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Post COVID19 Rebound – Ecobank Nigeria Holds Virtual Graduation Ceremony For Batch 7 Trainees

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5 years ago

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57 trainees, who represent batch seven set of graduates being absorbed into Ecobank Nigeria as full time employees  were last week hosted to a virtual graduation ceremony by the Ecobank Academy – the first of its kind by the bank in Nigeria as it positions itself as a high quality employer ready for the opportunities of a post-COVID19 lockdown. In attendance were notable personalities including the Registrar/Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Seye Awojobi; Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan; Group Executive, Human Resources, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Yves Mayilamene; Head, Human Resources, Ecobank Nigeria, Kunle Adewuyi and several others including the 57 graduands who joined the ceremony from various locations within and outside the country.
In his comment, the Managing Director, Patrick Akinwuntan reaffirmed the commitment of Ecobank to continue to invest in young Nigerians to boost its high quality labor force in order to better serve its customers in a convenient and accessible manner particularly as the nation rebounds from the COVID19 lockdown. He added that Ecobank had invested in a robust technology-based model which positioned it to cope with current and future challenges including provision of convenient digital banking services to customers in a seamless manner across 36 countries on the African continent.
CIBN Registrar/Chief Executive, Seye Awojobi, said the initiative of the bank to host the event digitally is pacesetting for the industry. He commended the bank for the high premium placed on training and building the competencies of its workforce.
“The CIBN is quite impressed with the importance Ecobank attaches to training of new hires and capacity building of its staff. I have lost count of how many graduation events I attended at the state of the art Ecobank Academy last year. This is certainly the way to grow the bank and the industry to meet up with global standards. I advise the graduands to display high level of integrity. One of the truest test of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised. You should be ready to give your best to the bank that hired and trained you and thereby contributing your quota to the growth of the industry.”
 Speaking further, the Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan encouraged the graduands to remain ethical and diligent in the delivery of the vision of the bank to become the most preferred financial services payments brand in Nigeria to support the economic development of households and growth of trade, manufacturing and commerce in Nigeria and Africa.
Welcoming the graduands formally to the bank, Acting Head, Human Resources, Ecobank Nigeria, Kunle Adewuyi said the bank offers an enabling and conducive environment for staff to excel to the highest level, adding that its reward system remains a motivating factor for high performance and productivity. He explained that the Ecobank Graduate Trainee program is an intensive one year of in-depth training for fresh graduates, aimed at equipping the participants who may be coming from non-financial and banking related academic backgrounds with the necessary skillset and knowledge required to work in the banking and finance industry.
 Adewuyi noted that the graduation involving 57 trainees, which took place digitally due to the Coronavirus pandemic, was the first ever virtual graduation to be held in the history of the academy. He enjoined them to remain focused and apply themselves uniquely in their different roles.
Group Executive, Human Resources, ETI, Yves Mayilamene advised the graduands to be fully committed to their growth, as well as the overall growth of the organization and Africa.
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Access Bank Appoints Mr. Innocent Ike As Substantive GMD/CEO, Recognises Contributions Of Ms Bolaji Agbede As Acting CEO

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6 days ago

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August 28, 2025

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Access Holdings (‘Access Holdco’ or ‘the Company’) today announces the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as the substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective August 29, 2025, following the receipt of regulatory approval.

Mr. Ike will succeed Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has served as the Company’s Acting Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer for the past 18 months and has played a vital role in driving the Company’s performance.
Due to regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for a Financial Holding Company’s Managing Director, Ms. Agbede will revert to her substantive role as the Company’s Executive Director, Business Support. During Ms. Agbede’s tenure, Access Holdco achieved significant milestones, including ensuring workforce stability and seamless transition following the demise of the former Group Chief Executive Officer; successful execution of the Company’s N351 Billion Rights Issue and seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings of the Company.
Her leadership and strategic vision have not only maintained the Company’s momentum but also strengthened its competitive position in the industry. Commenting on the development, the Company’s Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward.
At the same time, we want to express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Bolaji Agbede. Her outstanding contributions over the past 18 months have been invaluable, and we appreciate her dedication in navigating the Company through challenges and opportunities. While regulatory requirements necessitate this change, we are grateful for the strong foundation that has been laid.” Mr. Ike graduated from the University of Lagos with a BSc (Hons) in Accounting in 1988, receiving recognition as the Best Graduating Student.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Certified IFRS expert. He has over three decades experience in banking and financial services, ten years of which were spent at Access Bank, where he rose to General Manager, overseeing portfolios in corporate, commercial, and public sectors.
He served as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, during which he launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform, earning several industry awards including the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year Award and the Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Ike said: “I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”
Access Holdings remains committed to becoming the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group, and with Innocent Ike at the helm, the Company is well-positioned for sustained success and growth.
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ZENITH BANK MARKS 35 YEARS ANNIVERSARY IN GRAND STYLE, RECOGNISES PIONEER CUSTOMERS AND LONG-SERVING STAFF

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2 weeks ago

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August 18, 2025

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L-R: Representative of the Nigerian First Lady and Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin; Chief of Staff to Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo; Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Wife of the Founder & Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mrs. Kay Ovia; Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON; Founder & Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR; Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum; Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Deputy Governor of Osun State, Prince Kola Adewusi; Chairman of Access Holding Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR; Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and the Publisher of Thisday Newspaper, Prince Nduka Obaigbena at the Zenith Bank 35th Anniversary and Chairman’s Dinner held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, at the weekend.

Amidst pomp and pageantry layered with a mixture of glitz and glamour, Zenith Bank Plc marked its 35th year anniversary with a commemorative Chairman’s Dinner at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, August 15, 2025. In recognition of their immense contributions to the success of the brand, the bank also presented commemorative awards and plaques to pioneer customers and long-serving staff, who have served meritoriously for 25 years and above. The ceremony brought together key stakeholders of the bank including customers, staff (past and present), regulators, partners, and friends, who all came together to celebrate 35 years of excellent and innovative banking services that has propelled the banking giant to the peak of Nigeria’s financial industry. Among the eminent personalities who graced the occasion were the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas; Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum; Governor of Delta, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who was ably represented by the Deputy Governor, Sir. Monday Onyeme; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON; and former governors Peter Obi and Udom Emmanuel (also an alumnus of Zenith Bank).In her welcome address, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON applauded the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR for his foundational role in building the structures for what has today become a shining example of excellence in the Nigerian banking industry and a globally recognised financial institution. She described him as “the Godfather of modern banking and the Nostradamus of our time, who through sheer tenacity, foresight, and uncompromising integrity transformed a modest vision into the financial powerhouse we celebrate today”.In his goodwill message, the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, a proud alumnus of the bank, praised the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR for being at the heart of the very successful brand that today stands as Nigeria’s largest bank by Tier-One capital. According to him, “Long before technology became the bloodstream of global finance, Jim Ovia had already woven it into the DNA of Nigerian banking industry. He introduced innovation not as a fashion but as a philosophy, placing Zenith Bank on a path where excellence is not an ambition but a standard. Yet his true signature is not only on the balance sheet. For Jim Ovia, the people make an institution. His greatest investment has been in human capital – in transferring his experience and sense of adventure to generation after generation of bankers and investors forged at Zenith Bank”.

Also speaking at the event, the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, CFR expressed its immense appreciation to all guests for joining the bank in celebrating this momentous occasion. He thanked the bank’s esteemed customers and shareholders for their trust, confidence and shared vision; the regulators, for their guidance over the years; his friends and partners, for being a constant source of strength; the Zenith Bank family led by the exceptional Group Managing Diector/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, for their loyalty and commitment; and his beloved wife and family for their love and support.Founded in May 1990, Zenith Bank has grown from humble beginnings into one of Africa’s leading financial institutions with branches across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja as well as subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, France, UAE and a representative office in China.

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FirstBank Retains Top Spot as Nigeria’s Best Bank for ESG At 2025 Euromoney Awards

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1 month ago

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July 29, 2025

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 FirstBank, the West African premier financial institution and financial inclusion services provider, has emerged as Nigeria’s Best Bank for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025, held recently in London. This marks FirstBank’s second consecutive win in the ESG category, affirming its leadership in sustainable finance and responsible banking across Nigeria.

The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are regarded as one of the most coveted accolades in the global financial industry. The highly competitive selection process involves rigorous analysis and assessment, measuring performance against strategic and impact-oriented criteria.

The Bank earned the award through its deepened sustainability commitments embedded across its operations and community initiatives. In 2024, FirstBank screened 237 transactions worth over ₦3 trillion for sustainability risks, integrating ESG considerations into its credit framework.

Among its flagship sustainability initiatives, FirstBank commenced a tree planting campaign in partnership with Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), planting over 30,000 trees in 16 locations across Nigeria. This was the first phase of its 50,000-tree initiative, projected to absorb approximately 720 tonnes of CO₂ by the end of 2025, contributing to climate resilience and supporting biodiversity preservation.

FirstBank has been proactive in gender inclusion through the Gender Market Strategy, disbursing over ₦43 billion FirstGem loans to women-led businesses in 2024. The Bank’s commitment to inclusive banking saw a significant increase in the worth of transactions facilitated by FirstMonie agents to over ₦9 trillion.

The Bank prioritises ESG/sustainability capacity building, evidenced by the training of over 9000 employees, and its webinars and workshops reaching over 2,000 SMEs and corporates. The bank’s investment in leadership for over 2,000 female employees through the FirstBank Women Network has demonstrated a dedicated structural commitment to cultivating a knowledgeable and diverse workforce catering to the dynamic ESG landscape.

Commenting on the award, the Chief Risk Officer of the Bank as well as the Chairman of the FirstBank Sustainability Committee, Patrick Akhidenor said, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award for the second time in a row, which is a validation of our efforts to create a sustainable and inclusive future for all our stakeholders. Our approach to sustainability is hinged on three pillars: education, health and welfare; diversity and financial inclusion; responsible lending, procurement and climate initiatives”

He added: “We remain focused on driving impact through purposeful initiatives and inclusive growth, ensuring that our ESG efforts continue to create meaningful change in communities across Nigeria and beyond.”

The continued success in ESG and sustainability is driven by FirstBank’s vision to be Africa’s bank of first choice, leading with purpose, responsibility, and innovation.

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