, FMDQ, in her closing remarks, congratulated the issuer and sponsor of the issue on this remarkable feat in the DCM and expressed the FMDQ’s gratitude for the issuer’s decision to list the bond on FMDQ. According to Ugoji, being listed on FMDQ will avail the bond unprecedented market transparency, unrivalled information disclosure, efficient price formation and improved global visibility, among other benefits. She reiterated the FMDQ’s commitment to continually align its initiatives towards serving and providing the much-needed support to the players in the DCM.