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Tag: Heritage Bank

  • Heritage Bank declares May ‘Children Banking Month’

    Heritage Bank declares May ‘Children Banking Month’

    Heritage Bank has declared this month as Children Banking Month as part of its children financial literacy initiative to commemorate the youngsters on May 27.

    Aptly themed:Taking The Early Lead, the Heritage Children Banking Month, which activities will directly impact a minimum of 320 primary and secondary schools nationwide this year, is in recognition of the pivotal role children play as the leaders of tomorrow.

    The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Director, IfieSekibo, who made the declaration, said: “We are dedicating this month to our young customers with the aim of encouraging them through their parents to imbibe the culture of saving.”

    Sekibo stated that “aligned with the dedication is our financial literacy campaign, geared towards equipping our future leaders with the requisite knowledge to make them better leaders in keeping with the bank’s vision of creating, preserving and transferring wealth across generations”

    Each experience centre, a nomenclature of the bank for its branches, is expected to select two primary or secondary schools within its area of operation and interface with them.

  • Heritage Bank unveils customer reward schemes

    Heritage Bank unveils customer reward schemes

    Heritage Bank has introduced two customer reward schemes that will enable it offer exceptional services to its customers. The programmes, MyHeritageReward and HB Concourse, flagged off at the bank’s head office in Lagos, at the weekend, were meant to encourage and reward its customers.

    The MyHeritageReward is a loyalty programme that allows customers to win mouthwatering prizes for using various electronic channels of the banks. The HB Concourse is a meeting room fully furnished with relevant office equipment and designed to afford the small business owners that are customers of the bank space to hold brief business meetings.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Ifie Sekibo, who spoke about the introduction of the programmes, said the lender was founded on the commitment to support customers in wealth creation, preservation and transfer across generations.

    According to him, “these programmes are some of the innovative ways through which we can show appreciation to our customers for being part of our success story.” ForMyHeritageReward, customers are required to sign up online using their mobile phone numbers that help in creating customer profile with a pass-worded access.

    From this point on, the customer earns points which enable him to graduate from class to class while winning commensurate prizes as he actively uses the bank’s Point of Sale (POS), internet and mobile banking, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and cards among other e-Banking products.

    He explained that MyHeritageReward gives customers opportunity to view progress they have such as bank transaction channels, membership class, milestone boosters and cash backs as well as an inquiry service that gives the customer access to point balance, ranking, rebate purse in addition to entertaining games and contests like Gold finger and Brain Quest among others.

    “Prizes range from airtime across all networks, smart phones, business, shopping vouchers, generators, inverters to a brand new vehicle. Apart from saving cost for the newcomer in business and SMEs, the HB Concourse also provides convenience for clients travelling out-of-state for business to naturally conduct their meetings or appointments without worrying about office space among others,” he said.

     

  • Heritage bank boosts SMEs with N500m grant

    Heritage bank boosts SMEs with N500m grant

    Heritage Bank Limited on Thursday launched a N500 million Young Entrepreneurs and Students (YES) Grant to boost small industries. The initiative, which is in partnership with the Nigerian Youth Professional Forum (NYPF), will, according to the bank, support students and young entrepreneurs toward socio-economic freedom.

    The Managing Director, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, in his remarks at the occasion in Lagos, explained that the bank’s support for the programme arose from the fact that the initiative aligned with the bank’s vision to help create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

    The Managing Director, who was represented by the bank’s Group Head, Market Strategy, Mr. Obioma Emenike, added that the bank will also support the project in terms of training the beneficiaries, disbursement of the grant as well as in the monitoring and evaluation of the project’s milestones as agreed with the beneficiaries.

    “We have been playing strongly in the education and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) sectors of the economy. This project syncs with our mission and vision as a bank. The age bracket of 18 to 40 years for the beneficiaries also aligns with our corporate goal, just like the key sectors which include agriculture, ICT and creative industry, identified for the project are pivotal for economic growth” he said.

    The NYPF, according to its Chairman, Mr. Moses Siasia, is a non-governmental organisation conceived by a group of young professionals with the mission to promote innovative ideas for socio-economic development.

    Siasia said the programme is geared towards assisting both aspiring and existing young entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses, and ultimately create jobs and distribute wealth in the economy.

    For the students, the grant can be accessed for tuition fees to help low income students and technological research and innovation.  Students in Nigeria can access up to N500, 000 only. Students in the United Kingdom can access up to 3000 pounds, while those in the US can access up to $5,000.

    For young entrepreneurs, the grant will be available for the following target sectors: agriculture, creative industry, Information and Communication Technology (ICT).  In each category, an entrepreneur with an existing business can access up to N2 million.

    Before the latest initiative, Heritage Bank had packaged a N200m loan facility for young graduates willing to advance their dreams in small-scale businesses. It is also collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the CBN initiative, Youth Innovation Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YIEDP).

  • CoolFM, Heritage Bank sponsor students to film festival in Lebanon

    CoolFM, Heritage Bank sponsor students to film festival in Lebanon

    CoolFM and CoolTV in collaboration with Heritage Bank have concluded plans to sponsor students to the 8th edition of the Notre Dame University International Student Film Festival, holding at Notre Dame University, in Lebanon from November 15-22, 2015.

    At a press conference to unveil the lucky winners, the Group Managing Director of AIM Group, Amin Mousali, said the sponsorship is one among the company’s corporate social responsibility platform to expose students to innovations in filmmaking worldwide.

    Waxing philosophical, he said a country cannot advance unless it develops its human resources, hence the company’s commitment towards grooming new talents in the film industry for the next generation.

    Mousali who recalled that the company began sponsoring students to the film festival since 2012, said the lucky winners to this year’s event have the opportunity of visiting historical sites, like Canaanland in Lebanon, where Jesus Christ preached the gospel.

    Besides, he said the participants stand a chance to learn about the culture and mores of the host country amongst others.

    On the set criteria for selection of winners, Mousali said the competition is open to every student across all disciplines as long as they can write scripts.

    The competition, he said, is a talent hunt of some sorts aimed at tasking the creative ingenuity of the students.

    While justifying the sponsorship of the programme by Heritage Bank, Tobe Nnadozie, Divisional Head, Innovation and Products, said the company has a strong affinity with the arts, hence it is always willing to support activities around the sector.

    “Heritage Bank is a story itself which we’re writing. It’s a very fantastic story,” he began.

    Expatiating, Nnadozie said:”Our lead-in as a bank is about helping people to create, to preserve and to transfer wealth across generations. And one thing that has transcended across various generations is art. Most other things time out or burn out. But art has remained there and when I talk about art, it’s the whole embodiment of arts such as culture, language, songs, drama and many other things.”

    Speaking earlier, past winners, including Damilola Kolajolu, Seun Adebanjo and Nneka Chile recalled with nostalgia their experiences at the previous editions of the festival, which they described as a life transforming experience and one they would hold dear for life.

    This year’s winners who were selected out of over 600 entries, namely Chima Martins Agara of Imo State University, Senator Ewah George of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Ayodeji Donaldlove Ogunleye of National Films Institute, Jos, were upbeat about their trip to Lebanon.

    Agara’s entry titled: ‘Honey Money Pot’  ‘Dead Alive’ by Ogunleye and ‘My name is Amina’ by George have been produced into a film by Emem Isong and Aim Groups’ Production Company, World Entertainment Television Limited (WETV).

    Speaking separately, Ogunleye and Agara expressed thanks to the CoolFM management as well as the Heritage Bank for giving them the opportunity to explore the world of filmmaking, stressing that they would make both companies and the nation proud.

  • CoolFM, Heritage Bank sponsor students to film festival in Lebanon

    CoolFM and CoolTV in collaboration with Heritage Bank have concluded plans to sponsor students to the 8th edition of the Notre Dame University International Student Film Festival, holding at Notre Dame University, in Lebanon from November 15-22, 2015.

    At a press conference to unveil the lucky winners, the Group Managing Director of AIM Group, Amin Mousali, said the sponsorship is one among the company’s corporate social responsibility platform to expose students to innovations in filmmaking worldwide.

    Waxing philosophical, he said a country cannot advance unless it develops its human resources, hence the company’s commitment towards grooming new talents in the film industry for the next generation.

    Mousali who recalled that the company began sponsoring students to the film festival since 2012, said the lucky winners to this year’s event have the opportunity of visiting historical sites, like Canaanland in Lebanon, where Jesus Christ preached the gospel.

    Besides, he said the participants stand a chance to learn about the culture and mores of the host country amongst others.

    On the set criteria for selection of winners, Mousali said the competition is open to every student across all disciplines as long as they can write scripts.

    The competition, he said, is a talent hunt of some sorts aimed at tasking the creative ingenuity of the students.

    While justifying the sponsorship of the programme by Heritage Bank, Tobe Nnadozie, Divisional Head, Innovation and Products, said the company has a strong affinity with the arts, hence it is always willing to support activities around the sector.

    “Heritage Bank is a story itself which we’re writing. It’s a very fantastic story,” he began.

    Expatiating, Nnadozie said:”Our lead-in as a bank is about helping people to create, to preserve and to transfer wealth across generations. And one thing that has transcended across various generations is art. Most other things time out or burn out. But art has remained there and when I talk about art, it’s the whole embodiment of arts such as culture, language, songs, drama and many other things.”

    Speaking earlier, past winners, including Damilola Kolajolu, Seun Adebanjo and Nneka Chile recalled with nostalgia their experiences at the previous editions of the festival, which they described as a life transforming experience and one they would hold dear for life.

    This year’s winners who were selected out of over 600 entries, namely Chima Martins Agara of Imo State University, Senator Ewah George of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Ayodeji Donaldlove Ogunleye of National Films Institute, Jos, were upbeat about their trip to Lebanon.

    Agara’s entry titled: ‘Honey Money Pot’  ‘Dead Alive’ by Ogunleye and ‘My name is Amina’ by George have been produced into a film by Emem Isong and Aim Groups’ Production Company, World Entertainment Television Limited (WETV).

    Speaking separately, Ogunleye and Agara expressed thanks to the CoolFM management as well as the Heritage Bank for giving them the opportunity to explore the world of filmmaking, stressing that they would make both companies and the nation proud.

  • Heritage Bank marks customer service week

    Heritage Bank Limited joined the rest of the world to mark the yearly Customer Service Week with Everyday Heroes as its theme.

    The event, which was celebrated last week in Lagos, allowed the lender to extol the patronage and loyalty virtues of its esteemed customers by introducing several unique and special activities to appreciate the customers.

    As a way of making this year’s edition a memorable one for customers of the new Heritage Bank, the financial institution, which is now bigger and better, having emerged from a merger exercise of the former Heritage Banking Company Limited and former Enterprise Bank Limited, has lined up a number of activities to celebrate and appreciate them.

    Some of the activities, which were implemented during the period, include elaborate decoration of all experienced centres of the bank and complimentary candies, sweets and chocolates as well as branded corporate gifts for customers during the period.

    A statement from the Corporate Communications Department of the bank, which highlighted the message of the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, said the Customer Service Week has again provided a good opportunity for every member of staff, units, groups and regions in the bank to delight all stakeholders at all Heritage Bank touch points.

     

     

  • Heritage Bank to increase SMEs funding to N100b

    Heritage Bank has said it is targeting increasing loans to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from N23.5 billion to N100 billion by the end of next year.

    The bank’s Head of SME Product, Concept, Ideas and Development, Ekene Maduake made this known in Lagos at a yearly conference on SMEs in Lagos.

    Speaking on Heritage Bank’s  perspective on the theme of the conference, ‘Banks and SMEs in Nigeria: Prospects, challenges and success stories,” Ekene said the lender has supported SMEs to the tune of N23.5 billion within the  two and a half year of its existence.

    He said: “By the end of the 2016 financial year, we intend to grow this volume to about a N100 billion. We have already started working towards achieving this goal.”

    He said based on the understanding that SMEs are the engine of growth in any economy, the lender has supported various sectors in the SME space, especially those that have the potential of creating more jobs in the system.

    “We have supported SMEs operators in the area of bottled water production, printing companies, beverages, those in the agricultural sector and other operators in the SME space,” he said.

    However, in the process of engagement with the sector, it discovered certain challenges faced by operators. “One of such challenge is that an average SMEs operator in Nigeria do not have a streamlined book keeping and accounting records. As a result of this, it is difficult to get reliable records to base judgment on the true worth of their businesses.    In most cases, we are constrained to rely on the customers’ banking activities. What the bank is specifically doing to get them improve on this, is to render advisory services to them,” he said.

    According to him, the bank interacts with SMEs on day to day basis, and on monthly basis. “We organise advisory workshops where we take them through the rudiments of running businesses better, for the ultimate benefit of the economy,” he added.

    He explained that one of the areas the bank has helped SME operators, is how to differentiate between a company’s business operational cash flow and that of personal cash flow.

    “We do this to enhance shared value, because as their businesses get better, we also get better as a bank. It is also another way of reaching the unbanked,” he stated.

    The bank came into being in March 2013 as a result of the acquisition of banking license of defunct Societe Generale Bank.   Again, most recently, Heritage Bank acquired another defunct bank, Enterprise Bank.  This has made the bank bigger and better today.  At Heritage Bank, “we are committed to delivering distinctive financial services, building on innovation and partnership to create reserve and transfer wealth across generations.

    “With service at the centre of delivery, the bank applies superior market knowledge, operational excellence and the culture of integrity, he added.

  • Heritage Bank integrates systems

    Heritage Bank integrates systems

    • Promises improved service

    The Chairman, Board Heritage Bank Limited, Akinsola Akinfemiwa has said the bank is set for a seamless operation that will meet the expectations of its customers and stakeholders.

    Speaking during a parley with reporters in Lagos yesterday, Akinfemiwa explained that the bank has, to this end, integrated its “process, technology, people, and branch networks” to pave way for an efficient and seamless banking service for its customers all over the country and beyond.

    He said: “We have aligned our operations and processes. We have also rebranded all our branches and trained all our workers on all aspects of our core operational services. We have equally harmonised our products, customers and data at all our Experience Centres.”

    He further said the bank is a service organisation engaged in the business of banking, promising that it will operate in a different and special way to satisfy customers and beat its competitors. According to him, the bank is innovative and service-oriented.

    He said: “It is not like any other bank; we are going to use technology to push our operations.”

    The new development, according to him, has fully established the lender as a national financial institution that operates and renders full commercial banking services across the country.

    The bank, which hitherto operated as a regional bank, with 15 Experience Centres, has increased its presence to about 200 service outlets boosted by about 165 branches of the defunct Enterprise Bank, spread across the country.

    Akinfemiwa said this marks a new era in banking in Nigeria as the integration of two entities with similar values, excellent and professional staffing, strong branch network, has led to an entity that is poised for excellent and quality financial services.

  • Debtors’ list: Heritage Bank apologises to Nda-Isaiah

    The Heritage Bank( formerly Enterprise Bank) has apologised to the Publisher of Leadership Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, for erroneously including his name, his wife’s (Zainab) and Banana Republic in the list of chronic debtors of the bank.

    Nda-Isaiah is also the chairman of Banana Republic Ltd.

    The bank tendered the apology  in an August 31 letter to the publisher.

    The letter reads: “We refer to our list of chronic debtors published in two national newspapers on August 3,2015, that included Banana Republic Ltd, your name, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah and that of your wife, Zainab.

    “We wish to state regretfully that the inclusion of Banana Republic Limited, your name and that of your wife on the list was done in error.

    We also acknowledge that negotiations are ongoing for the liquidation of the facility

    granted to Banana Republic Limited

    “The bank holds you, your family and Banana Republic Limited in high esteem. Again, we egret whatever insinuation or public harm done to your persons.”

    Nda-Isaiah  had petitioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor over the defamation of his character by Enterprise Bank Limited.

    The bank on Monday, August 10 listed Banana Republic Limited as one of  its delinquent debtors.

    But Nda-Isaiah, in a petition to the CBN Governor, called for an investigation into the loan granted to him by the bank.

    He  admitted that in 2013, Banana Republic asked Enterprise Bank for an N80million facility for the expansion of its business into Maitama District in Abuja and the construction of a 5-star hotel in Guzape, Abuja, on a 1.4 hectare hilltop prime location.

    He said: “We placed the 1.4 hectare hilltop land in Guzape worth more than N2billion as security for the N80 million facility since it was the same bank that would also handle the hotel project anyway. The loan was promptly approved by the bank because it was considered a good project.

    “But that was when our problem started. It was at this point that our account officers started behaving strangely and unprofessionally. Sometimes they even showed signs of incompetence.”

    “The breakdown of the approved facility was N67.5million for the purchase of equipment and N12.5million for working capital to operate the restaurant.

    “Upon approval, our account manager opened an escrow account in our name without our knowledge and deposited N67.5million and started charging interests right away from July 25, 2013, on the entire N80million sum, without any form of notification to us.

    “It was only several weeks later that the management of his food and hospitality outfit knew that an unusual banking practice had happened, alleging that they were not allowed to draw the equipment facility even though they had started charging us interest on the entire approved sum.

    “The first drawdown of N18,647,500.00 in August was only allowed nearly one month after they had started charging interest on the entire loan sum. The next drawdown of N43,372,500.00 in September 2013, was only allowed nearly two months after commencement of interest charges to us.

    “The total sum we were allowed to draw from the N80million facility was only N61,920,000.00 even though they were charging interest on the entire N80million approved,” he said.

    According to Nda-Isaiah, when there seemed to be no headway, he then instructed the group managing director of his holding company to intervene, which he promptly did by traveling to Lagos, the head office of the bank.

    He noted that the failure of the bank to allow drawdown of the N12.5million working capital, which was part of the N80 million facility, complicated the dispute further.

     

  • Heritage Bank, EDC discuss opportunities for SMEs

    Heritage Bank and the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic  University (PAU) are looking at ways of improving business opportunities available to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

    To achieve this, both institutions will next month, hold a conference where top chief executive officers of key institutions will discuss prospects for the SMEs subsector.

    Speakers at the ninth EDC annual SME conference Heritage Bank Executive Director, are Mrs. Mary Akpabome; CEO Centre for Leadership at PAU, Prof Pat Utomi; Founder Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmos Maduka; CEO Design Options, Mrs Ifeyinwa Ighodalo.

    Heritage Bank Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Ifie Sekibo said partnering with EDC to organise this conference is part of the lender’s efforts to help SMEs get better and bigger, which is one of the strategic objectives in our its of Enterprise Bank.

    “Each of these CEOs have proven track record in various business endervours which are nationally acclaimed. We believe that their testimonials will serve a big boost of inspiration for SME operators that would attend the conference”, he said.

    Over the years, Heritage Bank has partnered with EDC and other organisations to help SMEs build competence, access new opportunities and develop necessary leadership skills required for success in the business world.

    These include the Heritage Bank SME Clinic, Heritage Governance Model, the Paris Club Credit  Scheme and the Enterprise Stories, a radio programme whichfocuses on stories of successful entrepreneurs. The sponsorship of the Annual EDC’ SME Conference is to complement these initiatives, which are aimed at promoting SME development in Nigeria.

    The SME Conference is a forum for members of EDC Business Network, and other SMEs alike to come together to learn, interact and share experiences. Last year, the conference with the theme “Model, Money and Market- Positioning Your Organization” brought together more than 500 people made up of SME owners, SME stakeholders, representatives of financial institutions. In the past three years, Heritage Bank has partnered with the centre on this annual event.