Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc’s international subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited, has announced a commitment to support Nigerians – both individuals and corporations – in acquiring properties in the United Kingdom.

Fidbank UK, which provides a comprehensive suite of financial services, including trade finance, personal and business banking, treasury services, commercial lending, and private banking, is set to deliver tailored financial solutions for high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) seeking to invest in the UK real estate market through its FidBank Buy-to-Let product.

This announcement was made at an exclusive product showcase hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, at his residence in Lagos on Tuesday.

The event was attended by a select audience comprising captains of industry and corporate leaders.

Highlighting the significance of the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FidBank UK Ltd, Johnson Enemadu, said: “This event is about showcasing to the market and our customers that there is something exciting in the market and we are able to take them along in this journey, supporting their businesses by bringing capital both in the financial institutions and corporate space and also for our high networth inidividuals. It is a total experience.

“Today’s event is also taking place against the backdrop of strengthened bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, highlighted by the recent state visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the UK. This renewed engagement between both countries continues to unlock new pathways for trade, investment, and financial collaboration; and FidBank UK is pleased to play a leading role in driving this.”

In his welcome remarks, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter said:

“The United Kingdom remains firmly committed to deepening its economic partnership with Nigeria, with a clear focus on driving inclusive, sustainable investment, trade and economic growth. London’s position as a leading global financial centre is central to this, supported by robust financial infrastructure that enables efficient trade flows and seamless cross-border transactions between our markets.

It is therefore encouraging to see institutions such as FidBank UK advancing financial service offerings that not only expand investment opportunities in the UK, but also strengthen the financial systems supporting growing commercial ties. We welcome and support efforts that continue to enhance liquidity, facilitate trade, and drive sustainable UK-Nigeria economic connections.”

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The well-attended event also featured art exhibitions by two of Nigeria’s leading visual art talents -Femi Morakinyo and Oswald Chukwunyeremugo – who displayed their latest works to the admiration of the guests.

Also speaking at the event, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Abayomi Oluyomi, lauded the initiative as it aligned with the administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda, saying:

“FidBank UK offers a private banking relationship grounded in regulatory rigour and institutional trust. This is not a catalogue of products, it is a comprehensive financial architecture built for people who live, work and invest across the Nigerian-UK corridor”.

Operating from the heart of the City of London since 1983, FidBank UK provides a comprehensive range of banking services to customers doing business from and into Nigeria and other West African countries, including trade finance, personal banking, business banking, treasury services, commercial lending and private banking.

The bank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority and subscribe to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

The YouTube-to-prestige-horror pipeline is looking very strong this weekend.

Taking the number one spot at the box office is “Backrooms,” a feature film expansion of Kane Parsons’ series of YouTube videos featuring eerie found footage of a mysterious office space (drawn from a 4chan thread) that defies physics.

Directed by Parsons, “Backrooms” made $38 million on Friday, and is expected to bring in a total of $80 million to $90 million at the domestic box office over this weekend alone. For indie studio A24, that’s its biggest opening by far — the previous record was held by “Civil War,” which made $25.7 in its first weekend of release.

The number two film, “Obsession,” is pulling off something that’s arguably even more impressive. True, it made a mere $8 million on Friday, with an estimated weekend haul of $28.5 million — but the movie (about a romantic wish gone nightmarishly wrong) already made more money in its second weekend than its first, and now its third weekend is set to grow another 19 percent.

For context, most wide release films normally fall between 50 to 70 percent in their second weekend; last year’s “Sinners” was considered an extraordinary word-of-mouth success because it fell less than 5 percent. Outside of Christmas releases (which have more staying power, thanks to the holidays), growing from weekend to weekend is unheard of — according to the Hollywood Reporter, “Obsession” is the first film since 1982 to grow on both its second and third weekends.

And like “Backrooms,” “Obsession” is a horror movie directed by filmmaker who first made his name on YouTube — Curry Barker, who released the hourlong found footage horror film “Milk & Serial” on YouTube in 2024. Barker has already shot his next film and is set to direct a new remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The two releases follow the surprise success of “Iron Lung,” a video game adaptation released earlier this year. Directed by Mark Fischbach — better known under his YouTube account name Markiplier — “Iron Lung” grossed nearly $41 million domestically.

In a New York Times article about the recent “YouTube-to-filmmaker boomlet,” Rutgers CInema general manager Mark DelVecchio noted that “lots of YouTubers have tried to make the leap to mainstream movies and come up short.” What sets Parsons, Barker, and Fischbach apart? DelVecchio said that despite their youth (Parsons is 20, Barker is 26), they all have “longevity.”

“At this point, some of them have been making videos for a very long time, and that’s how you develop a loyal audience that will follow you,” he added.

By the way, while I haven’t seen “Backrooms” yet (fingers crossed for tomorrow), I have seen “Obsession.” So I can confirm that it absolutely does not disappoint — I watched most of the second half with my fingers over my eyes, and I may even have screamed a few times.