CardinalStone Partners, a prominent independent investment banking and multi-asset management firm in Nigeria, has received two top industry accolades at the 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence. The firm was named "Nigeria’s Best Investment Bank for M&A" and "Nigeria’s Best for Capital Markets Advisory" at a ceremony held in London.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are widely recognized as a leading benchmark for performance, innovation, execution, and client service in global financial services. CardinalStone’s double victory highlights its consistent success in advising on significant mergers and acquisitions, capital market transactions, and complex strategic mandates.
Michael Nzewi, Group Managing Director of CardinalStone Partners, commented on the achievement, stating, “These awards are a powerful affirmation of our commitment to delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients. They reflect the trust our clients place in us, the depth of expertise across our teams, and our relentless focus on providing innovative, insight-driven financial advisory solutions.” He added that the firm remains committed to helping clients unlock opportunities and navigate the complexities of the business environment.
The recognition follows a strong year for CardinalStone, marked by its advisory roles in several transformative transactions. These included serving as Lead Financial Adviser and Lead Issuing House for the ₦501 billion NBET sponsored Power Sector Bond Issue, a significant infrastructure financing transaction in Nigeria. The firm also acted as exclusive financial adviser to Africa Capital Alliance (ACA) for its ₦387.4 billion divestment of its entire 15.92% stake in Aradel Holdings PLC.
As a leading independent investment banking institution in Nigeria, CardinalStone is known for its deep market expertise and client-centric approach. Its integrated platform offers tailored solutions across investment banking, asset management, securities trading, trusteeship, registrar services, finance, and pensions.
Onyebuchim Obiyemi, Director & Head of Investment Banking at CardinalStone Partners, remarked, “Our philosophy has always been to combine deep market knowledge with thoughtful execution and an unwavering focus on our clients’ objectives. These awards validate the quality of our advisory practice, celebrate the commitment of the team to exceptional service delivery and inspire us to continue setting new standards of excellence within Nigeria’s investment banking industry.”
CardinalStone has advised on over ₦7 trillion in capital markets and M&A transactions, establishing itself as a premier financial institution in Africa. The firm was the first securities house to surpass ₦2 trillion in transaction value on the Nigerian Exchange and has been ranked as the Exchange’s number-one securities firm by value for four consecutive years, from 2022 to 2025.
Its market leadership has been further acknowledged through various industry awards, including Euromoney’s Best Equities House in Nigeria (2024) and Africa’s Best Broker (2025) awards, as well as multiple DealMakers Africa Awards (2026) for excellence in equity advisory and capital markets execution.
