The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, West and Central Africa’s largest airline, Dr. Allen Onyema, has congratulated Fidelity Bank Plc on the successful repayment of its US$400 million Eurobond at maturity, describing the achievement as a remarkable demonstration of financial strength, institutional discipline and visionary leadership.
In a congratulatory message issued on behalf of the Board, Management and Staff of Air Peace Limited, Onyema commended the Bank for meeting its obligations throughout the five-year tenure of the Eurobond, particularly its decision to fund the repayment entirely from internal liquidity.
He attributed the milestone to the strategic foresight of Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, whose leadership, he noted, has continued to strengthen the Bank’s financial standing and reputation within Nigeria’s banking industry.
Onyema further applauded the Bank’s successful completion of its recapitalisation ahead of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s stipulated deadline, describing both achievements as evidence of sound corporate governance and sustainable financial management.
Highlighting the critical relationship between banking and aviation, the Air Peace Chairman underscored the importance of financially resilient institutions such as Fidelity Bank in supporting capital-intensive sectors, particularly aviation, where access to financing remains essential to fleet development, operational sustainability and industry growth.
He noted that strong partnerships between financial institutions and indigenous enterprises are indispensable to strengthening Nigeria’s economic competitiveness and advancing the country’s broader development aspirations.
Onyema congratulated Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe, the Board, Management and the entire Fidelity Bank family, expressing confidence in the institution’s capacity to attain even greater milestones.
He reaffirmed Air Peace’s goodwill towards Fidelity Bank, wishing the institution continued growth, enduring stability and greater accomplishments in Nigeria’s financial services landscape.
Fidelity Bank Plc had on October 28, redeemed its $400 million Eurobond, meeting its debt obligations at maturity after five years of scheduled interest payments, in a move that underscores the lender’s liquidity management and debt-servicing capacity.
The five-year Eurobond was issued on October 28, 2021, with an annual coupon rate of 7.625 percent, payable semi-annually. Fidelity Bank said it met all scheduled coupon payments throughout the life of the instrument before repaying the outstanding principal and final coupon in full at maturity.
