Category: Business

Fidelity Bank Plc has notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the general public of the appointment of Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, as the incoming Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2021.

The bank made the announcement on Monday in a notice on the NSE website, signed by Ezinwa Unuigboje, its Company Secretary.

The notice said the appointment followed the impending retirement of its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nnamdi Okonkwo, from the Board of Directors of the bank, with effect from December 31 upon completion of his contract tenure.

“In compliance with the succession policy of the bank, the board has approved the appointment of Onyeali-Ikpe, the current Executive Director, Lagos and South West Directorate as the MD/CEO designate of the bank, to assume office with effect from January 1, 2021.

“The approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been obtained for the appointment,” said the statement.

It said the board had also approved the appointment of Kevin Ugwuoke, the current Chief Risk Officer of the Bank, as Executive Director, Chief Risk Officer, subject to the approval of the CBN.

The statement said that Mr Okonkwo was appointed to the Board of the bank in April 2012 as an Executive Director and was subsequently appointed the MD/CEO on January 1, 2014.

It said Mr Okonkwo implemented a digital-led strategy which led to significant growth across key performance metrics and increased market share, with the bank currently ranked sixth amongst Nigerian banks on most performance indices.

The statement said the bank under his leadership successfully accessed the local and international markets through the issuance of N30 billion Corporate Bonds in 2015 and $400million Eurobonds in 2017.

“The board seizes this opportunity to express sincere appreciation to Okonkwo for his significant contributions to the growth and development of the Bank during his tenure of the board,” the statement added.

It said Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe was appointed to the Board of Fidelity Bank in 2015 as an Executive Director and currently oversees the Lagos and Southwest Directorate.

It stated that she led the transformation of the directorate to profitability and sustained its impressive year-on-year growth across key performance metrics.

The bank said Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe had been an integral part of the current management team responsible for the remarkable increase in the bank’s performance in the last five years.

It stated that the area under her direct responsibility, in the period, contributed over 28 per cent of the bank’s profit before tax, deposits and loans.

“Onyeali-Ikpe has over 30 years of experience across various banks including Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Citizens International Bank Limited, where she held several management positions in Legal, Treasury, Investment Banking, Retail/Commercial Banking and Corporate Banking

“She has been involved in the structuring of complex transactions in various sectors including oil & gas; manufacturing, aviation, real estate and export.

“As an Executive Director at Enterprise Bank, she received formal commendation from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) as a member of the management team that successfully turned around Enterprise Bank.

“She holds Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws (LLM) degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Kings College, London, respectively,” it said.

It added that Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe had attended executive training programmes at Harvard Business School, the Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, INSEAD School of Business, Chicago Booth School of Business, London Business School and IMD amongst others.

The bank said Onyeali-Ikpe is currently undergoing a Diploma programme in Organisational Leadership at Said Business School, Oxford University, UK.

(NAN)

Heritage Bank plc, Nigeria’s most innovative banking service provider has upgraded its HB ‘Padie’ mobile application to HB ‘Padie’ 2.0, which comes with new improved features for convenient, quick, secure and affordable way for seamless 24/7 banking transaction.

The HB ‘Padie’ 2.0 app has been redesigned and relaunched with new improved multi-functional feature and game-changing innovation that leverages customers to ease accessibility to funds and improve the standard of living. This is poised to enable customers’ card management in connecting all bank accounts with their Debit Card details or account holder information.

The banking app which is squarely targeted at customers across board and embedded with improved security and self-service features allow the customers to open accounts from comfort of their zones.

HB ‘Padie’ 2.0 combines digital transactions and community lifestyle payments that empower customers with the power to build their world and perform digital transactions how they want.

The platform possesses other numerous benefits, as one of these is an enabler for foreign exchange transfer with speed and convenience you need all in one.

The platform enables customers and small business account holders key into electronic payment system easily, efficient collections, bills payment, mobile virtual top-up, funds transfer, balance enquiry and many more.

Other added features include frequent transaction; dashboard flexibility and personalization, which involve profile management-the HB ‘Padie’ 2.0 can be customized by the user by adding any profile picture of choice, whilst the customers can retain and delete beneficiaries without having to repeatedly enter the recipients’ account details.

The HB ‘Padie’ 2.0 platform also allows customers to monitor their spending patterns, as it shows the inflow and outflow of funds on their account.

To further improve banking experience and make access of funds easier, Heritage Bank launched its USSD code *745#.

According to the bank, it does not require a smartphone or data and would induce an improved banking experience.

The bank said to register for the service, customers should dial, *745# account number* last 6 digits on the customer’s debit card# and follow the voice prompt.”
To ensure seamless banking transactions, the bank explained that customers are constantly communicated to, to also adopt its available 24/7 alternate electronic channel.

“We have encouraged our customers to adopt the self-service platforms like *745*0# for balance enquiry, Funds Transfer (Within Heritage Bank): *745*1*Amount*Account Number#, self-airtime recharge: *745*Amount#, third party airtime recharge: *745*Amount*Mobile Number# and change pin: *745*00#.”

 

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s leading financial inclusion services provider is set to reward customers for Verve Card usage in its Free Fuel Promotion.

The Free Fuel promo which is activated by FirstBank in collaboration with Verve International and Oando Plc. kicked off on Monday, 6 July 2020 to Friday, 24 July 2020 between 6 am and 6 pm.

In the promo, for a minimum of N3,000 fuel purchase, FirstBank Verve Cardholders will receive 5 extra litres of fuel for FREE instantly at selected Oando Fuel Stations across Lagos every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

The Oando fuel stations where the promo will run are Abijo (Lekki Stillwaters), Fola-Agoro, Maryland, Agege-Bypass, Lakowe, Lawanson, Ojodu- Berger, Alapere, Shiro Road (Fadeyi Ikorodu Rd.), Awolowo Rd (by Fire Service), Marina, and Tradefair stations.

Verve card is a secure debit card that allows the cardholder to conveniently meet day to day financial needs such as payment for goods and services, airtime recharge, bill payments, funds transfer, etc. It is accepted across all ATMs, POS, Web and Mobile Platforms in Nigeria.

Pick up your FirstBank Verve card today at any of our branches and start getting rewarded!

 

As the coronavirus pandemic forces firms to downsize and cut their wage cost to cope with the adverse economic realities, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is bucking the trend with a different approach that puts its staff first, writes Segun Adams.

 

In a pandemic year where employees are agreeing to pay cuts to keep their jobs and businesses are either downsizing or simply liquidating, First Bank of Nigeria Limited is an outlier, taking an unusual approach to demonstrate how organisations can still ensure the best outcomes for both employer and employees.

 

The first-tier lender last Friday promoted a crop of its staff across all levels in a rare show of corporate resilience in the banking industry and beyond, both locally and across the borders.

According to FirstBank, keeping staff motivated during these unprecedented times is not only crucial for the soul of businesses, but it also demonstrates corporate responsibility.

 

In the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic, there have been unprecedented layoffs across the world as companies went bust, unable to generate cash to sustain their operations.

The United States, the world’s biggest economy has recorded a historic rise in unemployment with over 45 million initial unemployment claims in the last three months.

In Britain, HSBC, a giant global bank, is reviving plans for a 35,000 job cut due to pre-existing problems thought to have been worsened by the pandemic. Big banks like Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Barclays, Société Générale among others have announced about layoffs exceeding 60,000 jobs.

 

In Nigeria, 38% of the workforce was jobless in April due to the virus and lockdowns, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) estimates. In the MSMEs sector, 50,000 jobs were lost and 10,000 businesses have shut down according to Auwal Bununu Ibrahim, the National Vice President, North Central of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, (NASME) and in the Aviation industry, some 24,000 jobs were lost as of April.

While banks in the country have been barred by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from laying off staff without regulatory approval, there is no obligation for banks to implement promotions or raise pay. In fact, most lenders have initiated pay cuts to cope with the excess capacity arising from skeletal operations and depressed levels of economic activities in the economy which is reeling from the coronavirus and lockdown shocks.

 

But against the odds, FirstBank promoted its staff and didn’t cut down salaries.

In a recent article, Forbes stated that the manner in which firms treat their employees during the ongoing health and economic crisis will not only be remembered for years to come but have a direct effect on their productivity going-forward.

“How businesses respond will have a lasting impact on employee behaviour including, engagement, productivity and loyalty,” the American business magazine noted.

Hertzberg’s Two-Factor Theory also known as dual-factor theory postulates that career progression is a motivating factor for employees to work harder.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on the mental health and focus of employees in the country, and across the world, due to uncertainty of job status, lower income and a disruption to their career development, FirstBank stands out as a safe and rewarding place to work.

The stability and confidence enjoyed by the bank’s staff are the vital environment human resources experts say is necessary for firms that will successfully navigate the tides of current realities.

In a recent BusinessDay Webinar, Nkemdilim Begho, CEO, Future Software Resources Limited advised that businesses can engage their team and see how they can help in creating new ideas and products that the company can deliver. The resultant effect will be greater efficiency of staff and innovation whereas, elsewhere organizations are bound to struggle with a demotivated workforce which could lead to inefficiencies and higher costs for the businesses with adverse implications for bottom-line.

To realise optimal human resources contributions, Begho acknowledged the need for firms to sustain team bond and ensure that morale of their staff is high.

 

Even before current events, FirstBank has always proven to be conscious of the impact a stimulating and rewarding environment can have on the overall employee performance and thus, provided value accretion to shareholders, customers and other stakeholders.

From its competitive remuneration across cadres including mid-level and senior-level employees to benefits that cover medical insurance and disability insurance, sick leave and vacation, and retirement options, FirstBank puts its workforce first ensuring that they are well motivated and equipped to deliver higher productivity.

 

FirstBank has featured on some of the best workplace rankings including A Great place to Work and Jobberman. Last year, the big bank ranked among the Jobberman 2019 best 100 companies to work for in Nigeria, a list that scrutinizes over 60,000 companies to pick the best 100 based on strict metrics. The bank has enjoyed positive reviews from credible job/career sites like Indeed where it banks a 4.1/5 positive rating.

 

A former employee of the bank Aderemi Adebiyi commended the institution for its keen interest in the welfare and career progression of its employees. “I worked in the Bank for 15 years and do not regret it. It’s fast-paced, performance-driven with varied streams of career development,” Aderemi said. “The company also offers paid trainings.”

 

FirstBank’s talent management strategy is aimed at supporting employee engagement, employee motivation and increased productivity, and leadership development across all levels of employees within the organization, according to its website. As a tenet of career development, FirstBank has devoted itself to creating a culture of continuous learning tailored to the needs and aspirations of the employees and the business itself.

 

The bank’s FirstAcademy and learning centres strategically located around the country allows for e-learning, mobile learning, physical classrooms and virtual libraries to allow all employees the opportunity to equip themselves for future roles that benefit both them and the organization. This means pandemic or not, learning is continuous and uninterrupted.

FirstBank also prides itself as an equal opportunity employer so that qualified persons irrespective of gender, culture, age, nationality, sexual orientation, disability or social background can participate in its business.

At the same time, FirstBank remains a performance-driven organization and merit-based, allowing individual talents to be rewarded for their hard work and contribution to overall organisational goals.

With people as one of the bank’s greatest assets, it strives to maintain a pool of multi-skilled and well-rounded employees relying on initiatives like Job Shadowing, Coaching, Counselling, Mentoring, Succession Planning and Career Maps to develop and retain talents at all levels of the organisation’s operations.

 

Access Bank through the W initiative, has empowered women, owned and managed SMEs by putting together an innovative bundle of offerings designed to support the more than a few aspects of business during the global pandemic.

The W Initiative of Access Bank remains a pioneer proposition to promote women’s economic empowerment in Africa with over a decade of active participation in creating and supporting the Women’s Market across its focus segment. Being the forerunner of the gender-focused initiative in the industry, The W initiative has yet again demonstrated a feat by supporting women especially Women SMEs during these times.

The bundled offerings consist of; the introduction of the W Webinar Series, implementation of a 90 days moratorium and extension on all existing loans to Women owned and managed SMEs without penal charge, introduction of the bespoke business debit card and creation of an e-commerce enabled website to enhance the digital presence for female owned businesses.

Speaking on Access Bank’s innovative for SMEs with a focus for Women owned businesses, Ayona Aguele-Trimnell, Group Head, Women Banking at Access Bank Plc said “At Access Bank, we are mainly committed to drive women’s economic empowerment in the markets we serve. We are also actively involved in supporting women-owned businesses to thrive through this period by leveraging digital platforms to sell their goods and services, providing alternate channels of banking as well as easing the burden of loan repayment while considering the impact of the global pandemic on SMEs.”

She further mentioned that “The Bank has adopted virtual platforms to ensure that Women owned SMEs are given an enabled environment to thrive and continue their businesses despite the global pandemic.”

Access Bank has an unflinching commitment to empower women and contribute immensely to the growth of the women market in Nigeria and beyond for accelerated social and economic growth.

Fidelity Bank Plc has announced that two of its Board members: Mr. Ernest Ebi, who has been serving as chairman, Board of Directors, and Mr. Seni Adetu, who has been serving as an independent non-executive director, having successfully completed their tenure in accordance with the bank’s internal governance policy, will be stepping down from the Board.

Under the Chairmanship of Ebi, the bank recorded significant growth across key financial metrics with both Messrs Ebi and Adetu playing significant roles, complementing management effort in the delivery of these milestones; in service of the long term vision of the bank. The bank’s market share position has also been materially strengthened over this period.

The board is also pleased to announce that the retiring Chairman will be succeeded by Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi, who is currently the Executive Vice Chairman at Alpha African Advisory. He has over 40 years of experience in investment banking and the financial services sector, working with reputable global investment banking and asset management firms. He provides overall leadership at Alpha African Advisory and has direct oversight over the capital raising division.

Prior to joining Alpha African Advisory, he was the inaugural CEO, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), a Federal Government-backed institution, established to resolve the problem of non-performing loan assets of Nigerian banks after the 2008 global financial crisis. Chike-Obi was Founding President at Madison Advisors, a financial services advisory and consulting firm in New Jersey, specialising in hedge funds and private equity investment advice. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Lagos (First Class Honors) and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Ebi will, however, continue in the role until the in-coming Chairman assumes office as part of the process of ensuring a smooth and successful transition. The changes being announced further attest to Fidelity Bank’s high governance standards and best practices in compliance with internal succession policies.

The outgoing Chairman expressed pride in the results that the bank achieved during his time as Chairman. ‘I feel that the management team has consolidated on our plans to become one of the fastest-growing banks in the country, strongly rooted in technology only comparable with the best in the world. I am confident that my successor will continue on that path to take the bank to its next stage of growth and advancement.  I wish my successor, the management team, and the entire staff of Fidelity Bank the very best for continued success”, he said.