The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FirstBank

  • Western Union launches Outbound Service with FirstBank

    The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) yesterday launched the Outbound remittance service in Nigeria. Since the Western Union Money Transfer service was launched in Nigeria in 1995, consumers in the country have only been able to receive funds via the service.

    This launch therefore represents a significant milestone as it marks the first time outbound remittance has become available to the Nigerian community who are now able to send funds in minutes via Western Union around the world.

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited has become the first Western Union Agent to offer this service. The collaboration will enable Western Union consumers (as well as FirstBank’s customers) to enjoy Western Union’s new ‘Outbound send’ offering through the bank’s branches.

    The launch was commemorated with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,Godwin Emefiele,  performing Nigeria’s first outbound transaction at the FirstBank Abuja Main Branch, Central Business District, Abuja.

    Also in attendance was Western Union Regional Vice President for Africa, Aida Diarra and First Bank of Nigeria Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bisi Onasanya.

    Speaking at the event, Mr Emefiele said “We are delighted that Western Union has taken the lead in providing outbound remittance services to Nigerians. Today’s launch demonstrates the company’s proactive step in taking advantage of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s vision of creating an enabling environment for the emergence of innovative and superior financial products that reduce transaction costs for Nigerians and give them a chance at living better lives.”

    Commenting on the launch, Aida Diarra, Regional Vice President for Africa, Western Union stated, “We are very pleased to announce the launch of the “outbound send” service from Nigeria to destinations around the world. We anticipate that the outbound enabled service offering in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, will be instrumental in making positive economic impact in the country by supporting business growth, social development and financial inclusion”

    She further stated that “We are at the forefront of innovation in the industry and we believe this service will respond to our new consumer segment needs. We pride ourselves in moving money for better by giving consumers access to a range of quality financial services in a convenient manner. This is further demonstration of our efforts to support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s objectives for financial inclusion.”

  • FirstBank unveils First Academy

    FirstBank Nigeria is set to strengthen its market penetration through First Academy.

    First Academy is aimed at enhancing   the management techniques of employee, through motivation, and leadership development.

    The bank said First Academy, an affiliate of the Global Association of Corporate Universities & Academics (G–ACUA), and the World Institute of Action Learning (WIAL), is seeking to combine corporate training with the discipline and rigour of academic learning in the bank to achieve the global brand status of the bank.

    The Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank Nigeria Plc, Bisi Onasanya, reiterates the relevance of the academy. He said: “The academy is committed to attracting and retaining the best human capital available in the banking market while a platform is also provided through the academy to hone the skills, knowledge and capabilities of their workforce for competitive advantage.”

    The bank’s Head of Human Capital Management and Development, Ayodele Jaiyesimi, said the academy  arose from the need for the Learning and Development Unit in the Human Capital Management and Development Department to support growth across the bank’s businesses and address the training needs of the group.

    Jaiyesimi said the ultimate focus of the academy is the emergence of a learning structure built around behavioural standards or competencies required by staff to achieve the bank’s strategic objectives and business priorities.

    “The idea of the academy was conceived as a result of the need to maintain a high-performance workforce that connects with the imperatives of the bank’s vision and corporate strategies. ‘Talent development has been an integral part of the success of FirstBank over the years, making the bank a constellation of leading professionals in the sector,” she said.

     

     

  • FirstBank rewards customers

    FirstBank rewards customers

    FirstBank has announced  winner of the grand prize of a completed four-bedroom detached duplex in Lekki, Lagos after the draw of the Big Splash promo which took place yesterday in Port Harcourt was announced.

    Other prizes also won at the draw were three brand new Toyota corolla cars, cash prizes of N50,000, refrigerators and standing cookers.

    Declaring the event open, the Group Head of Retail Banking Southsouth of FirstBank, Mrs. Rosemary Asiegbu, said: “The ’Big Splash savings Promo was designed to reward customers for their patronage and loyalty to the brand over the years. It is also a platform for enhancing savings culture in the nation and encouraging the youths as well as the unbanked to embrace the financial services system.

    “This year’s promo was designed to coincide with the commemoration of our 120 years anniversary of memorable banking services in the country and as such, we have kept our promise to customers by holding the bi-monthly and quarterly draws regularly where we have given out over N35million cash prizes among many other mouth-watering prizes.”

    To ensure transparency during the draws, the selection process was under the supervision of the national lottery regulatory council. The bank also partnered with world class consultants, KPMG to ensure world best practice are aligned with. The draw is fully automated and it randomly selects winners who would take home various prizes. The e-draw is also audited from the back end to ensure that the numbers are not pre-selected.

  • FirstBank organises sustainability workshop

    FirstBank organises sustainability workshop

    FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has reiterated its commitment to supporting businesses that address social and environmental concerns in the society. Director, First Bank Sustainability Centre and head of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Lagos Business School (LBS), Dr Chris Ogbechie, said  at the workshop attended by Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders at LBS that such would help build sustainability in business.

    He said the workshop was also meant to create an enabling relationship between the NGOs and private corporations to enable both parties harness areas of mutual importance.

    Ogbechie said business owners and NGOs have to realize that it is no longer business as usual, as customers and the media want them to address social and environmental concerns in the course of conducting their businesses.

    Ogbechie said:  “Private companies realised that they must develop strategies to meet these new needs while remaining profitable. NGO’s awareness that they can achieve widespread and lasting change through the partnership is also important in sustaining the partnership”.

    He said the shift in NGO’s/private corporations’ relationship creates an exciting opportunities for them to collaborate, increase capacity, sustainability and deliver service to the community.

    He said companies in the country must learn to do things the right way to enable them sustain long term success. Sustainability, he added, goes beyond leaving a better environment, but also involves how a business can sustain itself, make profit and eradicate poverty in the country, as that is a malaise affecting the country.

    A staff of the Corporate Responsibility Unit of FirstBank, Mrs Obianuju Akanbi said sustainability is now global trend. She added that the bank set up the centre to provide

  • FirstBank extends Big Splash Promo

    Three winners of brand new Toyota Corolla cars have emerged at the third quarterly draw of the on-going FirstBank ‘Big Splash Promo which took place last Thursday at the Constantial Hotel, Benin City the Edo State capital. The winners were Eseduo Francis of Makurdi Branch, Ezeanum Chinedu Maureen of Onitsha-Owerri branch and Dairo Adeola Olugbenga of Ikeja Industrial Estate branch.

     Also, the savings promo which kicked off in July 2013 has been extended to December 2014 to create ample opportunity for more customers to participate in the promo and stand a chance of winning the grand prize of a Terrace Duplex .

     The draws  supervised by representatives from the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Consumer Protection Council and KPMG Advisory Services also produced 120 winners of standing gas cookers, 120 winners refrigerators as well as 120 winners of N50, 000 cash.

     Three hundred and sixty winners are expected to emerge from the Big Splash promo from every bi-monthly draw while three lucky customers will drive home three brand new Toyota Corolla cars at every quarterly draw  and one customer will win the grand finale prize of a completed four-bedroom terrace house in Lekki, Lagos.

     According to, the Business Development Manager, FirstBank, Benin 2, Mr. Francis Amuta, the ongoing big splash promo draw is designed to reward and appreciate the Bank’s loyal customers who have continued to do business with us. “In celebration of our 120th anniversary,” he said, “we are committed to rewarding our existing and prospective customers in a special way as well as delivering excellent services to our customers with innovative services and initiatives such as the Big Splash Promo.”

    The Acting Head, Consumer Banking, Mrs. Adebimpe Ihekuna, said that, to qualify for the FirstBank Big Splash promo, the customer need to operate a savings account and maintain a sum of N10, 000.00 monthly balance of which should be maintained for a minimum of 30 days to qualify for the bi-monthly draw. While fresh savings account holders will need to maintain the sum of N 10,000.00 monthly as balance in his or her account for 30 days to qualify for the bi-monthly draw.

    For the quarterly and grand finale draws, account holders need to maintain incremental balances of N20, 000.00 every month for three consecutive months to qualify for the semi-annual draw or maintain a balance of N60, 000.00 steadily over the quarter to qualify for the semi-annual draw. Increasing one’s savings account with the sum of N20, 000.00 every month for 10 consecutive months or a bullet minimum deposit of N200, 000.00 unbroken will qualify the account holder for the Grand Finale draw.

  • FirstBank partners WAEC on e-registration

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited has been designated as sales points for the e-registration forms of candidates for this year’s November/December West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    With over 750 branches across the federation and 120 years of business operation, the lender said that it has been a consistent partner for educational and economic development.

    The e-registration materials which have been available since Monday May 5 until Friday July 4 and can be obtained over the counter at all FirstBank branches across the country, at a cost of N11,440. Also, a late registration window period between Monday July 7 through Friday, August 1, this year will be available but at an additional charge of N21, 400.00 as stipulated by WAEC. Candidates are expected to collect an e-Receipt containing the registration PIN, the registration kit and the result checker scratch card after the payment of the fees.

    According to FirstBank’s spokesperson, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank has been a major player in youth empowerment and development and welcomes this partnership as yet another platform for promoting excellence in the development of education in our country. Ani-Mumuney said the Bank had since been providing adequate support across its social media platforms to ensure that prospective candidates for the WASSC (Private Candidates’) Examination receive up-to-date information on the sales of the e-registration materials.

    She said: ”Our network of over 750 branches nationwide offers prospective candidates the opportunity to acquire the e-registration materials at locations close to them.“

  • FirstBank to give out duplex in Big Splash Promo

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited will be giving out a Terrance Duplex to a grand prize winner in its ongoing Big Splash Promo. The promo, which commenced in July 2013 and runs till July this year, was designed to coincide with the lender’s 120 years anniversary of banking services in the country.

    FirstBank’s Head, Marketing & Corporate Communication, Folake Ani-Mumuney, said the promo was designed to reward customers for their patronage and loyalty to the brand over the years.

    She said the exercise was also designed as a platform for enhancing savings culture in the nation and encouraging the youths as well as the unbanked to embrace the financial services. She said the promo has so far produced six winners of brand new Toyota corollas.

    The winners are Dickson Dyaji of Zaria branch; Ajadi Oladunni of Ogbomosho branch, Onyeani Ebugheme of Aba Factory Road Branch, among others.

    She said the exercise has also produced 1,080 lucky winners with 360 of them winning refrigerators, 360 gas cookers and 360 cash prizes of N50, 000 each.

    Oladunni, a petrol attendant who won one of the cars, said: “I didn’t believe it when I was called and told I had won a brand new car from saving money with FirstBank until the branch manager took me to Lagos to pick the car. I was very excited and I couldn’t hide my excitement until I started driving the car back home,” he said

    Ani-Mumuney said the grand prize a Terrance Duplex located in Ajah axis of Lagos will be won at the finale draw. She said the winner will have the opportunity to live among the high net worth individuals within the affluent environment.

    She explained that to qualify for the promo, customers are to operate a savings account and increase it with the sum of N10, 000 monthly the balance of which should be maintained for a minimum of 30 days to qualify for the bi-monthly draw.

    She said: “While fresh savings account holders will need to maintain the sum of N 10,000 monthly and maintain this balance in his account for 30 days to qualify for the bi-monthly draw.

    “For the quarterly and grand finale draws, account holders need to maintain incremental balances of N20, 000 every month for three consecutive months to qualify for the semi-annual draw or maintain a balance of N60, 000 over the quarter to qualify for the semi-annual draw.”

     

  • FirstBank empowers youth with financial literacy programme

    Ahead of this year’s Financial Literacy Day, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s largest lender through its FutureFirst Initiative kicked off a Financial Literacy Programme as part of its strategic intervention towards youth empowerment.

    The Financial Literacy Programme which is in partnership with Junior Achievement of Nigeria (JAN) will run for 13weeks across various secondary schools in the Lagos metropolis. The programme is designed to provide an experiential supplement to the business education of high school students in Nigeria and empower students with financial knowledge through training on running a business and learning of basic money skills to promote a savings culture and building a crop of future financial managers.

    According to the Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, at FirstBank, there is no denying that the future is our most present priority. It is on this premise and coupled with our passion to see a more financially independent generation that we have designed the Financial Literacy programme because we believe that young people, who are the beneficiaries of this project, are indeed critical for economic growth and therefore represent the future of the nation, as well as the future of the Bank.

    “As Nigeria’s leading financial service institution, through our Corporate Responsibility Platform, we are setting the pace in building a talent hub of future leaders and working to avert the negative effects that may result from financial indiscipline. The project will be implemented based on a structured employee volunteering program where, employees of FirstBank will offer one hour weekly for a period of 13 weeks and employ their skills in providing financial literacy knowledge to the chosen secondary school students.” she said.

    You will recall, that last year, FirstBank launched the FutureFirst initiative, a unique initiative with two expressions (Career Counseling and Financial Literacy Programme) both aimed at ensuring the youth of our Nation are financially independent through fulfilling careers and the right financial knowledge. FutureFirst through the Career Counseling and Financial Literacy Programme will be used to empower secondary school students between the ages of 12 and 17years old in JSS 2 to SS2 to build fulfilling careers and be better equipped with the tools and knowledge for long-term financial independence.

    The Financial Literacy Programme is coming at a right period as it’s coincides with the commemoration of this year Global Money Week.

  • FirstBank, Hong Kong seek closer business ties

    FirstBank of Nigeria Limited is collaborating with the government of Hong Kong to harness business opportunities in China and other Asian countries.

    The partnership is being supported by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), a department of the Government of Hong Kong working to strengthen the state’s status as a leading international business location in Asia by attracting and retaining foreign direct investments in Hong Kong.

    Speaking during a meeting with Nigerian entrepreneurs held at the weekend in Lagos, the Chairman, FBN Holdings, Chief Oba Otudeko, said the initiative would help both parties provide adequate investment opportunities in China as well as other Asian countries.

    He explained that the InvestHK would boost trade and business flow among China, Hong Kong and Nigeria. Otudeko urged Nigerians to embrace the investment and business initiatives of the Asian countries. “It is a point of contact, which I think I want to encourage and recommend very strongly for Nigerian business communities to invest,” he said.

    He also noted InvestHK offers opportunity in the Hong Kong Information Technology, real estate among other investment opportunities.

    Director-General, InvestHK, Simon Galpin, during his presentation, said the initiative was necessary to assist companies to invest and set up businesses in Hong Kong.

    He said partnership with First Bank would help strengthen the country’s relationship with businesses in Africa. “Now is a good time for Nigeria companies to come to Hong Kong to attract investment from Hong Kong,” he said.

    Galpin described Hong Kong as a gateway to opportunities in mainland China and it’s a regional base for expansion across Asia. He said Hong Kong is increasingly the first stepping stone for mainland Chinese companies, when going global.

    In the last year, Hong Kong recorded greater exports than United Kingdom and Italy at $527 billion. Hong Kong’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $962 billion. Hong Kong is a part of China’s one country, two systems structure, operating its own government though within China.

  • FirstBank initiates career, financial literacy programme

    FirstBank initiates career, financial literacy programme

    It is not everyday that top executives have time to chat with school children. But many among the managers and other employees at FirstBank of Nigeria have volunteered their time to counsel secondary school pupils under the bank’s FutureFirst initiative, a career counseling and financial literacy programme.

    Under this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the bank workers counsel the pupils on how to choose careers, the requirements needed to study various courses, attitudes and aptitudes to cultivate for one hour weekly for a period of 8-13 weeks

    The career counselling programme is designed to equip public secondary school pupils with the knowledge they need for career planning and fulfillment to prevent the pitfalls that can be associated with the wrong career move.

    The bank’s Group Managing Director (GMD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Bisi Onasanya, said the programme would help the young ones avoid mistakes in their careers and finances.

    “As Nigeria’s leading financial services institution, we are setting the pace in this regard, through our Corporate Social Responsibility Platform, to avert the negative effects that may result from financial indiscipline and inadequate career choices. In implementing this initiative, volunteers from several departments in the Bank would assist in the facilitation of the career counseling programme for the students,” he said.

    Apart from employees volunteering to counsel the pupils, the bank is also partnering with Junior Achievement of Nigeria (JAN) to run the financial literacy aspect of the programme in select schools.

    Throughout the 2013/2014 academic session, JAN will train 600 pupils in 20 public secondary schools in Lagos on starting, financing and running businesses to sharpen their entrepreneurship skills. They will get opportunities to put what they learn into practice by starting businesses they can run in their schools.

    Underscoring the importance of the initiative to the bank, Mrs Folake Ani-Mumuney, the Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication, said in an interview that it aims to prepare youths for the future they would like for themselves by exposing them to realities and possibilities.

    “There is no denying that at FirstBank, the future is our most present priority. It is on this premise coupled with our passion to see a more financially independent generation that we have designed ‘FutureFirst’. The initiative was dubbed ‘FutureFirst’ because the bank believes that young people, who are the beneficiaries of this project, are its most present priority and represent the future of the nation, as well as the future of the Bank,” she said.

    The Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network (L.E.A.R.N), the pet project of the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, is also partnering on the FutureFirst initiative.

    Speaking at its launch in Alausa, Lagos, Director, L.E.A.R.N, Mrs Bisi Awoyomi lauded the bank for considering the development of Nigerian youth as priority, saying it is in line with L.E.A.R.N’s objectives.

    Mrs. Omolara Erogbogbo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, praised the bank saying the state government would support laudable initiatives aimed at advancing education in the state.

    “Many youths today have derailed because of the wrong career choices they made or were made for them. It is, therefore, our collective responsibility to consciously guide these children and instill in them financial discipline and planning so that they become adults we can all be very proud of,” she said.