🏦SEC Tightens Capital Rules

Plus: 🤖ChatGPT to Add Ads

Innovation Village
January 19, 2026

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Happy New Week Valued Subscribers👋

Change is quietly shaping the way we all interact with banks and financial services in Nigeria. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is tightening capital rules for financial firms, and while it sounds like something that only affects boardrooms and balance sheets, it actually trickles down to everyone using these services. From the apps you use to send money, to the investment platforms you rely on, stronger rules mean the companies handling your money are being pushed to operate more securely and responsibly.

For everyday users, this could translate into smoother transactions, fewer service interruptions, and greater confidence that the institutions holding your money or investments can weather shocks. For the firms themselves, it’s a call to strengthen their foundations, innovate responsibly, and prioritize long-term stability over short-term growth. In other words, what might seem like a technical regulatory change could quietly make your banking and investing experiences safer and more reliable in the months ahead.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

🏦SEC Tightens Capital Rules for Financial Firms
💵MAX Raises $24m to Expand EV Financing in Africa
🏢Cardtonic raises $2.1m for Pil
🪙NALA, Noah launch instant stablecoin rail
📶Safaricom targets Pay-As-You-Go fibre
🤖ChatGPT to Add Ads as OpenAI Seeks New Revenue

🏦BANKING

SEC Tightens Capital Rules for Financial Firms

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has significantly raised minimum capital requirements for fund managers, broker-dealers, fintechs, robo-advisors, and crypto firms to strengthen market stability and protect investors. The move reflects naira devaluation, rising operational risks, and the need to eliminate undercapitalised operators. While it will likely force consolidation through mergers or exits, the SEC believes fewer but better-capitalised firms will improve confidence and resilience in Nigeria’s capital market..................….continue reading

💵FUNDING

MAX Raises $24m to Expand EV Financing in Africa

Lagos-based mobility startup MAX has raised $24 million in combined equity and debt to accelerate its shift into electric vehicle financing and clean mobility infrastructure across West and Central Africa. Backed by investors including Novastar, Endeavor Catalyst, and development finance institutions, the funding will support EV fleet expansion, battery-swapping infrastructure, and regional growth. The raise follows MAX’s return to profitability in Nigeria and underlines growing investor confidence in electric mobility as rising fuel costs and falling battery prices make EVs more viable across Africa.................….continue reading

🏢FINTECH

Cardtonic raises $2.1m for Pil

Nigerian fintech Cardtonic has secured $2.1 million in an all-angel seed round to build Pil, a B2B spend-management platform for African businesses. Pil enables companies to issue and fund corporate cards, control team spending, manage approvals, and track expenses from a single dashboard. The move signals Cardtonic’s shift from consumer fintech to financial infrastructure, aligning with a broader trend of African fintechs focusing on sustainable, enterprise-focused growth.................….continue reading

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🪙CRYPTOCURRENCY

NALA, Noah launch instant stablecoin rail

NALA has partnered with global payments infrastructure provider Noah to launch an instant stablecoin settlement network designed to speed up and modernise cross-border payments in emerging markets. The partnership allows businesses to collect USD globally and settle in local African and Asian currencies within minutes, replacing legacy systems that take days. By combining Noah’s USD collection infrastructure with NALA’s regulated stablecoin on- and off-ramps, the network enables 24/7, compliant, real-time payouts. The move builds on NALA’s rapid growth in stablecoin payments, with its infrastructure business processing over $1 billion in volume in the past 18 months..............….continue reading

📶TELECOMS

Safaricom targets Pay-As-You-Go fibre

Safaricom has appointed Sylvia Anampiu as Director of Fixed Business as it prepares to roll out pay-as-you-go fibre internet in Kenya. The move signals a strategic push to grow home internet adoption by breaking away from rigid monthly billing and introducing tokenized, short-term fibre access. Drawing on the “Kadogo economy” model that powered its mobile success, Safaricom aims to make fibre more affordable and flexible for households with variable incomes. The shift also positions the telco to compete more aggressively against rivals such as Starlink and 5G home broadband providers.............….continue reading