CFG Africa Hosts Non-Interest Investment Forum

In a major strategic play to fortify investor portfolios against projected market volatility, leading financial services group CFG Africa has taken the conversation from the commercial boardrooms of Lagos to the policy chambers of Abuja.

The Lagos Foundation: Macro-Reforms and Recessionary Risk

Top Row (Left to Right): Dr. Basheer Oshodi (Trust Arthur), Kunle Adeoba (DMD, CFG Africa), Ali Sheriff (One17 Capital), and Chigoziem Asoluka (George Utomi).
Bottom Row (Left to Right):  Akindele Ogundepo (Head, Asset Management, CFG Africa), Zarah Salman (Non-Interest Lead, CFG Africa), Adedoyin Wilson-Diamond (Group Chief Investment Officer, CFG Africa), Chinonso Okurume (CardinalStone Registrars), Regina Asala (Rand Merchant Bank), Precious Olusola (Ava Trustees), and Babajide Lawani (GMD, CFG Africa).

The conversation kicked off at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos where CFG Africa’s 2025 Client Engagement Forum set the tone for the year ahead. Keynote speaker Prof. Bongo Adi of Lagos Business School underscored the critical need for a "decisive policy shift."

Prof. Adi argued that current interest rates are constraining the positive effects of structural reforms, particularly in employment-heavy sectors like manufacturing. He called for a downward review of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to introduce stability into the equity market.

Adding to the intellectual depth, an expert panel featuring Adekunle Adeoba (DMD, CFG Africa), Arnold Dublin-Green, Oluwatosin Ojo, and Olatunji Fafemi delivered a stark warning on global trends. They advised institutional investors to treat the US yield curve—the spread between short and long-term treasury yields—as the primary barometer for 2026 recessionary risk.

Row (Left to Right): Ibrahim Ba’aba (Business Development Executive, CFG Africa), Kayode Falasinnu (Director, CFG Africa), Babajide Lawani (GMD, CFG Africa), Akindele Ogundepo (Head, Asset Management, CFG Africa), Adedoyin Wilson-Diamond (Chief Investment Officer, CFG Africa), Zarah Salman (Non-Interest Lead, CFG Africa), Mosimi Oyeshola (Fund Manager, CFG Africa), Ishaq Abubakar (Business Development Executive, CFG Africa), Kunle Adeoba (DMD, CFG Africa)

The momentum shifted seamlessly to the Nordic Hotel, Abuja, for the 2026 Non-Interest Investment Forum. Here, the conversation pivoted toward specialized ethical instruments as a hedge against the volatility discussed in Lagos.

A powerhouse panel featuring Ameenah Adebayo-Shittu (Group Head of Compliance, Lotus Bank), Dr. Basheer Oshodi (CEO, TrustArthur), and Zarah Salman (Non-Interest Lead, CFG Africa) debunked the myth that "ethical" means "lower returns."

●     Global Performance: Ameenah Adebayo-Shittu revealed that Shariah-compliant US equity funds delivered returns between 14% and 16% in 2025, outperforming several traditional benchmarks.

●     Massive Demand: Dr. Basheer Oshodi pointed to the staggering 735% oversubscription of the most recent 10-year Ijarah Sukuk as evidence of deep market appetite, calling for quarterly issuances to improve liquidity.

●     Discipline Through Assets: The experts highlighted that non-interest finance enforces fiscal discipline by being asset-backed. "We do not trade cash; funds are tied to real economic activity," Adebayo-Shittu noted.

●     Structure: An actively managed, open-ended fund with an offer price of N1,000 per unit.

●     Asset Allocation: The fund targets a balanced exposure across Sukuk, fixed income, and ethical equities. It specifically prioritizes Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign Sukuk to ensure maximum security.

●     Institutional Framework: The fund is supported by a robust fiduciary structure involving AVA Trustees (Trustee), Rand Merchant Bank (Custodian), and One17 Capital (Sharia Adviser).

Addressing stakeholders, Babajide Lawani, MD/CEO of CFG Africa, reiterated the group’s "safety before profit" philosophy.

"The non-interest space can drive massive inclusion," Lawani stated. "By carving out this space, we allow investors to live a wholesome life, investing according to their orientation without feeling they are losing out on competitive returns."

As the Nigerian economy eyes a 5% growth projection for 2026, the consensus from the CFG Africa tour is clear: aggressive diversification into professionally managed, asset-backed ethical funds is no longer a niche choice—it is a sophisticated necessity for the modern portfolio.

Detailed Prospectus and Subscription forms for the CFG Ethical Fund are available at www.cfgafrica.com.

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