STL Trustees establishes market leadership at 30, surpasses N2bn capital threshold

STL Trustees Limited has surpassed the N2 billion recapitalisation requirement prescribed for trusteeship companies by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), recording capital in excess of N2.5 billion and shareholders’ funds exceeding N20 billion, well ahead of the regulatory deadline.

This was disclosed at a media briefing held in Lagos on Tuesday to commemorate the firm’s 30-year journey since its incorporation in 1996.

Since then, STL Trustees has grown to become a leading brand in Nigeria’s capital markets, executing transactions in bond issuances, Sukuk structuring, collective investment scheme (CIS) trusteeship, debentures, and syndicated lending, with a balance sheet and institutional depth that few trust companies on the continent can match.

The Nigeria’s foremost non-bank-affiliated trust company has also unveiled its 30th anniversary logo, marking the milestone with a declaration of market leadership and a clear commitment to regional expansion across Africa.

As Nigeria’s capital markets deepen and regional integration frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) begin to reshape cross-border investment flows, STL Trustees sees a pivotal opportunity to export its expertise and serve as a model for trust services across the continent.

Funmi Ekundayo, Managing Director/CEO, STL Trustees Limited said, “our vision is to position STL Trustees as not just a market leader in Nigeria, but a reference point for trusteeship services across Africa. Over the next five to ten years, we aim to deepen our expertise, leverage technology to expand our service offerings, and continue to set the standard of excellence in the trusteeship sub-sector.”

Ekundayo also outlined an ambitious five-to-ten-year growth strategy anchored on three pillars: deepened sector expertise, technology-driven service innovation, and an expanded footprint across African markets.

Over three decades, STL Trustees has been at the centre of Nigeria’s most complex capital markets transactions. The firm has served as trustee and security agent in multi-billion-naira bond programmes and Sukuk issuances for state governments, acted as trustee to some of the country’s largest collective investment schemes, and provided estate planning and corporate trust services to individuals, families, and institutions across Nigeria.

The recapitalisation milestone is a significant indicator of the company’s financial health and strategic readiness. With shareholders’ funds exceeding N20 billion, STL Trustees is strongly positioned to take on larger mandates, expand its service suite, and invest in the digital infrastructure required to support next-generation trust services.