Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A
FRESH
START
The
Future
Will
Be
Different.
THE
RISING
SUN
The
Future
Will
Be
Different,
We
Are
Ready
For
It.
A presentation by Sterling.ng
Page
1 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
While
the
novelty
of
this
new
virus
may
shroud
the
validity
of
this
adage,
truly,
there
remains
nothing
new.
As
with
previous
pandemics,
COVID-19
has
brought
the
world
to
its
knees.
Its
magnitude,
combined
with
globalisation,
has
rid
the
world
of
safe
havens,
and
forced
an
abrupt
pause.
With
this
pause
comes
a
new
order:
one
that
overrides
the
best-laid
plans,
and
commands
a
reimagining;
one
with
new
opportunities.
Page
2 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
A Global Scan
Relaunching Nigeria
An Industry In Flight
The Sterling Way
Vision 2020 Revisited
Page
3 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
- Winston Churchill
Page
4 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
A
Global
Scan
THE
WORLD
IS
TRULY
INTERCONNECTED...
Though
national
governments
have
taken
proactive
measures
toward
bolstering
the
social
and
economic
impacts
of
COVID-19,
the
global
economic
outlook
remains
bleak.
On
a
positive
note:
this
pandemic
highlights
our
interconnectedness,
and
how
far
we
have
come
with
technology
and
globalization.
We
are
more
conscious
as
individuals,
and
as
leaders,
about
the
effect
of
our
actions
on
the
entire
world.
This
collective
responsibility
poses
a
catch-22:
the
better
we
respond
to
curtailing
the
crisis
through
lock-downs,
the
harder
our
economies
are
hit.
Yet,
if
we
fail
to
take
the
difficult
but
necessary
precautions
to
flatten
the
curve,
more
aggressive
measures
will
be
required
to
soothe
the
resultant
economic
and
social
pain.
Deciding
how
much
adverse
effects
on
supply
chains,
revenue,
employment,
demand
and
per-capita
income
to
trade-off
for
saving
more
lives
and
preventing
unmitigated
disruption
to
our
economies
must
the
most
difficult
decision
any
leader
has
ever
made
outside
war.
Page
5 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
AND
AFRICA
RELIES
ON
THE
GLOBAL
SUPPLY
CHAIN...
There
will
be
trade-offs.
For
African
countries,
the
price
to
pay
may
be
higher
due
to
our
high
level
of
dependency
on
the
global
supply
chain
(illustrated
below).
Our
notable
trade
deficits
also
presage
foreseen
economic
disruption;
resource-exporting
countries
experiencing
sharp
declines
in
revenue,
and
in
turn,
weakening
currencies
and
dampening
purchasing
powers.
Source: Santander Trade
Nigeria,
with
86%
of
its
export
revenue
is
represented
by
petroleum
and
31%
of
its
2020
budget
revenue
is
accounted
for
by
oil
revenue,
the
impact
of
the
lockdowns
will
be
immediate.
Head
(export)
or
tail
(import),
this
will
be
a
year
to
forget.
Page
6 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
Looking
forward,
away
from
the
pandemic,
three
areas
remain
at
the
forefront
of
global
relationships:
1.
ENERGY
&
ENVIRONMENTAL
POLITICS
2.
TRADE
3.
TECHNOLOGY
Page
7
Page
1 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
WHAT
WE
SEE
IS
NOT
PRETTY
BUT...
We
see
an
energy
battle
but
a
climate
war
At
the
onset
of
the
outbreak,
two
major
oil
producers
started
a
battle
for
market
share.
The
show
of
strength
between
Saudi
Arabia
and
Russia
drove
prices
down
sharply,
catching
the
commodity
exporting
nations
off-guard.
A
global
containment
of
covid-19
and
a
demand
shock
has
quickly
halted
the
game
of
energy
dominance
but
failed
to
end
the
downward
spiral.
The
climate
challenge
arising
from
this
is
double
edged;
a
sustained
moderation
in
energy
consumption
is
good
for
the
environment
but
lower
crude
oil
prices
erode
the
competitiveness
of
alternative
energy.
Can the advancements in clean energy match a $30 per barrel fossil fuel?
The
science
suggests
that
climate
crisis
will
be
worse
than
the
effects
of
covid-19,
and
unlike
the
virus,
once
we
wreck
the
environment,
there’s
no
vaccine
to
look
forward
to.
Page
8 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
THE
PANDEMIC
WILL
HASTEN
A
RESOLUTION...
but
Technology
is
the
biggest
trade
“Trade
wars
are
good
and
easy
to
win”.
What
is
certain
is
that
there
has
to
be
a
balance,
it
is
no
longer
viable
to
have
one
dominant
factory
for
the
world;
building
redundancy
in
the
global
supply
chain
and
having
multiple
suppliers
will
become
the
preferred
&
sensible
approach
in
the
coming
years.
Technology
has
gone
from
being
a
useful
tool
for
productivity
enhancement
to
a
new
front
in
the
trade
war
and
in
its
most
extreme
form,
a
security
threat
to
the
sovereignty
of
nations.
Technology
will
become
the
more
important
discussion
for
countries
and
how
they
relate
going
forward.
Beyond
the
role
technology
has
played
in
keeping
the
economy
open
during
the
great
lockdown
and
the
greater
role
in
future
recovery,
its
real
power
lies
in
its
ability
to
shape
social
consciousness,
gather
intelligence
and
erode
longstanding
advantages
of
conventional
warfare.
Page
9 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
Now
that
the
world
is
anew
is
this
Nigeria’s
remake?
WE
CANNOT
EXPECT
OTHERS
TO
COME
TO
OUR
ASSISTANCE...
WE
CAN
ONLY
DEPEND
ON
OURSELVES
NOW
-
President
Muhammadu
Buhari
Page
10 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
Relaunching
Nigeria
AS
FAR
AS
OIL
CAN
GO
It
is
said
that
Nigeria
has
an
impeccable
survival
record.
It
just
keeps
going
no
matter
what.
Nigeria
is
currently
battling
with
the
twin
shocks
of
a
surge
in
COVID-19
cases
leading
to
economic
lock-downs
and
a
slump
in
oil
prices,
turning
negative
for
the
first
time
in
history.
The
fallout
from
the
plunge
in
non-oil
revenues
due
to
the
lock-down
in
certain
parts
of
the
country,
thinning
out
in
oil
revenue
and
a
weakening
current
account
has
compelled
the
Federal
government
to
resort
to
external
borrowing
from
the
International
Monetary
Fund
and
World
Bank.
From
the
emergence
of
telecommunications
and
the
growth
in
agriculture,
the
private
sector
economy
is
increasingly
growing
critical
sectors
of
our
economy
while
creating
jobs.
IS
THAT
SUCH
A
BAD
THING?
History
has
shown
that
in
the
aftermath
of
every
pandemic,
new
industries
emerge
from
the
ashes.
As
Nigeria
sets
out
to
re-build
its
economy
sustainably,
we
expect
an
emergence
of
these
sectors
and
industries:
Public
Health:
We
continue
to
advocate
for
and
expect
to
see
mandatory
health
insurance,
a
ramp
up
of
local
production
in
pharmaceuticals
and
basic
medical
materials.
Information
and
Telecommunication
Technology:
Technology
will
drive
entrepreneurship
as
companies
strive
to
capture
the
benefit
of
remote
work
while
enhancing
their
productivity.
Intermediation:
In
the
absence
of
reliable
data,
financial
services
had
struggled
to
Page
11 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
mainstream
access
to
credit
and
distribute
investments.
The
adoption
of
new
technology
will
enable
geometric
growth
in
financing
for
consumers
and
small
businesses;
a
critical
component
of
any
economic
recovery
plan.
...OR
THE
LAUNCH
OF
A
REAL
ECONOMY
Power:
The
demand
for
electricity
will
continue
to
increase,
but
the
supply
constraint
remains.
We
remain
committed
to
renewable
energy
as
the
most
viable
alternative
for
Nigeria.
Light
Manufacturing:
Proudly
Nigerian
will
become
more
than
branding.
The
critical
role
they
provide
for
revenue
and
consumption
mean
that
manufacturers
will
get
a
bigger
boost
either
through
concessionary
financing
or
an
improvement
in
the
required
infrastructure.
Agriculture:
With
the
increasing
risk
of
a
global
food
shortage,
Nigeria
will
continue
to
pursue
a
strategy
of
food
sufficiency
to
drastically
reduce
the
need
to
import.
Combined
with
the
urgent
need
to
conserve
foreign
exchange,
food
cultivation,
processing,
storage
and
trading
will
witness
sizeable
investment
supported
with
single
digit
intervention
financing.
Page
12 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
An
Industry
In
Flight
YET
ANOTHER
BANKING
EPITAPH...
Post
Covid
(PC),
we
will
expect
more
technological
innovation
(data
science,
artificial
intelligence,
machine
learning)
and
more
inclusive
regulations
to
accommodate
new
entrants
–
technology
firms,
specialist
finance
providers
and
other
large
institutions.
The
operating
environment
of
the
Nigerian
banking
sector
coming
into
2020
was
already
challenged.
Add
a
significant
drop
in
oil
prices
as
well
as
a
pandemic
to
the
mix
and
the
signals
of
deterioration
in
asset
quality
–
with
the
consequent
rise
in
impairment
losses
–
become
very
clear.
Even
with
the
monetary
policy
response
to
COVID-19,
we
think
it
is
only
a
matter
of
time
before
loans
start
to
migrate
from
performing
or
watchlisted
to
non-performing
status,
with
oil
&
gas,
hospitality,
real
estate,
transportation
and
small
businesses
taking
a
big
hit.
For
Nigeria,
financial
services,
telecoms,
fintech
and
government
must
now
work
together
to
accelerate
access
to
credit
and
cushion
the
effects
of
the
economic
disruption.
...AND
MAYBE,
CRYPTOCURRENCIES
BY
OTHER
MEANS
An
explosion
in
digital
transactions
is
expected
Post-Covid
with
cryptocurrency
taking
a
center
stage;
Recent
report
of
an
800
percent
rise
in
cryptocurrency
transactions
in
India
could
catalyse
the
emergence
of
digital
money.
The
bank
for
international
settlement
and
the
central
banks
of
Switzerland,
Japan,
Canada,
European
Union
and
United
Kingdom
have
accelerated
research
into
viability
of
digital
currencies.
On
the
back
of
the
damaging
trade
war,
a
new
world
order
where
the
dollar
is
one
of
many
reserve
currencies
could
emerge,
with
sovereign
backed
digital
currencies
in
the
mix.
Page
13 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
The
Sterling
Way
STERLING.NG
ENRICHING
LIVES...
On
the
1st
of
January,
2019,
we
were
reborn
as
Sterling
–
to
highlight
the
change
in
how
we
see
our
challenges,
the
competition
and
ourselves.
Our
business
model
will
leverage
industry
knowledge,
advanced
technology
&
ethical
financing
to
empower
our
stakeholders.
.
...LEGACY
NOT
STAGNANCY
Our
journey
towards
a
fully
digital
product
stack
began
in
2016
with
the
switch
to
a
best
in
class
CORE
banking
systems,
the
backbone
of
any
banking
transformation.
We
have
continued
to
invest
in
systems
that
allow
all
customers
self-serve
and
enable
our
workers
to
function
remotely.
These
investments
paid
off
with
the
current
disruption
as
our
staff
are
able
to
function
remotely
without
significant
loss
in
productivity.
As
we
head
into
the
post
covid
world,
our
people
strategy
remains
the
same,
build
the
best
place
to
work.
There
is
no
better
time
for
us
to
leverage
the
new
way
of
work
to
improve
efficiencies,
while
enhancing
the
quality
of
the
lives
of
our
employees
as
they
adopt
more
flexible
work
culture.
Page
14 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
...A
FULLY
digital
PLAYBOOK
Digitization
must
empower
us
to
grow
existing
markets
and
create
new
markets
in
a
more
effective,
more
efficient,
and
more
engaging
manner.
This
has
guided
us
in
our
product
and
service
design
allowing
us
to
build
our
own
truly
local
digital
playbook.
Our
product
stack,
including
lending,
payments,
investments
and
commerce
are
the
outcomes
of
rethinking
legacy
systems
where
possible
as
well
as
radical
new
thinking
to
serve
in
the
digital
world
both
online
and
offline.
The
key
achievements
of
our
digital
playbook
are
its
contribution
to
customer
acquisition,
revenue
generation
and
loan
book
growth.
Our
products
are
designed
with
a
B2B2C
(business-
to-
business-to-customer)
model,
bringing
trust,
scale
and
transparency
to
our
ecosystems.
...BANKING
AS
A
SERVICE
Payments
is
at
the
heart
of
banking.
While
we
continue
to
specialize
even
in
our
approach
to
markets,
products
such
as
our
OneBank
(digital
bank),
Switch
(Diaspora
banking),
SterlingPro
(transaction
banking)
have
world
class
payment
capabilities
that
empower
individuals
and
businesses
to
move
money
easily
locally
and
internationally.
Enriching
lives
requires
that
you
understand
and
provide
the
right
solutions
to
the
customer’s
problems.
Our
lending
system
aims
to
ensure
access
to
finance
is
not
an
obstacle
to
growth.
Our
flagship
lending
product
-
Specta
(www.myspecta.com),
contributes
5%
of
our
loan
book
and
growing.
We
resolved
to
extend
banking
for
the
average
consumer
and
small
business
beyond
payments
and
credit,
to
advisory
and
wealth
building
through
Doubble
(www.doubble.ng)
and
i-invest
(www.i-investng.com).
These
applications
provide
compelling
investments
options
for
individuals
and
businesses
alike
through
self-service.
Page
15 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
Vision
2020
Revisited
...SOLVE
PROBLEMS
CLOSE
TO
OUR
HEARTS
We
remain
committed
to
doing
our
part
for
the
sectors
that
ensure
the
well-being
of
an
economy.
The
HEART
(Health,
Education,
Agriculture,
Renewable
Energy
and
Transportation)
of
Sterling
will
use
finance
and
technology
to
build
capacity
and
scale
businesses
in
these
sectors.
This
will
range
from
providing
power
for
individuals
and
funding
for
clean
energy
businesses
through
Imperium,
supporting
SMEs
through
AltMall
(www.altmall.ng)
and
unlocking
credit
on
SABEX,
our
digital
commodities
trading
platform
for
agriculture.
SABEX
provides
real
time
credit
finance
for
farmers,
secures
storage
and
a
ready
market
for
both
farmers
and
buyers
to
transact
thereby
reducing
post-harvest
wastage
of
farm
produce
across
the
country.
We
will
continue
to
expand
our
investment
in
transport
technology
through
Farepay
(www.farepay.ng)
which
allows
for
transparency
in
the
collection
system
for
transport
services.
OUR
HOLISTIC
SUPPORT
FOR
THE
HEALTH
SECTOR
We
recently
announced
multiple
donations
to
ensure
a
holistic
response
to
the
Coronavirus
pandemic
ravaging
the
world.
The
donations
cut
across
infrastructural
support
to
providing
opportunity
for
free
tests
across
different
locations
and
financial
support
to
the
federal
government
in
partnership
with
the
Nigerian
Private
Sector
Coalition
Against
COVID.
The
sum
of
N250
million
was
donated
to
support
the
Federal
Government's
effort
to
curtail
the
spread
of
the
novel
Coronavirus
(COVID-19)
in
the
country
and
end
the
epidemic.
Also,
in
furtherance
of
its
focus
on
not
just
the
health
sector
but
the
healthcare
professionals
who
risk
their
lives
while
treating
infected
persons,
we
have
also
supported
Page
16 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
crowdfunding
platform,
www.giving.ng
to
raise
a
N1billion
Health
Workers
Fund
to
cater
to
the
needs
of
health
workers
at
the
front-lines
taking
care
of
those
infected
with
the
Coronavirus
disease
(COVID-19).
We
donated
N25million
to
kick-start
the
fund.
It
will
enable
corporations,
institutions
and
individuals
in
Nigeria
and
the
diaspora
support
healthcare
workers
and
reward
them
for
their
sacrifice
and
bravery.
In
addition
to
this,
we
also
supported
the
country's
first
COVID-19
drive-thru
mass
mobile
testing
center
with
an
initial
investment
of
N10million.
This
was
done
in
partnership
with
Life
Bank
and
the
Nigerian
Institute
of
Medical
Research
(NIMR)
to
make
testing
easier
and
faster.
This
reduces
the
burden
of
testing
on
the
Nigerian
Center
of
Disease
Control
(NCDC)
and
the
risk
of
contagion
of
the
disease
due
to
ignorance
of
infected
persons.
The
investment
will
be
scaled
up
as
the
project
expands
to
different
locations
across
the
country.
To
strengthen
public
health
infrastructure,
the
Bank
donated
N50million
for
the
equipping
of
the
COVID-19
Isolation
ward
at
the
National
Orthopedic
Hospital,
Igbobi,
Lagos
in
partnership
with
Fate
foundation
philanthropy
to
cater
to
the
increasing
COVID-19
confirmed
cases.
The
Bank
will
continue
scaling
efforts
to
mitigate
the
negative
impact
of
the
pandemic
and
promote
a
healthy
society
for
the
country.
...bad,
but
not
all
bad
news
We
see
some
clear
threats
to
our
business
but
the
opportunities
are
overwhelming
for
the
discerning:
A
contraction
in
banking
sector
bottom-line
due
to
regulatory
and
macroeconomic
headwinds;
An
increase
in
impairment
losses
further
putting
a
pressure
on
earnings;
Increased
investment
(private
and
public
sector)
in
our
areas
of
focus,
specifically
Health
care,
Agriculture
and
Education
Increased
adoption
of
our
digital
offerings
by
customers
in
response
to
social
distancing
rules
Page
17 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.
THE
RISING
SUN
2020
REVISITED
We
fully
understand
that
the
knock-on
effect
of
falling
oil
prices
and
the
Covid-19
induced
economic
shutdown
will
affect
our
business
projections
for
2020
and
beyond.
We
understand
the
risks
posed
by
the
impending
global
recession
but
we
are
prepared
to
weather
the
storm,
like
we
have
done
so
many
times
in
the
past
60
years.
We
are
equally
alive
to
the
opportunities
we
have
highlighted
even
as
we
navigate
the
threats.
2020
may
not
be
the
year
we
all
planned
for
but
it
is
an
opportunity
to
strengthen
our
foundation,
demonstrate
our
commitment
to
our
employees
and
our
customers,
contribute
generously
to
the
fight
against
a
once
in
a
lifetime
pandemic
and
still
deliver
meaningful
returns
to
our
shareholders.
Thank
You
Page
18 NIGERIA.
A
FRESH
START.