Stanbic IBTC Capital Ltd has emerged as the Best Corporate Bond House of the Year 2025 at the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN) Awards.
The firm, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, also won the Best Commercial Paper House of the Year and Equity House of the Year awards.
The awards were presented at AIHN’s 30th anniversary and awards night held on Wednesday in Lagos.
Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Ltd won the Best Public Sector Bond House, Best Debt Capital Market House and Best Investment Banking Firm of the Year awards.
United Capital Plc emerged as the Most Prolific Issuing House of the Year, while Iron Capital Markets Ltd won the Best Prodigy Firm of the Year award.
Eight firms received the Best Corporate Sukuk Deal of the Year award for their roles in the Series 2 Mudarabah Sukuk Issue by TAJBank Ltd.
They were Ava Capital Partners Ltd, Greenwich Capital Markets Ltd, FCMB Capital Markets Ltd, Finmal Finance Services Ltd, FSDH Capital Ltd, Marble Advisory Ltd, One17 Financial Services Ltd and Tiddo Securities Ltd.
Seven firms were recognised in the Equity Deal of the Year category for their roles in the Zenith Bank Plc Rights Issue.
They were Stanbic IBTC Capital Ltd, Quantum Zenith Capital Ltd, CardinalStone Partners Ltd, Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Ltd, Coronation Merchant Bank, Meristem Capital Ltd and Vetiva Advisory Services Ltd.
Rand Merchant Bank and Vetiva Advisory Services Ltd received the Best M&A Deal of the Year award for their roles in Helios Investment Partners’ divestment of a 75 per cent stake in Axella Ltd.
Five firms were recognised for Innovative Issuance of the Year for their roles in the first two series of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF).
They were Vetiva Advisory Services Ltd, Constant Capital Markets & Securities Ltd, Parthian Partners Ltd, Iron Capital Markets Ltd and ICMG Securities Ltd.
The awards formed part of activities marking AIHN’s 30 years of contribution to the development of Nigeria’s capital market.
Earlier, AIHN President, Mrs Kemi Awodein, commended stakeholders who had contributed to the association’s growth and development over the past three decades.
Awodein, the association’s first female president, said she was privileged to build on the foundation laid by previous leaders.
She said AIHN would focus on digitalisation, investor education and collaboration to deepen Nigeria’s capital market.
“Going forward, we will focus on digitalisation, investor education and collaboration to deepen Nigeria’s capital market,” she said.
Awodein said technology and digitalisation would be used to improve the association’s activities and strengthen its contribution to the capital market.
She said increased education and collaboration among stakeholders were also necessary to support the development of the real economy.
According to her, AIHN would continue to promote initiatives aimed at funding the real economy and expanding opportunities for Nigerians to participate in wealth creation.
She expressed confidence that the association would build on its achievements as it entered another decade of operations.
Mr Victor Ndukauba, Group Deputy Managing Director, Afrinvest, said Nigeria’s capital market had evolved rapidly, driven by digital technology and changing investor participation.
“Looking back over 30 years, we can see some of the important landmarks that have shaped the market.
“Issuing houses can take pride in their contribution to laying the foundations for the growth and development of the Nigerian economy,” he said.
Ndukauba said digital technology would increasingly determine how companies accessed investors and how investors participated in the capital market.
He urged stakeholders to embrace technology as the capital market continued to evolve.
