STL Trustees Limited, one of Nigeria’s non-bank-affiliated trust companies, has marked its 30th anniversary with a bold declaration of market leadership, surpassing regulatory capital requirements and setting its sights on an expanded African footprint.
The firm has exceeded the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) N2 billion recapitalisation threshold, posting capital in excess of N2.5 billion and shareholders’ funds of over N20 billion, well ahead of regulatory timelines.
The milestone was unveiled during a media parley in Lagos to commemorate three decades of operations since the company’s incorporation in 1996. Over the years, STL Trustees has grown into a dominant force in Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem, with a track record spanning bond issuances, Sukuk structuring, collective investment scheme (CIS) trusteeships, debentures, and syndicated lending transactions.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Funmi Ekundayo, said the company’s ambition now extends beyond Nigeria.
“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,” she said.
She added that the firm’s growth strategy rests on three key pillars: deep sectoral expertise, technology-driven innovation, and a wider African presence.
Since inception, STL Trustees has played a central role in some of Nigeria’s most significant capital market transactions, acting as trustee and security agent in multi-billion-naira bond programmes and sovereign-backed Sukuk issuances for subnational governments. The firm has also served as trustee to major collective investment schemes, while providing estate planning and corporate trust solutions to a wide range of institutional and private clients.
The company’s strong financial position, reflected in shareholders’ funds exceeding ₦20 billion, underscores its resilience and readiness for larger, more complex mandates in an evolving financial landscape.
With Nigeria’s capital markets continuing to deepen and regional integration gaining momentum under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), STL Trustees says it is positioning itself to export its expertise and play a defining role in shaping trust services across Africa.
The 30-year milestone, the company noted, is not just a celebration of longevity but a reaffirmation of its ambition to remain a benchmark for governance, innovation, and excellence in trusteeship services across the continent.
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