Lagos – Shareholders of DEAP Capital Management & Trust Plc are set to convene on Thursday to ratify the transformation of the Nigerian investment banking group into a leading private-sector mineral finance institution in Africa.
The move aims to unlock billions of dollars in private capital for Nigeria’s and Africa’s critical minerals and rare earth industries. The AGM will consider resolutions on the company’s name change, strategic restructuring, global capital raising, and empowering the board to execute enterprise-wide transformation initiatives.
This development follows a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Banklink Africa Private Equities Limited and a fresh capital injection from the firm. The company is expected to forge partnerships with global financial institutions and establish subsidiaries or special purpose vehicles (SPVs) both locally and internationally to drive its minerals and metals corporate finance business.
The transformation reflects growing investor confidence in Nigeria’s minerals sector and Africa’s broader critical minerals ecosystem. DEAP Capital is projected to mobilize at least $2 billion in critical minerals and metals financing within two years, offering bespoke advisory, capital structuring, and financing solutions across the continent.
The emergent company will support Nigeria’s push to diversify its economy, enhance domestic mineral exploration, processing, and foster private-public partnerships to move the mining sector beyond raw exports. Its integrated financing model will combine private equity, project finance, structured credit, commodity offtake financing, downstream processing investments, and global capital market linkages.
Ahead of the AGM, the board was reconstituted with domestic and global experts, including Lamon Rutten, former CEO of the Saudi Mining Exchange and Multi Commodity Exchange of India; Dr. Israel Ovirih, Nigerian specialized finance expert; banker Tope Oduseso; and technology entrepreneur Francis Ekeng. The new board is designed to drive the strategic objectives of DEAP Capital and position Africa as a globally integrated critical minerals hub.
