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Two Nigerian banks set to merge

Nigerian banks United Bank of Africa and Standard Trust Bank have agreed plans to merge and create the biggest bank in West Africa.

The deal is also in line with a 2004 directive from the Nigerian central bank that called for more consolidation in the nation's crowded banking sector. The merger was announced in a statement on Standard Trust's website on Tuesday, but no financial details were revealed. United Bank is the third biggest in Nigeria in terms of number of branches. Standard Trust is smaller but more profitable. "The boards of United Bank and Standard Trust, at separate meetings yesterday, approved arrangements to merge both institutions," Standard Trust said. Standard Trust is 100% Nigerian-owned, but United Bank has some foreign investors, including New York-based Global Depository Receipts (32.8%), and Banca Nazionale del Lavoro and Monte del Paschi di Siena, both from Italy, who each have a 2.4% stake.