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Heritage Bank is investing in young people

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The performance of Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, is one of the sterling factors that distinguish leading financial institutions in Nigeria
Mr Ifie Sekibo, In this area, banks and telecommunication companies have maintained the lead, as they have notably invested in human capital development across the country. One of such institutions that stand out is Heritage Bank, a financial institution that is contributing to the improvement of the lives of Nigerians, especially young business owners.

Considering the importance of young people to the growth of any economy, the bank’s commitment is indeed remarkable. There is hardly any time that Heritage Bank is not in the news for CSR programmes, testifying to its commitment to improving economic development and well-being of communities, while also maximizing shared value for business, employees, and shareholders.

Worthy of note is the bank’s support to the Moses Siasia-led Young Nigerian Professionals Forum, NYPF, an organisation that seeks to harness Nigeria’s economic, political and social resources using contemporary leadership techniques.

The bank’s assistance was noticeable in the support it has provided for NYPF’s YESGrant which provides business training for 600 young entrepreneurs. The scheme trains youths in agriculture, creative business and Information and Communication Technology, ICT.

Consequently, grants were awarded to about 35 young entrepreneurs in agriculture, creative industry and ICT sectors after a rigorous review process conducted by an independent body, out of the tens of thousands who applied.

Impressed by the success of the scheme, Siasia commended Heritage Bank for its consistent support to the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, in Nigeria.

He also called on all stakeholders to see youth development as a necessity for national growth.

Another outstanding support from the bank was its decision to embrace NYPF’s anti-modern day slavery campaign.

At an international conference on illegal migration organised by the NYPF in Abuja, it was obvious that the success of the event was made possible by Heritage Bank and other partners.

Titled, International Action on Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons Conference, the forum was primarily convened to strengthen a multi-stakeholder partnership in curbing illegal migration and human trafficking. With participants drawn from international and local agencies working on human trafficking and illegal migration, the forum was an avenue to hear first-hand gory tales about the crisis.

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NSE: Market indicators dip further by 0.47%(Opens in a new browser tab) Encouraged by the successes the NYPF has recorded so far with assistance from the bank, Siasia recently described the bank as the bridge to the future.

He particularly lauded the bank for supporting NYPF’s Skills and Entrepreneurship Programme, SEDP, for young returnee irregular migrants. Siasia said the bank’s commitment to NYPF’s vision is adding value to the anti-modern day slavery campaign launched by the group. His words:”

Heritage Bank is a bank that is passionately supporting the aspiration of young people in Nigeria. “Heritage Bank supports Nigerian Young Professionals Forum’s scheme for young business owners, which has aided the growth of thousands of small businesses.

“We are glad to say that the bank has provided sponsorship to NYPF, especially some of our capacity building conferences for young people across Nigeria

“The bank is seriously supporting our Skills and Entrepreneurship Programme, SEDP, for young returnee irregular migrants and our campaign to combat modern-day slavery in Nigeria.

“The bank’s unrelenting support to our vision attests to its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. They are not only supporting our initiatives but are also promoting Nigeria’s values and culture across the country.

It is commendable. “I see Heritage Bank as Nigeria’s premier bank that provides hope to the aspirations of Nigerians with cutting edge solutions.

“We have a lot of banks in Nigeria, but Heritage Bank stands out because of their brand philosophical ideology to invest in the future.”

It would be recalled that the bank emerged as Nigeria’s Most Innovative Banking Service Provider for its outstanding contributions to improving the lives of young business owners in at the 5th-anniversary ceremony of NYPF in 2018.

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The bank was bestowed with the “Best Bank of the Year Business Support/Entrepreneur Development,” at the Africa Value Award 2018. It was adjudged “Best SME Bank Nigeria 2018” by Capital Finance International (CFI.co) and “Agriculture Bank of the Year 2018” by the Nigeria Agriculture Awards, MAA.

It was also honoured by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, in terms of members’ mobilisation and participation as well as sponsorship of the institute’s programmes.

At the fourth edition of Green October Event 2018, organised by Alamode Magazine, the bank emerges as the “Most Supportive Bank of the Year.”

Economy experts converge on Lagos for Vanguard Economic Discourse today(Opens in a new browser tab) Speaking at the NYPF, awards in Abuja, MD/CEO of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo said the honour spoke volume of the bank’s efforts to demonstrate its commitment towards developing and positioning youths to become world-class citizens equipped and ready to be absorbed into an increasingly competitive workforce.

“One of the reasons why we chose, as an organization, to support the entrepreneurial growth and welfare of the youths is to see young men and women play vital roles in the socio-economic development of the country and help curb the high level of unemployment,” Sekibo said. The Managing Director, who was represented by Jubril Adeojo, Team Lead, Power Corporate Banking, said Heritage Bank is positioned to lead the recovery of the economy through enhancing youth entrepreneurship development and engendering self-employment via its various initiatives and products.

According to Sekibo, the drive to support youths seeks to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

He explained that the entrepreneur schemes of the bank had always focused on dependable job-creating sectors, such as agricultural value chain (fish farming, poultry, snail farming), cottage industry, mining, and solid minerals, creative industry (tourism, arts and crafts), and ICT.
Culled from Vanguard

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HabariPay Launches Maiden “HabariPay Impact Report 2025”, Showcasing Its Journey, Business Evolution, and Contributions to Digital Payments

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HabariPay Limited, the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”), has unveiled its maiden HabariPay Impact Report 2025, providing stakeholders with a comprehensive account of the company’s evolution, innovation journey, business performance, and impact on the digital payments landscape.The report captures HabariPay’s transformation from a newly established fintech venture into one of Nigeria’s leading payment infrastructure providers, highlighting the milestones, strategic decisions, and investments that have shaped its growth. It showcases the company’s contributions to enabling digital commerce, supporting businesses, strengthening payment infrastructure, and expanding financial access through technology-driven solutions.The HabariPay Impact Report 2025 also highlights the company’s strong financial and operational performance, the growth of the Squad platform, and the development of infrastructure that powers payment acceptance, switching, transfers, merchant services, and value-added solutions. The publication further explores the role of innovation, talent development, and ecosystem partnerships in driving the company’s success.Speaking on the launch of the report, the Managing Director of HabariPay, Eduofon Japhet, said: “As a technology-driven company, we believe that impact extends beyond financial performance. It is reflected in the businesses we enable, the merchants we support, the infrastructure we build, and the opportunities we create for the next generation of innovators. The HabariPay Impact Report 2025 captures this journey and demonstrates our commitment to creating sustainable value for customers, partners, and the broader economy.”She further added: “The HabariPay Impact Report 2025 represents more than a reflection on our achievements; it is a testament to the deliberate investments we have made in building sustainable payment infrastructure, empowering businesses, fostering innovation, and creating long-term value for our stakeholders. As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding our capabilities, deepening our impact, and shaping the future of digital payments through technology-driven solutions that are secure, scalable, and inclusive.”The report also showcases HabariPay’s investments in innovation through initiatives such as the Take on Squad Hackathon and the Squad Hackademy, both of which are helping to develop future technology talent and accelerate the creation of practical solutions to real-world challenges.Looking ahead, the publication outlines HabariPay’s vision for the future, including continued investment in payment infrastructure, merchant solutions, digital innovation, and intelligent technologies that will shape the future of financial services.
To access the HabariPay Impact Report 2025, please click the below: https://squadco.com/impact-report/About HabariPayHabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations, and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.

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ZENITHBANKPARTNERSLAWMA,LASWATOCOMMEMORATEWORLDENVIRONMENT DAY 2026 WITH TWO-PHASE LAGOS CLEAN-UP

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Inlinewithitscommitmenttoenvironmentalsustainabilityandresponsiblebusinesspractices,
ZenithBankPlchascommemoratedthe2026WorldEnvironmentDaywithatwo-phase
environmental clean-up initiative in LagosState, held under theglobal theme “Inspired by Nature.
For Climate. For Our Future.”
The first phase was a morning clean-upconducted by staff of the Bank on Wednesday,3 June
2026, along Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The exercise mobilised employees to
clear waste, sensitise residents on proper disposal practices, and reinforce the Bank’s culture of
community service and environmental stewardship.
Thesecondphase,onThursday,4June2026,featuredawaterwaysclean-upattheFalomo
Waterways, Ikoyi, Lagos, executed in collaboration with the Lagos Waste Management Authority
(LAWMA)andtheLagosStateWaterwaysAuthority(LASWA).Thejointeffortfocusedon
removingmarinedebris,promotingcleanerwaterways,andsupportingtheState’sbroader
climate-resilience agenda.
Speakingontheinitiative,DameDr.AdaoraUmeoji,OON,GroupManagingDirector/CEOof
Zenith Bank Plc, said: “At Zenith Bank, sustainability is integral to how we operate. Clearing our
streetsandourwaterwaysisapracticalreminderthatprotectingtheenvironmentisashared
responsibility – and one we are proud to take up alongside LAWMA and LASWA. Through these
exercises, we aretaking deliberate action topreserve our communities,support climate action,
andinspireotherstoact.Ouroperationswillcontinuetoalignwithglobalenvironmental
standards as we build a more sustainable future for Nigeria and Africa.”
ZenithBankremainscommittedtoembeddingEnvironmental,SocialandGovernance(ESG)
principles across its operations, investing in green initiatives, energy efficiency, and community-
focused programmes. These efforts advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
–particularlySDG7(AffordableandCleanEnergy),SDG11(SustainableCitiesand
Communities)andSDG13(ClimateAction).Sustainabilityremainsanoperationalimperative
across the Bank’s Nigerian base and its broader African, UK and European footprints
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ZENITH BANK RENEWS COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN WITH EDUCATION, INCLUSION & OPPORTUNITY AT THE CORE

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  • Much more than commemorating the annual Children’s Day marked every May 27, Zenith Bank Plc is championing the
    narrativethatchildrenarethetrueleadersoftomorrow.TheBankhasdeepeneditsinvestmentincarefullycurated
    initiativesthatelevatechildrenacrosseducation,financialliteracy,health,digitalinclusion,andsocialprotection,
    building a generation equipped to thrive and lead. For Zenith Bank, every child matters, and the Bank’s footprint reflects
    a deliberate, pan-African strategy to nurture potential from the earliest age.
    Zenith Bank has been the financial institution partner to Kiddies Corner on Inspiration 92.3FM Lagos for over three
    years, anchoring the Tuesday edition and Zenith Financial Literacy Friday show. The programme blends spelling bee
    contestswithfinancialliteracyquestions,creatingawarenessandonboardingchildrenintotheZenithChildren’s
    Account (ZECA). This partnership came alive at the Inspiration FM Children’s Day Carnival on Saturday, May 23, 2026,
    whereZenithBankhostedover1,000childrenandtheirparents,celebratingZECAwinnerswithgames,skits,and
    Zenith Bank branded gifts.
    The Bank’s Zenith Financial Literacy Week, held quarterly, takes this mission into select schools across all 36 states
    andtheFCT.Studentsaretrainedonsavings,budgeting,basicinvestments,anditsretailproducts,withthetop
    performer in each school awarded N50,000. Complementing this is the Bank’s nationwide Financial Literacy Program
    undertheCBN-mandatedGlobalMoneyWeek,whichin2025alonereached3,622studentsacross22LGAs,
    deploying 137 bank employee volunteers as educators.
    In alignment with the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Quality Education, Zenith Bank
    hasdonatedstate-of-the-artICTcentresandcomputersystemstoschoolsanduniversitiesnationwide,includinga
    ComputerCentretoBamainaAcademy,Dutse,JigawaState.Itstransformativeinterventionsincludefullyequipped
    libraries,vocationalfacilities,andlarge-scaleschoolrenovations,fromOjotaSecondarySchoolandVictoriaIsland
    Secondary School in Lagos to Hugallawa Primary School in Jigawa. Targeted financial support further breaks barriers
    with N1 million cash donation to Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, supporting girl-child education; infrastructure
    upgrades at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School; a N1 million scholarship endowment for St. Francis Catholic
    Secondary School; and support for the North-East Children’s Fund to aid education in conflict-affected communities.
    Through its Primary Healthcare Centre Initiative across all 774 LGAs, Zenith Bank educates parents on early childhood
    savings during routine visits, linking health and financial well-being. The “PAD-A-QUEEN” Initiative commemorates the
    International Day of the Girl Child, reaching5,000 girls in 10 schools withsanitary pads, hygiene kits, and menstrual
    health education to keep girls in school and promote SDGs 3, 4, and 5.
    The Bank’s compassion extends to the most vulnerable. At Bethesda Home and School for the Blind, Idi Oro, Lagos,
    Zenith donatedbraille materials,food, and toiletries.For the2026 InternationalDay forStreet Children,it partneredwith
    Bosco Child Protection Centre on medical check-ups, food, clothing, and counseling. Annual Christmas Charity Visits to
    orphanagesdelivercash,toys,andessentialsupplies,whilesupportfortheSmileandShineChildrenFoundation’s
    Strive Conference empowers over 2,000 adolescents with life skills and leadership training.
    Commenting on the Bank’s intentionality towards the development of children, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group
    Managing Director/CEO, ZenithBank Plc, said, “AtZenith Bank, weare deliberate about initiativesthat elevate children
    becausetheyarenotjustourfuture,theyareourpresentresponsibility.AsWhitneyHoustonsopoignantlysang,‘I
    believethechildrenarethefuture,teachthemwellandletthemleadtheway.’Thatisthephilosophydrivingour
    investmentsineducation,financialliteracy,health,anddigitalinclusion.FromKiddiesCornertoICTcentres,from
    PHCs to orphanages, we are teaching them well, equipping them early, and giving them the tools to lead. Zenith Bank
    renews its commitment to every Nigerian child, to nurture their dreams, protect their dignity, and secure their tomorrow.”
    Championing youth expression, the Zenith Annual Youth Parade, hosted by the Bank for 19 years, stands as a flagship
    Corporate Social Responsibilityinitiative. Bringing togetherthousands of childrenand teenagers in avibrant showcase
    of unity and discipline, the parade has remained dedicated since inception to the vital mission of supporting, nurturing,
  • andempoweringtheNigerianchild,reinforcingtheBank’sbeliefthatleadershipislearnedearlythroughteamwork,
    confidence, and celebration of young Nigerian identity.
    ForZenithBank,Children’sDayismorethanadateonthecalendar.Itisadailypledgetoempower,protect,and
    prepareNigeria’schildrenforleadership.Fromclassroomstocommunities, the Bank’s initiatives are teaching them well
    and letting them lead the way because the future belongs to children who are equipped today.
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