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Ecobank is “Agric Lender of the Year 2020” – BAFI Awards

Ecobank Nigeria has emerged the winner of “Agric Lender of the Year” award at the prestigious Business Day’s Bank and other Financial Institutions Awards (BAFI). The bank was winner among other strong contenders to clinch the coveted award over the weekend.  According to Publisher of Business Day Newspapers, organisers of the event, Frank Aigbogun, Ecobank emerged winner from more than six strong nominees that were vetted, from which three were selected for the judges’ final choice. He stated that Business Day analysts spent over four weeks assessing the performance of Ecobank and its peers to arrive at  its decision.  He lauded Ecobank’s support for financing rural farmers for food sufficiency, providing employment, creating awareness to showcase the potentials in the sector and partnering government agencies, local and international development partners to develop the agric sector.

Receiving the award, Segment Head, Public Sector/AgriBusiness, Mojisola Oguntoyinbo said the award was well deserved, stating that Ecobank has been at the forefront of financing the entire value chain of agriculture thereby supporting the emergence of new entrepreneurs in the sector.  According to her, “As a bank, we are glad that our efforts at developing the agriculture sector of our country are being recognised. This is an encouragement that we should step up our support for the national economy.”

According to her, “Earlier in the year, we announced Agriculture Businesses Finance Scheme which will see us commence the disbursement of agriculture loans to practitioners in different value chains in the sector within the next two years. We have Agric Schemes to support over 70,000 farmers with special loans to increase their capacity and yields in support of the CBN 2020 wet season programme with the Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN).  We are also in partnership with the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and other developmental partners to double the amount of credit provided to the agricultural sector over the next two or three years.”

Ecobank has been actively leveraging entrepreneurship as a strategy to tackle poverty and growing unemployment in Nigeria through the creation of relevant platforms. One of such platforms is the Ecobank Xpress Point, the bank’s Agency Banking proposition which enables Agents carry out financial transactions on behalf of Ecobank and earn commission on transactions processed. Ecobank popularly referred to as the digital bank is also using its various  platforms including PoS, Omnilite, Omni, ATM, Mobile banking, Ecobank Mobile app, EcobankPay and Ecobank Online, among others to facilitate ease of transactions for customers.

The BAFI Awards is adjudged the most rigorous, prestigious and transparent awards programme in the Nigerian financial industry. Since its inception, Business Day has implemented an audit based approach in the evaluation process, meticulously reviewing shortlisted company’s financial reports, commissioned customer perception surveys, and analysts’ opinions to determine winners in the different award categories.

NAOSRE Confirms December 11 for Security Dinner, Discourse Programme

The leadership of the Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, an association made up of the finest hands in Nigeria’s security reportage, has confirmed December 11, 2020 for its dinner.

The dinner with a topic 2021 NIGERIA SECURITY: ISSUES,FUNDING AND PROSPECTS, is organized for the discuss of security issues in Nigeria.

In a statement in Lagos, the President of the association, Mr. Oyewale Femi stated that the ANNUAL DINNER- DISCOURSE PROGRAMME is the association’s annual evening of get-together to review security issues and re enact media strategies in playing crucial role of professionally bridging the gap of information between security agents and the public.

The statement added that the events holds on Friday, December 11, 2020 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 5pm prompt.

“It is going to be an evening of security review and strategies ahead of safer Nigeria from 2021,” he said.

Oyewale added that “the annual security dinner event is a fulfillment of NAOSRE’s commitment to promoting effective communication between citizens and security agents for a secured Nigeria,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee Chairman on AirForce, Senator Ibn N’Allah, former House of Representatives member and business mogul, Honourable Prince Ned Nwoko, Security agencies in the country, as well as other notable Nigerians are expected to grace the event.

UBA Gets Double Honours at BAFI Awards

… Wins Best Bank of the Year, International Bank of the Year

l-r: Head of Media and Media Relations, UBA Plc, Ramon Nasir; Deputy Managing Director, United Bank for Africa, Liadi Ayoku, President, Nigerian Institute of Taxation, Dame Gladys Olajumoke Simplice; and Managing Director, BusinessDay Newspapers. Mr Ogho Okiti at the BusinessDay Bank and other Financial Institutions Award (BAFI) where UBA won Bank of the Year and International Bank of the Year Awards, held in Lagos at the weekend.

Pan-African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, carted two highly coveted laurels at the BusinessDay’s Bank and other Financial Institutions Awards (BAFI) winning the Bank of the Year and the International Bank of the Year at the glamorous event held over the weekend.

The bank beat other strong contenders – Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank and First Bank – to clinch the two top categories in a well-attended ceremony comprising of Bank CEO’s, Captains of Industries and Senior financial executives.

UBA won the ‘Bank of the Year’ in recognition of UBA’s consistent effort in outperforming its peers using a composite of financial metrics, strategic foresight, execution discipline, world-class governance and global vision.

The Bank also won the award for ‘International Bank of the Year’, a keenly contested category, that pitches Nigerian financial institutions that have expanded on the continent against their international peers operating across Africa.

UBA’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Liadi Ayoku, who received the awards on behalf of the bank, expressed his delight on the recognition from BusinessDay.

He said, “These awards mark another milestone for UBA Group and is a testament of the diligent execution of the bank’s strategic initiatives on customer service. Being recognized as Nigeria’s best bank complements positive feedback from customers and is a recognition of our improving efficiencies, service quality and innovation. I therefore dedicate it to our growing loyal corporate and retail customers, who are our essence. Given our heritage commitment to Africa’s development, we continue to impact lives through our service as well as funding to individuals, businesses and government,” he noted.

Ayoku pointed out that the bank remains focused on its goal of democratizing banking in Africa, leveraging on new technologies and emphasised its determination to change the narrative of financial services in Africa.

Publisher of BusinessDay Newspapers, organisers of the event, Frank Aigbogun, noted that UBA has excelled in the key areas of prioritising customers, which according earned the bank the double honours.

While explaining the rationale behind UBA winning the two prestigious categories in its December issue, Aigbogun noted that the bank stood out in prioritising customers as has been evident in the significant rise in  Customer Deposits  which leaped by 35.7 % to N5.2trillion up from N3.8 trillion at the end of the last financial year.

He noted that even though Africa’s economic landscape has been unpredictable in recent times which resulted in recession in Nigeria and some of Africa’s best performing economies, the bank still found its rhythm and excelled.

Deputy Managing Director, Ayo Liadi with the Bank of the Year Award won by UBA at the BusinessDay Bank and other Financial Institutions Award (BAFI), held in Lagos at the weekend.

He said, “In these conditions only the most diversified and innovative of regional banks can prosper. And this is precisely why UBA has scooped the BAFI 2020, Best Bank of the year and International Bank of the year, a testament to hard work, resilience. For one, the lender registered impressive top- and bottom-line growth over the review period.”

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-one million customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points, in 20 African countries. With presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services.

Zabarmari Murder: HURIWA CALLS FOR MORE FUNDING FOR INSURGENCY OPERATIONS

Following the ugly murder of about 43 farmers in Zabarmari, Borno yesterday, A frontline Civil Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has outrighty condemned the act, while blaming the government for not funding the Nigerian army enough to battle insecurity in Nigeria.

The organization made it known that the Nigerian Army is burdened with policing duties, which isn’t supposed to be so, hence, hindering the army from carrying out its primary responsibility of protecting citizens against the enemies of the state.

“HURIWA is shocked at the bloodcuddling bloodletting that took place in the past 24 hours in the North East of Nigeria and especially the day light genocide of rural fish farmers by persons suspected to be fighter of the Boko haram terrorists. It is a sad day to wake up with the heartrending story of the gruesome decapitation of some Nigerians only because they went in search of foods for their families. The story that some 40 people reported ‘slaughtered’ in attack on labourers working in rice fields in Borno state in the country’s northeast, is a monumental disaster which calls for a declaration of national mourning for a day by President Muhammadu Buhari.

To read that the assailants on Saturday tied up the agricultural workers and slit their throats in the village of Koshobe, near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, is the most saddening piece of news since this year.

We in the organised civil society community in Nigeria completely locates the blame on the doorsteps of President Muhammadu Buhari who is actually not providing the needed political leadership to win the war on terror which has lasted far longer than necessary. The government is not funding the military as much as it should.

The government is not ready even to officially declare Boko haram terrorists as a terror network so their finances are traced but the Central bank of Nigeria is misused to witchunt peaceful protesters and the banking accounts of suspected sponsors of the recent peaceful protests against police brutality and the violent killings of Nigerian Citizens were frozen by CBN but the Central bank of Nigeria under the current administration has increasingly failed to trace the funding channels of Boko haram terrorists and again the justice sector is not willing to prosecute the terrorists because the officials plan to milk Nigeria dry by presenting outrageous bills as budget for the prosecution of terrorists just about the same time that government continuously releases these terrorists arrested back into the society under the pretensions that they are to be deradicalised and reintegrated. The government by releasing terrorists is providing recruitment fertile ground for Boko haram terrorists.

The government also fails to fund the war efforts”.

The Rights group stated that Nigerians should not condemn the military for not doing enough because they are handicapped, while calling on the international community to come to the rescue of Nigeria by providing logistical and technical support for the military.

Oyo CP Issues Strong Warnings To Okada Riders, Tricylists Against Acts Of Arson In The State

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, psc, having observed and evaluated futuristic trend of the dastardly acts evident in the killing, burning and vandalisation of Police men and facilities respectively during the EndSARS protests, called a meeting with the leaders of various Motorcycle and Tricycle Riders Association in the state on Wednesday November 25, 2020.

The meeting which was a symposium to entreat leaders of the aforementioned associations to preach the existence of institutions responsible for ensuring justice and to discourage them from taking laws into their hands, civic obligations such as supporting the Police when the need arises with tangible information towards the preservation of law and order, prevention of crime and apprehension of offenders were topics worthy of note from this meeting.

One would have concluded the meeting was sufficient enough a drastic measure towards ensuring the breakdown of law and order is being brought to the barest minimal or at least is in no way connected to the aforementioned association, but the reverse is the case.

Investigation and intelligence gathering reveals that Idi Ogungun the first and the oldest colonial Police station in Western Region of Nigeria, built in 1926, that stood as a monumental site and Agodi police posts were burnt and vandalized respectively on Tuesday November 24, 2020 as a result of the rift between men of the Correctional Service and bike men stationed at bus-stop gate area, was the result of the collective efforts of both bike men and men from the gate spare part market despite all effort to put them to order by the Police men on ground who came only for the preservation of law and order and were in no way connected to the feud on that faithful day.
Consequent upon this.

The Commissioner of Police observed the turnout of event with grave dismay and disappointment and has decided to issue strong warnings to bike men, tricylists, traders and artisans alike at the gate market and across the length and breadth of the state.

Whoever is found or linked with the commission or omission, direct or indirect resemblance to the dastardly act of brigandage and carnage to Police men, facilities and properties of Police men will maximally face the full wrath of the law.

The CP wishes to assure the law abiding people of Oyo state that effort to bring normalcy to the security of the state is at top speed and there is no course for alarm, he urges the good people of Oyo state to collaborate and give credible information that can lead to apprehension of criminal elements before crime is committed.

He also assures that maximum security measures has been emplaced in all nooks and crannies within and outside Ibadan metropolis to ensure hitch free celebration during this Yuletide period and beyond.

SP. Fadeyi Olugbenga
Police Public Relations Officer
For: Commissioner of Police
Oyo State Command.

Police Academy Fixes New Dates For Screening Of 8th Regular Course – NAOSRE

The Nigerian Police said the Police Academy Wudil will begin the screening of candidates for the 8th Regular Course on January 9.

The spokesperson for the academy, N. Habib, an assistant superintendent of police, made the disclosure in a press statement issued and made available to National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE.

The screening will begin at the academy with candidates from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, FCT Abuja, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo from January 9 to January 15.

It said candidates from the states who passed the aptitude test conducted should proceed to Wudil at the appropriate date, where the academy is located, for the screening.

The statement explained that the shortlisted candidates would undergo medical and physical screening.

It noted that screening for candidates from Abia, Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kastina, Kebbi and Nasarrawa would hold between 16 and 22, 2020; Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, January 23 to January 29.

The candidates were also directed to come with the original and photocopies of their credentials, passport photographs, certificate of indigeneship authenticated by the state government and a pair of white canvass shoes, white vest, white shirts and socks.

The statement added, “All candidates will be subjected to medical examination/fitness test at the venue; Note that parents/guardians will not be allowed into the academy during the exercise.”

Saidi Balogun Hits Location For First Comedy Movie As His Children Get Role

Accomplished role interpreter, Saidi Balogun is set for location for his first ever comedy movie.

The Ibadan, Oyo state born act had before now, produced series of movies in different languages, even as he holds the enviable record of the first African Black Man from Nigeria to produce one and only 2 and the first Person to Produce all cast in Africa Ankara.

“Master P” another movie you can wait to see from the stable of the multiple Award winner, and an exceptional script interpreter Saidi Balogun, according to him said the hilarious comic movie will be shot in cinema standard with higher resolution for saidi Balogun productions,

“Master P” is big one which has been conceived for years now and the time is ripe now to make the idea real”

Acts on the bill of the new movie are scheduled to hit location from the 2nd of December 2020 in Ajilete settlement in Ogun state.

The project “Master P”, according to Saidi,” is unique because we always give you value for money and your time”

The Actors involved in the new work include Ayo Adesanya, Olaiya Igwe, Adewale Eleso, Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Akintola, Odunlade Adekola, Olaniyi Afonja (sanyeri ), Jude Orora, Tunde usman (Okele), Saidi Balogun, Office Garji, Funky Mallam, Koffi the Guru, THE NEPA BOYS, AJIREBI, MUSTAPHA SOLGBADE, Peter ijaye gbemi Samuel Olashehinde, Ben O Ben including his children namely Jamal, Zenat and Kalid.

Ecobank Nigeria Launches Smart SME Agency Banking Campaign to Empower Small Businesses

Ecobank Nigeria has launched Smart Small And Medium Enterprise (SME) Agency Banking campaign targeted at empowering 100,000 entrepreneurs under the Ecobank SME and Agency Banking proposition. Emeka Agada, Head of SME, Ecobank Nigeria, said the initiative was introduced in line with the bank’s commitment to support the Federal Government and Central Bank Of Nigeria vision for financial inclusion across the country.  Aside improving financial inclusion, this campaign also aims to create self-employment for new entrepreneurs  and help diversify income streams of existing small businesses across Nigeria. He reiterated that Ecobank has made it easy for entrepreneurs and small businesses to become the Bank’s Agents under this initiative.

“This laudable initiative is to empower small businesses and create new entrepreneurs. It is open to every honest and enterprising adult capable of using smart phones and/ or Point of Sale (PoS) Machines  as well as every small and medium enterprise subject to their meeting the terms and conditions as set out for Agents. Why not join the Ecobank Smart SME Agent network today and become a mobile financial services provider? “. He stated.

Mr Agada explained further that an Xpresspoint agent could perform basic banking services such as account opening, deposit collection for Ecobank, interbank transfers to other banks, card and card-less withdrawals, bill payment, airtime top-up, remittance services amongst others. He said Agents will earn money through-fees and commission on all successful transactions done through the agency. Ecobank will also train the agents and provide branding materials for free.

In her comment, Mrs. Nike Kolawole, Head Ecobank Agency Network lauded the Initiative and added that the Ecobank Agency proposition remains the best in the industry today. She encouraged small businesses to partner with the bank to drive financial inclusion and employment.

On a general note, Mrs. Kolawole emphasized that “banking has greatly evolved and has become closer to the people. With the introduction of Agency banking, no one needs to visit a bank branch to carry out a transaction. With your phone, you can perform your own transaction or perform transactions for other people on behalf of the bank and earn commissions. I encourage the youth and owners of small businesses (men and women) to use this initiative to expand their revenue streams while offering this value-added service to customers”.

COVID-19: FIRSTBANK LAUNCHES NEXT-GENERATION ATM

– SPEARHEADS INNOVATION IN ELECTRONIC BANKING IN NIGERIA

In the light of COVID-19, FirstBank has launched the FastTrack ATM, a Next Generation ATM and first of its kind in Africa, designed to promote financial activities on the ATM devoid of any form of physical interaction with the machine. The introduction of the FastTrack ATM which is done in partnership with Inlaks enables customers carry out cash withdrawals without having to touch the interface of the ATM.

With the FastTrack ATM, widely referred to as Touchless Solution, the customer carries out the transaction by using his or her mobile phone to perform the needed steps designed originally for implementation on the ATM. By using one’s phone, the transaction is carried out – in advance – through the Bank’s USSD or mobile banking option. Upon the schedule, the customer visits the FastTrack ATM to complete the transaction by tapping a contactless Near Field Communication (NFC) card on the ATM to withdraw his or her cash.

FirstBank customers can now leverage the real-time mobile banking capabilities of their cellphone to activate cash withdrawals at the FastTrack ATM. The ATM solution is the Bank’s response to control the spread of COVID-19, whilst promoting the safety of customers that carry out transactions at the ATM.

Speaking on the launch of the FastTrack ATM, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited said ‘at FirstBank, we are driven to provide seamless financial solutions to ensure our customers are able to timely carry out their transactions in safe, secured and efficient ways, thereby putting them ahead in digital banking, not just in Nigeria but Africa. We are delighted to set the pace regarding the use of the Next Generation ATM in Africa which enables customers to use their mobile phones to remotely initiate ATM-based cash withdrawals via our *894# USSD banking or FirstMobile application. At the core of our strategy lies innovation which is critical to adapting to the new normal’.

According to Olufemi Adeoti, Managing Director, Inlaks, “given that consumers are more adaptable to mobile technology Inlaks – the Africa’s leading Information Technology Solutions provider together with Hyosung ATM OEM are partnering with FirstBank to introduce the first fully compliant COVID-19 FinTech ATM. This is in alignment with the ‘new normal’ desired customer experience which includes digitalization and delivering a secure contactless cash access to the bank’s FirstMobile customers for better user experience, simplicity, speed and convenience”

In recognition of its giant strides at promoting electronic banking in the country, FirstBank’s mobile banking application – FirstMobile –  was recently awarded the Best Mobile Banking App award 2020 in the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards 2020 as well as 2019 Best Mobile Banking App by Global Business Outlook.

FirstBank has been at the forefront of promoting electronic banking solution in Nigeria. In 2017, the Bank was recognized as the first financial institution in Nigeria and the West-Africa sub-region to issue 10 million ATM cards to customers across the country. The bank was the second in Africa to achieve the milestone.

These feats are achieved through the trusts in its industry leading innovative banking solutions by over 10 million customers on its USSD *894# banking platform and over 4.1 million customers on its FirstMobile banking application, endearing the Bank to process about 30% of card transactions in the entire banking industry in the country.

FBNHOLDINGS GROUP WINS BIG AT THE 2020 GREAT PLACE TO WORK AWARDS

L-R: Tunde Lawanson, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FBN Holdings Plc, Ugochi Onuekwusi, Human Resources Officer, Rev. Oluwayomi Uteh, General Manager, Operations TREM, Oyinade Kuku, Head, Human Resources, FBN Holdings Plc and Douglas Elisha, Technical Assistant to the GMD, FBN Holdings Plc at The Great Place To Work Awards held at Marina, Lagos on Friday which had FBNHoldings winning the Best Place to Work for Millennials and Women, Best in Leadership Practice, and 2nd Best Place to Work. The financial holdings group also received Platinum certification as a Great Place to Work.

FBNHoldings Group has won big at the 2020 Great Place To Work Award ceremony held last week Friday in Lagos. The Holdings Company along with its subsidiary companies; First Bank of Nigeria Ltd,  FBNQuest Merchant Bank and FBNQuest Capital won various awards at the prestigious event.

FBN Holdings Plc received a Platinum Certification as a Great Workplace further attesting to the quality of its people practices. It also received the award for the Best Workplace for Millennials; this has become evident with a high percentage of its workforce in this age category and the targeted HR initiatives to drive engagement and retention. FBNHoldings also topped the following two categories and received the awards as the Best in Leadership Practice and Best Workplace for Women. Overall, FBNHoldings was ranked as the 2nd Best  Workplace.

In the other categories, First Bank of Nigeria Limited received a gold certification as a Great Workplace and also won the Best Workplace in Learning and Development, affirming its peak performance in this space. The Bank was ranked as the 5th Best Workplace in the Large Corporates Category.

FBNQuest also had a glorious evening at the event, based on research feedback and metric score from the Great Place To Work team. In the other Categories- (Medium-sized Corporates), FBNQuest Merchant Bank and FBNQuest Trustees were adjudged as the 4th and 5th best workplace ranking respectively. They also received Gold Certification as a Great Workplace, while FBNQuest Capital received a Silver Certification.

Speaking on the awards received by the Group, UK Eke, MFR, the Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings Plc said ‘this is a reflection of the commitment and efforts of the FBN Holdings Group management in providing and building quality life for all our employees’ adding further ‘the awards also demonstrates our recognition of the critical importance of all our employees as we seek to remain the ‘hub for the best industry talent’ towards the delivery of our overall strategic objectives.

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