Business
Flying Doctors introduce catalyst fund for tech startups
Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Company has unveiled a catalyst fund to support health tech and fintech startups.
Catalyst funds are used to support inclusive tech innovators in emerging markets — especially micro and small firms.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company said the initiative tagged ‘FDHIC Catalyst Fund’, would tackle Africa’s healthcare and finance challenges.
Citing the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the FDHIC noted that only a few countries in Africa spend between $34 and $40 a year per person on healthcare as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
This, it said, has led to very high infant and maternal mortality rates across Africa.
The company said solving these challenges requires a holistic approach to drive financial inclusion through private sector investments.
“Through the new Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Company (FDHIC) Catalyst Fund, we are building an investor collective that will tackle Africa’s healthcare and financial inclusion challenges by backing technology-enabled healthtech and fintech startups in the early or growth stage,” the statement reads.
“Our Catalyst Fund offers corporate bodies and individuals, anywhere in the world, an opportunity to invest in, and get returns from, Africa-based HealthTech and FinTech Investments combined with the satisfaction of making sustainable impacts in underserved communities.
“We provide qualified investors – who are a part of our investors collective — with vetted investment opportunities in the Fintech and HealthTech space.
“The FDHIC Catalyst Fund will channel its investments through deal-specific syndicate investment vehicles domiciled in the USA.”
Assuring prospective investors of its expertise, FDHIC said its founder and management team have deep sector expertise in healthcare and finance from years of work and study.
“At FDHIC CF, we will bring to bear our investment analysis and portfolio management experience,” the statement added.
The company also pointed out that it has investments in companies like Mdaas Global, Helium health, Chisco express, Lifestores Pharmacy & Sygen.
FDHIC said it decided to democratise the membership of the catalyst fund to break away from the conventional.
“We want to give time-strapped executives and mid-level professionals the opportunity to get high-value returns without facing the attendant rigours of managing a full-time business,” the statement said.
It added that individuals and corporate entities can subscribe to membership of FDIHC’s investors collective, in preparation for deal sourcing, evaluation, and eventual investment
Business
CBN raises commercial banks’ capital base to N500bn
CBN raises commercial banks’ capital base to N500bn
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased the minimum capital requirements for commercial, merchant and non-interest banks.
The CBN increased the capital base for commercial banks with international licences to N500 billion, while national and regional financial institutions’ capital bases were fixed at N200 billion and N50 billion, respectively.
This was announced in a statement on Thursday, noting that the increase was due to prevailing macroeconomic challenges and headwinds.
The statement signed by Haruna Mustafa, director, financial policy and regulation department at the CBN.
It said the upward review would enhance the banks’ resilience, solvency and capacity to continue to support the growth of the Nigerian economy.
Also, the CBN raised the merchant bank minimum capital requirement to N50 billion for national licence holders.
The financial regulator said the capital base for national and regional non-interest banks is N20 billion and N10 billion, respectively.
To meet the minimum capital requirements, the CBN advised banks to consider the injection of “fresh equity capital through private placements, rights issue and/or offer for subscription”.
The CBN also suggested merger and acquisition (M&A), as well as upgrade or downgrade of licences.
“The minimum capital specified above shall comprise paid-up capital and share premium only. For the avoidance of doubt, the new capital requirement shall not be based on shareholders’ funds,” it stated
Business
Tinubu orders creation of single-digit tax system
Tinubu orders creation of single-digit tax system
President Bola Tinubu has directed a creation of a single-digit tax system with a maximum of nine taxes for a company or an individual.
Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, disclosed this in Abuja while speaking with the management team of Guinness Nigeria who paid him a visit.
A statement on Wednesday by Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman, quoted Adedeji as saying, “The President gave a directive that he wants a single-digit tax in the country, meaning that the maximum number of taxes we will have after the work of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms will be nine taxes.”
The statement added that the plan was aimed at having a conducive environment “created for businesses to flourish and grow the economy.”
Business
Naira gains further against dollar
Naira gains further against dollar
The Naira rose further in the official market on Tuesday, trading at N1,382.95 to the dollar.
According to data from the FMDQ’s official trading portal, the Naira rose by N25.09, or 1.78 percent, from the previous day’s rate of N1,408 versus the dollar.
On Tuesday, total turnover was $245.58 million, up from $222.15 million on Monday.
Meanwhile, at the Investor’s and Exporters (I&E) window, the Naira traded between N1,486 and N1,300 against the dollar.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had, earlier on Tuesday at its 294th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), raised Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 200 basis points from 22.75 per cent to 24.75 per cent.
CBN governor Yemi Cardoso said that was meant to tackle the nation’s rising inflation.
Naira gains further against dollar
(NAN)
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