Guaranty Trust Holding Company [GTCO] has launched its first-ever food and drink holiday festival, a special end-of-year celebration designed to spotlight Africa’s vibrant culinary culture while delivering unforgettable holiday experiences for families, food lovers and entrepreneurs.
Speaking during a press conference, Segun Agbaje, Group Chief Executive Officer, GTCO plc, said the maiden holiday edition, which will take place on 20th and 21st December at the GT Centre, Oniru, Lagos, is built on the success of the annual GTCO Food and Drink Festival, which had its eighth edition in April this year.
According to Agbaje, “This special end-of-the-year celebration, apart from focusing on assorted culinarians, will drive community engagement, brand love, and SME empowerment. This edition leverages the festive season to deepen GTCO’s lifestyle positioning and reinforce the Group’s commitment to supporting enterprise and creativity.
“The GTCO Food and Drink Festival has grown into a powerful platform for celebrating enterprise, creativity, and the richness of African cuisine. The Holiday edition reflects our commitment to creating joyful shared experiences while supporting SMEs across the food and beverage value chain. We look forward to hosting families, businesses, and visitors from across the world at this special festive celebration,” stated the CEO.
Food and drink enthusiasts are expected to be tantalised by about 213 food and drink vendors who have been provided with free exhibition stalls by the organisers, giving SME’s a high visibility platform to showcase their offerings.
This maiden holiday exhibition, which is consumer-focused, will feature a large and immersive children’s play area, featuring safe, engaging activities for holiday-themed games and curated entertainment for kids of all ages.
To add more colour to the festival and to celebrate the season, the organisers disclosed that there will be a vibrant Christmas Village with handcrafted gifts, festive treats and entertainment for families.
Emphasising that the objective of the festivals has never been to make a profit, the CEO said, “it is to champion African culinary arts and showcase global food and drink experiences, to support SMEs by providing a world-class free platform for growth and visibility.
“The objectives of the festival are also to strengthen GTCO’s brand positioning as the leading lifestyle brand in the financial services, drive positive press engagement and deepen emotional connection with our audiences while providing memorable holiday experiences for families, tourists, and the wider community.”
However, this holiday edition will not feature Master Classes, unlike the regular annual GTCO Food and Drink festival, but there will be a lot of music as DJ Raves will be featuring two of Nigeria’s most exciting performers, delivering high-energy music experiences for festival goers.
In all, over four thousand food vendors applied to participate in the event, but after careful selection, about 213 vendors and some other SMEs were shortlisted.
The event, which is free to attend, is targeted at families, young professionals, students, holiday travellers, foodies, chefs, culinary entrepreneurs, influencers, local and international media, SMEs, Food and Beverage brands, GTCO customers and broader retail audiences.
N300.4 billion in the first three months of this year.
Interim report and accounts of GTCO for the frst quarter ended March 31, 2025 released at the Nigerian Exchange ( NGX) showed that the bottom-line was driven by the core earnings lines of interest income which grew by 41.1 per cent and fee income up by 41.2 per cent.
The strong performance enabled the group to douse the impact of the N331.6 billion fair value gains recognised in first quarter 2024 which did not recur in first quarter 2025.
The group’s net loan book increased by 15.6 per cent from N2.79 trillion recorded as at December 2024 to N3.22 trillion in March 2025, while deposit liabilities grew by 7.7 per cent from N10.40 trillion to N11.20 trillion during the same period.
The group recorded growths across all its asset lines and continues to maintain a robust, well-structured, highly de-risked, and well-diversified balance sheet in all the jurisdictions wherein it operates.
Total assets and shareholders’ funds closed at N15.9 trillion and N3.0 trillion, respectively. Full Impact Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very robust and strong, closing at 34.6 per cent, equally asset quality improved as evidenced by IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans which closed at 3.3 per cent at Bank Level and 4.5 per cent at group in first quarter 2025. Cost of Risk (COR) closed at 0.4 per cent from 4.9 per cent in December 2024.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said the first quarter 2025 performance reflected the strength of all the group’s business verticals and capacity to generate strong and sustainable earnings.
“While the fair value gains of N331.6 billion reported in first quarter 2024 did not recur this quarter, the group recorded solid growth across most income lines, underpinned by a diversified revenue base and a healthy, well-structured balance sheet.
“We remain optimistic about the year ahead. The fundamentals of our business are strong, our customer base continues to grow, and we are executing with discipline across our strategic priorities. Importantly, at this pace, the Group is well-positioned to deliver the full year profit before tax of 2024 at the very minimum by the end of the 2025 full year earnings,” Agbaje said.
Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian Financial Services industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., Pre-Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) of 42.2%, Pre-Tax Return on Assets (ROAA) of 7.8%, Full Impact Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 34.6% and Cost to Income ratio of 29.0%.
Following the notice of pardon from Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and its leadership to the Federal High Court, Lagos, reprieve yesterday came the way of four bloggers who were charged for cyberstalking GTCO, its CEO and management.
The bank withdrew the criminal charge filed against them by the police after reaching terms of settlement with the accused.
With the notice of pardon and desire to withdraw the charge announced in court by the prosecution counsel, Chief Ajibola Aribisala (SAN), Justice Ayokunle Faji consequently struck out the charge.
The four bloggers, Precious Eze, male (38), Olawale Rotimi male (47), Rowland Olonishuwa and Seun Odunlami, were charged under the Cybercrimes Prohibition Prevention Act, by operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi-Lagos.
They were accused of spreading false information about GTCO Plc and its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segun Agbaje.
When the matter came up yesterday for trial, Aribisala told the court that the prosecution and the nominal complainants GTCO finally agreed to the defendants’ plea.
Aribisala said the defendants agreed to ameliorate the wrongs that led to their prosecution.
He added that the Guild of Editors also intervened and pleaded on their behalf and the bank (GTCO) was amenable to having the matter amicably settled under the terms agreed.
The prosecutor added that each of the defendants willingly agreed and appended their signatures on the document containing the terms of the settlement.
“The defendants have promised to restitute and to further take out publications to right the wrong. There is no gain saying they are remorseful and have agreed not to use their blogs for publishing wrong, malicious or wrong information,” he added.
Ajibola added that under the terms, the bloggers agreed to tender unreserved apologies in three national newspapers.
“We appeal that the court approves the document containing the terms as agreed in the deed of settlement so that they can go back to their families after spending six months in the custody of the Nigeria Correction Services,” he said.
Counsel to the defendants, A. O. Afolabi, did not object to the withdrawal of the charge, adding that he and the defendants appended their signatures on the document.
Justice Faji ruled that parties shall comply with the terms of the agreement as contained in the deed of settlement.
He then struck out the charge.
The Police by an amended charge dated September 26, 2024, said the four defendants, sometime in August 2024 in Lagos, conspired to commit a felony to wit: CyberStalking and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended in 2024.
The defendants were also said to have knowingly sent false messages or publications in social media, through a computer or network to the general public as follows: “EFCC, FIRS storm GTBanks over Segun Agbaje’s N1 trillion scam” and “Whistle Blowers expose Segun Agbaje Nepotism, power play, enrich him and sister, Kofo Dosekunni” among other publications, for the purpose of insulting the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje or for the purpose of causing criminal intimidation, annoyance, III-will, needless anxiety, injury or hatred to him and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition/prevention, etc) Act. 2015, as amended in 2024.
It is a simple matter, but GTCO is still adamant. It is going to two months now that I have been engaging the bank in a back and forth over this simple matter of returning my 10 grand. It is simple because they
can simply look through their books and sort things out. It has refused to do so and I have also refused to budge. The battle continues until the matter is resolved. Is it not just 10k? I can hear you ask. Na only 10k o!
Not too long ago, GTCO held its 14th Annual Autism Conference, which it tagged; A spectrum of possibilities. But beyond the conference and speeches, Gboyega Alaka took time to interact with some parents shouldering the responsibility of catering to autistic children. From Jennifer who is afraid to try for another child eleven years after, to Dr Ruka who is doing all she can to ensure her son is ready for adulthood, the responses were varying and educative. Intervention experts also shared their views.
What do you do if your child clocks two, three, four; even five and is not talking, although clearly not deaf or mute?
It, perhaps, gets more frustrating if the child is the loner type, who prefers not to mingle, and would rather revel in his/her own world, rarely paying attention to anyone – not even family members, however familiar, or parents?
The likelihood is that you would panic, be scared or confused outright?
As a matter of fact, majority of the mothers spoken to at the 14th Annual Autism Conference held in July this year admitted to panicking when they first suspected that their wards were different.
Even though some weren’t exactly sure of the clinical definition of these symptoms, they feared it’s a situation that could grow worse, jeopardise their children’s future and make them perpetually dependent.
For some, it’s a perpetual assignment that would deny them even of their own future and usual life as parents.
A particular parent, Sarah, an insurance agent who lives in Lagos, confessed to this reporter that she is not considering having another child just yet and maybe never.
“I’m afraid; I can’t do it again. The pregnancy was difficult in itself; and now it’s been eleven years of my life, and I think if I have another child, I’ll not be able to give that child everything. So it’s better for me to have one. Right now, that possibility (of having another) is not there at all,” Sarah revealed.
“I first discovered that my daughter, Jane (not real name) was different as far back as when she was six months old. She couldn’t roll; she couldn’t raise her hands; she couldn’t meet the regular milestones that she was supposed to meet by at the usual ages. That was when my suspicion started. Even when other children, her age-mates could blab, she wasn’t making any attempt to talk; there were a lot of issues, and we were going in and out of hospitals. She had some neuro challenges, psychomotor challenges; so we started suspecting. Then some specialists around were actually telling me what to do.”
Did she have any idea what the problem was?
“I knew the word autism but never paid attention to it. I never suspected that my child could have it – because my impression of autism was on the extreme side. So when I saw those signs in her, it didn’t even occur to me until people started calling my attention to it and I started complaining and seeing doctors. When she was two years, I took her to LUTH for evaluation and they just told me point on that it was autism.”
Asked pointedly if she panicked at this realisation, Sarah sighed heavily and exhaled: “It was more than panic, I was afraid, I was angry, I asked why!”
Did she fear it was a worse condition like Down Syndrome? ‘No, no, she is autistic,’ she replied with confidence and relief.
Progress, slowly and steadily
“She didn’t walk until she was four, and she just had like two teeth from when she was a baby till she was four, five years. That in itself was alarming. She started crawling only when she was one year, six months; and we still had to hold her to walk up till when she was three years; else she would fall. It wasn’t until she clocked five that she got the confidence to walk on her own.
“But now she can walk by herself, she can run, she can dance, she can use the restroom herself, she can cleanup; she’s doing very well in school; she does like 1 to over 1000; she can look for a way to communicate what she wants, she can socialise with her mates. But the speech is not coming fluently like in sentences. However, she’s coping well with her environment.”
‘She was not talking; I didn’t know what to do’
Like Sarah, Jennifer admitted to her panic and fear when she noticed certain abnormalities in her now five-year-old daughter.
“She was not talking even after she clocked one; so I became concerned and got her a teacher. The teacher came on with much excitement, assuring me that all will be well and that she’d start talking in no time. But nothing changed and my panic increased. At this point, I really didn’t know what next to do, but my mum told me to calm down and that she would talk. Now she is five years old and she’s still not talking. And she’s giving few signs of autism.”
Asked if she was familiar with the signs of autism, she said: “I started reading about it when she was like three years old, because I was concerned and looking for an explanation. I actually became convinced during my reading researches. Apart from not talking, there was something about her eyes. At about that time, I took her to LUTH and we were told to come back and see a pediatrician. However, we did not go back, because the queue was too long.”
Would that mean that she went home and resigned to fate?
“Not really; we recently moved from Lagos Mainland to Lagos Island, so the school she attends now has a speech therapist, who also comes to the house.”
Is she certain her daughter’s condition is autism?
“Yes,” she responded, “otherwise what could it be? At five, she still does not talk. And then before she started school, she was always on her own. She likes to play on her own. The brother has no such issue, so he sometimes plays with her. Aside that she doesn’t play with anyone.”
Bunmi, a self-employed mother of six was lucky, if one could call it that. Her son, now six-year-old was diagnosed with the condition right at the hospital; so she didn’t have to wait and wonder.
“I first knew he is different right from cradle. He was diagnosed at the hospital.”
Apart from that, the kid displayed the usual signs.
“Everything delayed,” she started. “The talk, walking; at some point, he even had issues with eating. He became picky to the extent that he didn’t want to collect anything at all. So we had to consult a nutritionist. He helped us with a step-by-step guide on how to feed him and what to feed him. So now he has come out of that and he is eating well. And he wasn’t suckling at all.”
Even now at six, Bunmi admits that he’s still not talking.
“He has words; if you listen, you will know what he’s saying. Some clear, some not too clear.”
She also admits to being sad at the initial stage. “But I just told myself that whatever it is, we’ll identify with him, we’re in it together, we’ll walk through it. And thanks to God, He has been bringing timely help, He’s been helping us.”
There have also been positives, and Bunmi would glowingly share them.
“There are many happy moments. In fact we love to be around him. He has not got any dull moments – whether in church, in school, everywhere. In fact he has got us a lot of invitations to places.”
The GTCO Autism Conference has also been helpful. She now has many insights to the condition. “Now I know some things I shouldn’t have done and the ones I should have done better. And I’m happier.”
As a matter of fact, she now feels like she can help other people battling the same condition.
‘We try to make every moment beautiful, memorable’
Perhaps because of Dr Ruka’s exposure, both as an academic doctor and because she had lived and worked in the education sector in the United Kingdom, she declared unequivocally that she did not panic when she noticed the signs. That, however, did not free her from the little sadness that comes with that realisation.
“No, I did not panic, but I was sad initially. However, I understood that it’s not going to change. It’s for you to adjust your mental status on how to now support your child and yourself. I first noticed that my boy was different, when he was three, four months old. I noticed that something was different in his interactions and responses to stimuli. From there, we began more focused monitoring of him. His interactions as he grew older were more of introvert style. His speech was also limited. And by the time he started crèche – this, by the way was when I was still in the UK, they noticed that he wasn’t interacting with his peers; so the school made an official notification, and then a speech therapist and a psychologist were engaged from the school to monitor his interaction both in school and at home. This support continued until we came back to Nigeria.”
Dr. Ruka admitted that her background played a huge part in her understanding of the situation.
“I’d worked in the care sector while I was in the UK, as well as the Education sector. In the education sector, the school I was seconded to was a mixed school. That means we had regular students and children with special needs. That gave me that exposure before I had mine. So seeing the signs just raised the flags and we continued with the support. When we came to Nigeria, the professionals were not there but the informal, especially the teachers, were supportive. And it’s been steady. At different points, we had to see psychologists – first when my dad died, because he was very close to him; and also last year when mum died.”
Fortunately, Dr. Ruka stated that her son’s case is the sort academically categorised as ‘medium scale’, because “he exhibits the introvert status more, and is focused on numbers and dates. That’s why it is called Focal Point.”
This is also an upside for the now 15-year-old. “So we encourage him; the teachers have also supported him in every class he gets to. He attends a regular school and is even in a boarding house. By so doing, he has moved out of his comfort zone, because I tell him that mummy will not always be there, your brother will also not always be there; you have to learn to start interacting with people outside your circle.”
Fortunately, the boy has not had to fight off stigmatisation and the usual taunting by school peers. This, according to his mother, is because the missionary school he attends does not allow it and the teachers are particular about the children’s welfare. Being a boarding student has also helped, as he gets to mix more and widen his friendship circle outside the family.
Would that mean he has improved speech-wise?
“He talks with us and he talks above us. By that I mean he makes such statements that we’ll be wondering – where is this coming from? On such occasions, I’d say, ‘come to our level, come to our level.’ And it’s not said in a derogatory manner to make him feel uncomfortable.”
So there are beautiful moments?
“Of course. Every time we try to make it beautiful, memorable moments. And the brother, the big brother has always been big brother.”
Does she fear for the future?
“Before, yes, but not now. Because of the few years he has spent in boarding school, his degree of interaction has increased. He’s willingly calling out to people to talk with them, and that’s one decision I’m happy I took. His brother will be leaving the school soon, but he has built his own friendship circle. So if the brother leaves, he’ll have his own. Maybe because I’m also in the education sector, I don’t want him to suffer when he gets into a tertiary institution, because that is when he’ll be forced to learn how to live and mingle with people outside his comfort zone. So before it gets to that, let’s do it now when he’s younger and adaptable.
“We must define autism by its strength rather than its weakness”
Regrettably, children with autism, like other special needs children such as Downs Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy, still suffer huge, degrading discrimination in this part of the world. Notice that virtually all the parents spoken to above opted to shield the identity of their wards; but they definitely would have freely given out their names, even have them photographed, if the topic had been about academic or sporting excellence.
Bernadette N. Kilo, a Cameroonian born medical doctor from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, an autism spectrum disorder clinical specialist, who works in Developmental Pediatrics, responding to a question on how discrimination of such children can be reduced or eliminated outright and better inclusiveness achieved for them, said “when we define something by its challenges, we stigmatise it.
Kilo, who was one of the facilitators at the GTCO Autism Conference, said, “Naturalistically, intuition causes us to associate stigma with threat. Threat leads to fear, and fear causes us to reject and exclude these individuals. If we learn to define autism from its strength rather than its challenges, we will begin to speak the language of identifying the strength first. So what we must do as a people and as a community is to learn to see the pluses that autism has. Other societies are doing it. Where I live, they look at autism as a plus, and they employ them. If the FBI or the CIA can create programmes and take young autistic children to read codes and decode them, why can we not do same in Africa. We can. We must?”
Asked to speak on the strengths, Kilo said: “I will take the most common, which a lot of parents are quick to notice, which is the lack of speech and language acquisition; keep in mind that verbal expression only makes up 14 percent of communication. The rest, 86 percent is non-verbal and is gestural. So if I’m speaking to you, you can tell that even though my words may sound very pleasant, my face may be telling a different story. A lot of time we pay attention to only 14 percent, which is the expressive language. Autism uses a lot of gestural, a lot of sensory and a lot of behaviour to communicate. These three aspects make up the 86 percent of communication, which we don’t use. That is the strength of autism. Other strengths include that they are quick to recognise colour; they are good at pattern recognition. Imagine a child who, on first encounter, is able to tell that there are 20 holes in cabin biscuits; I’ve been eating cabin biscuits for 47 years, did I ever pay attention to the number of holes in them? A lot of us don’t even know that it takes three holes in a cabin biscuit to make a triangle, or which triangles can be made perfectly. These are just a few, but there are way too many.”
Effectively, she is of the opinion that everybody must play their part, not excluding the government in the drive towards inclusivity. “Who makes up the nation? If you and I sit coy, there is no way the guys up there would do anything, unless it touches them personally. And even if it touches them personally, they have the financial wherewithal to send their kids to the UK, America, Canada, to seek better intervention/services.”
Kilo’s recommended interventions
By way of intervention, Kilo recommends that parents of children with suspected case of autism should, as a first step, work with a pediatrician; possibly see a speech therapist if the child is not able to attain speech and language.
“The other thing they may need to put in place is Occupational Therapy to address their sensory differences. We all use our senses on a regular basis. As I sit here, I can hear the voice of the speaker in the hall, but I am able to tune out of his voice and focus on you; there are some people who cannot. So they need assistance with that, to be tunnel-minded when they come to interact with people. As I sit here, if I sense a smoke, I immediately know that there is fire somewhere, so my body begins to wonder – is the fire close by or far away? Do I sit or run? You see how we use our senses to engage our environment? When that is off, it poses a challenge. Sensory processing goes hand in hand with communication.”
Is it safe to presume that a three-year-old child who is not able to speak is autistic?
“It will be a good place to start,” Kilo replied, “but autism is not just about not having speech. It is a constellation of symptoms. We must also see the social interaction of this child. Is this a child who typically does not want to be around others? Or maybe they want to be around other people, or they don’t want to engage with those people? These are the children who would play on the side; they don’t acknowledge the presence of a parent or loved one who walks into the house. A child is sitting there playing, and mum and dad walks in and they don’t even show the typical excitement to go and greet them. Those are some of the little things we look at. So it is a combination of things, not just one thing.”
We all have limitations – Duyile
Like Kilo, Lanre Duyile, a board certified behaviour analyst blamed the discrimination on autistic children on societal tendency to look at their mental disabilities and limitations.
“People look mainly at their mental disabilities; they think about their limitations – he’s not able to do this, he’s not able to do that; but beyond that, the individuals that we work with can actually do way more. They give us insights with what is going on with them, what is going on with us, the outlook they have about the world. So it is just beyond limitations. Everyone has limitations; we need to focus on what these folks are able to do, their strengths…. And that’s what we’re encouraging us to do this year.”
Duyile, who spoke on ‘Using antecedent manipulations to improve learning and behaviours’ at the GTCO Autism Conference, is however of the opinion that the limitations are always going to be there. Like I said, we all have limitations because nobody is perfect. Let’s assume you are not able to communicate in English, that is your limitation; and then you go to school and you’re able to speak English, then that limitation is gone. It is the same with autism. They have a lot of limitations that we don’t understand, but with training, with proper programming, we are able to work with them in such a way that those limitations are removed as much as possible, and then they’re able to do independent living. They’re able to fend for themselves and do a whole lot of things in the community.”
According to Duyile, there are three areas that autism affects. “It may just be a language delay, such that he may start talking as late as age four. However, the fact that a child is having a delay does not automatically mean that he is autistic; so we have to do some assessments to see if he fits those three areas that impairment may be seen. If he fits all three, then he may have a diagnose of autism; but if it just one area, then it is not.”
Reacting through a statement titled: ‘Rebuttal of False News Reports Against GTCO’s Business Activities, Results and Its Executive Management,’ the Head, Group Corporate Communication, Oyinade Adegite, said there were attempts by certain groups to create a false narrative about the GTCO Brand and its Management.
According to the statement, “Based on the incessant release of false news reports on GTCO’s business activities, results and its management team, it has become necessary to set the records straight.
“The false news articles which are being sponsored using the media, center around baseless allegations against the Group’s business activities and its Executive Management.
“Being a responsible corporate citizen and a first-class institution, GTCO Plc has taken swift and decisive legal actions against the various sources of these false reports and will continue to use the full extent of the rule of law available to safeguard its reputation.
“We urge all our Customers, Shareholders, and Stakeholders to kindly disregard all the allegations being peddled through various media platforms and handles. “All, of our Executive Management team continue to operate in their full capacities as appointed and are not under any financial or regulatory scrutiny as alleged.”
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) yesterday outlined a clear path to becoming the first Nigerian financial institution to achieve $1 billion profit as the group set to launch a N400.5 billion public offer.
GTCO has received approval of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) for a public offer of 9.0 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N44.50 per share.
At the “facts behind the offer presentation” at the NGX, Group Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), Mr. Segun Agbaje said the new minimum capital announcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) coincided with the group’s strategy as the group had planned to raise capital to drive growth.
He said GTCO would become the first financial institution to reach a $1 billion profit with new investments across banking and non-banking businesses, in Nigeria and beyond.
“We want a market capitalization that Nigeria will be proud of. There is no Nigerian company that has ever made a $1 billion in profit and we are going to be the first to achieve it,” Agbaje said.
He said the decision of the CBN on the new minimum capital was good for the banking industry and the economy, noting that recapitalisation would position banks to support national economic agenda of a $1 trillion economy.
“Banks need equity. We have just gone through about a 200 per cent devaluation of the naira. The balance sheets of banks have shrunk and as the ability to do business has reduced.
“With the Federal Government also saying he wants a $1 trillion economy; you are not going to achieve a $1 trillion economy at this size of banks if you do not raise capital.
“So, we are not only raising capital because the central bank asked us to do it. You might not believe me, but we had decided before that we were going to raise capital and that we were going to pivot this organization for transformational growth.
“We’re going to grow the business in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. We’re going to grow the non-banking businesses. We’re going to improve our technology and when people ask me what my job description is today, I say I’m in the business of creating great customer experiences.
“It is impossible to do that without big technology. When we do food and drink, it is about our customer experience. When we do fashion, it is about our customer experience and when we do banking, it is about our customer experience, and you cannot do that without the right technology platform.
“So irrespective of whether the central bank asked for capital raising or not, we would have raised capital,” Agbaje said.
He highlighted that going forward, GTCO plans to deepen its Nigerian business with bigger and stronger exposures to critical sectors of the economy.
“Outside Nigeria, we are planning to invest in Senegal, because we think business is good there. We are going to grow in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Kenya,” Agbaje said.
He added that GTCO would go into an acquisition with a new capital, adding that the financial institution is going to change its core-banking software across its region.
Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) Plc, Alh. Umaru Kwairanga described GTCO as a beacon of excellence in the capital market, recognised as a leading issuer and one of Nigeria’s premier financial institutions.
He said that over the years, GTCO through its GTBank era to the HoldCo era has consistently demonstrated remarkable resilience, innovation, and leadership in the financial sector.
He assured that the NGX Group is committed to supporting GTCO and other financial institutions in their recapitalisation efforts.
“Our recent initiatives, such as the launch of the NGX e-platform, underscore our dedication to enhancing market efficiency and accessibility.
“Today’s presentation is a clear indication of GTCO’s proactive approach to engaging with the market and ensuring transparency in their capital raising activities.
“We believe that this initiative will not only strengthen GTCO’s capital base but also enhance investor confidence and contribute to the overall stability of the Nigerian financial system,” Kwairanga said.
Inyang Obong, the Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of the upcoming Alexandra clothing came all the way from Akwa Ibong to participate in the sixth edition of GTCO Fashion Weekend event which was held on at the GTCO Centre, Oniru, V.I Lagos, recently.
She is just one of the over 240 participants who had the opportunity to showcase their businesses and sell to the teeming crowd that visited the venue of the event which is fast turning to an annual Nigerian fashion trade fair.
In the words of Bola Osibelewo of ‘Ire Dire’, who came all the way from Abuja, “GT helps businesses to grow. I was here last year and I can tell you that because of the exposure I gained here last year my business has expanded. I have gained more clients and more experience.”
Youthful looking Blessing Oriaku, a graduate of Microbiology from UNIZIK could not withhold her gratitude to GTCO for putting together such an exhibition. The founder and CEO of ZOOCHI fragrance said the exhibition has afforded her the opportunity to showcase her brand to a massive audience and recorded high sales within just two days.
One thing that would be glaringly obvious would be the untethered creativity in the styles that walked the red carpets at the event, coupled with the teachings at the different masterclasses the two-day event witnessed.
It would also remain a weekend to remember as Nigerians, most especially Lagosians, young and old, converged to do their Christmas shopping and work on the exhibition grounds.
The event is part of the Bank’s initiative to strengthen small businesses in key economic sectors through non-profit consumer focused fairs and capacity building initiatives that serve to boost their expertise, exposure and business growth.
The event brought together the most promising, talented and recognised fashion designers, brands and retail enterprises from across Nigeria and abroad to showcase latest fashion trends and products to a large and diverse audience of consumers, fashion aficionados and industry professionals.
Created in 2016, the event pooled a crop of fashion SMEs shortlisted from over thousands of entries. For this 2023 edition fashion exhibitors from Nigeria and the diaspora understood the assignment by breaking the boundaries and creating mind-boggling streetwear for daring fashionistas.
Top fashion and accessories brands also showed up for the two-day event with more pieces on sale for shoppers who filled up the exhibition stands.
This is without forgetting the enlightening masterclasses, free retail stalls, presentations and streetwear where visitors from all walks of life had access to.
Each day ended up with a thrilling runway show by both Nigerian and international designers namely Theophilio, Bank Kuku, Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Bruce Glen, Mazelle Studio, and Huishan Zhang. Others were Sukeina, Loza Maleombho, Torlowei, Duaba Serwa, Sergio Hudson, and Laquan Smith.
With each of them speaking for one hour at a time, among the masterclass lecturers were Julie Wilson, she spoke about ‘Black is (Beyond) Beautiful; Sergio Hudson, dealt with the topic ‘Unveiling the Path to Fulfilling Dreams, whilst Jawara will do his own thing on ‘Hair Sculpting’
Others included Jourdan Dunn who thrilled the audience with her expertise on Mental Health and how she became the most sought-after model right from age 15 against all odds. Apart from Jourdan, Sir John, Beyonce’s makeup artist also dazzled the audience with his oratory skills in ‘The importance of skincare when using makeup products while building coverage that’s undetectable’, he also informed the audience never to give up their dreams but to show resilience and tenacity of purpose.
At the master classes, attendees however learned the art of breaking fashion barriers and boundaries tastefully and colourfully, factors that are essential for the growth of any fashion industry.
It also provided fashion entrepreneurs the unique opportunity to learn from global industry leaders and experienced brands on the business and beauty aspects of fashion.
Expressing their excitement about the show, many visitors and exhibitors said they could not wait to witness another edition of the colourful and entertaining event.
It was a fashion weekend to remember as it finished off nicely on the second day, November 12, 2023. In terms of prices, it was quite reasonable and generally affordable. For example some of the stalls displayed elegant dresses for prices as low as N25,000. Stoned and beaded Ankara tops were selling for about N15,000-N25,000, the same price it sells for at major Lagos markets.
Needless to say that while the event was one big step in the right direction for Nigerian SMEs as a whole, it was a giant leap for fashion investors and stakeholders in the country with a proof that GTCO got its corporate social responsibility right while also getting value for their set objectives and vision.
The GTCO fashion weekend, now in its sixth edition, has consistently redefined the fashion landscape, bringing together designers, fashion enthusiasts, industry professionals, and trendsetters both locally and internationally.
The annual edition of the GTCO Fashion Weekend has drew excitements from old and prospective participants as organisers prepare for the high octane event.
The highly anticipated event is scheduled to hold on November 11th and 12th, 2023, at the GTCentre, Plot 1 Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Lagos.
The GTCO Fashion Weekend is an annual consumer-focused fair designed to showcase the best of Africa’s Finest fashion to a global audience.
Over the years, the event has firmly established its place as an incubator for diverse talent, creativity, and enterprise in fashion retail, bringing together some of Africa’s prominent fashion brands alongside relatively newer labels to interact with universally celebrated fashion icons and engaging style personalities.
In keeping with tradition, this year’s event will feature insightful masterclasses and thrilling runway shows together with free stalls for over 120 fashion retailers.
Colourful façades, lively music, and a delightful ambience are popular elements of GTCO fairs and work together to create a multisensory, thoroughly fulfilling experience for all attendees.
Speaking on the 2023 GTCO Fashion Weekend, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Segun Agbaje, said; “Fashion is not just about making items of clothing or style accessories, it is about exploring feelings and channelling creative expressions to create experiences that resonate with various buyers, across different markets.
“The GTCO Fashion Weekend is constantly evolving to reflect the rapid growth of the global fashion industry in terms of size and sophistication, as we continue to draw on the endless possibilities in fashion retail to create better outcomes for individuals, indigenous businesses, and our communities.”
He further said, “The landscape for fashion design is always shifting; so too consumer needs. The 2023 GTCO Fashion Weekend provides a unique opportunity for local fashion retailers to seize on emerging trends and buyers’ preferences to reposition their businesses and thrive amidst the uncertainties and complexities of the future.”
The GTCO Fashion weekend is one of the main platforms of Guaranty Trust Bank for ‘Promoting Enterprise’ primarily to benefit its growing retail and SME customer base as well as support the indigenous Creatives Industry.
The Group operates a diversified, ‘Proudly African’ franchise and is renowned for its innovative approach to customer service and stakeholder engagement, especially through its non-profit, consumer-focused fairs and capacity building initiatives for small businesses, which has endeared the GTCO brand to millions of people across Africa and beyond.
