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FBNHOLDINGS: SETTING THE TONE FOR GENDER INCLUSIVENESS, BALANCE IN BOARDROOM

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Bashirat Odunewu, Group Executive, Energy and Infrastructure, FirstBank; Cecilia Akintomide (OON), Independent Non-Executive Director, FBNHoldings; Folake Ani-Mumuney, Chairman, FBNInsurance Brokers/Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank; Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, First Bank of Nigeria Limited; Fiona Ahimie, Managing Director, FBNQuest Securities Ltd; Oluwande Muoyo, Independent Non-Executive Director, FBNHoldings; Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, Managing Director, ARISE News Channel Africa; Otunba Debola Osibogun, Non-Executive Director, FBNHoldings and Oyinkan Adewale, Independent Non-executive Director, FBNQuest Merchant Bank in a group picture at the Women Corporate Directors (WCD) Foundation, Nigeria Chapter, meeting hosted by FirstBank, to promote female leadership in management.

In many parts of the world, including Nigeria, women often face the barriers of discrimination and persistent gender inequalities which deny them access to key positions in the corporate world as well as access to finance or the formal economy.
Women make up almost half of the world’s working-age population of nearly 5 billion people. But only about 50 percent of those women participate in the labor force, compared with 80 percent of men, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF’s research highlights how the uneven playing field between women and men imposes large costs on the global economy. Early IMF studies on the economic impact of gender gaps assumed that men and women were likely to be born with the same potential, but that disparities in access to education, health care, and finance and technology; legal rights; and social and cultural factors prevented women from realizing that potential.
Nearly 70 UK companies have been told to employ more women in senior roles. Domino’s Pizza, JD Sports and Greene King are among those that have called out by financial trade sector body The Investment Association and the Hampton-Alexander review, a diversity study backed by the government.
The number of women holding the most senior jobs in the boardrooms of Britain’s biggest companies has fallen, according to a report that criticises the lack of progress made by businesses in getting more women to the top.
Analysis from Cranfield University, as part of its 20th FTSE Women on Boards Report, shows a sharp drop in the number of women occupying chief executive (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO) or other executive roles on FTSE 250 boards, and static numbers at FTSE 100 companies.
Women constitute almost half of the Nigerian’s population and its workforce. Yet the kind of work they do, the condition under which they work, and their access to opportunities for advancement at work place differ from that of men. Women are often disadvantaged in access to employment opportunities and in conditions of work as compared to men. In addition, many women forgo or curtail employment because of family responsibilities. The removal of obstacles and inequalities faced by women is advantageous to an economy’s development. For example, the Beijing Declaration affirms a national commitment to the inalienable rights of women and girls and their empowerment and equal participation in all spheres of life including the economic domain.
Also, Goal 8, target 8.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men (including for young people and persons with disabilities), as well as equal pay for work of equal value by 2030.
According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) the percentage of men employed in the State Civil Service from 2014 to 2015 was higher than the percentage of women for both senior and junior positions.
The average percentage of women employed in the State Civil Service from 2010 to 2015 in each category (junior and senior) was 38.16 per cent, while it was 68.84 per cent for men.
Also, men dominated employment in federal MDAs while women on grade level 01 –17 plus Special grade level was 34.67, 35.08 and 32.79 per cent for 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.
In the financial services sector, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had in 2014 directed that 40 per cent of banks’ top management and 30 per cent of board directors should be women.
Reports revealed that that women constitute only 22.3 per cent of the total board appointments in Nigerian banks, while their counterparts make up 77.7 per cent since 2014.
However, FBNHoldings, Nigeria’s leading financial holding company and parent company to FirstBank is no doubt exemplary at representing the change, thus demonstratively redefined the Women in Business trajectory with women occupying various leadership positions, positioning the financial group powerhouse as a leading institution at driving Gender Balance in the Boardroom.
Leading the pack of women in the board across the group structure which comprises FirstBank and its subsidiaries , FBNQuest is Ibukun Awosika whom has been Chairman of FirstBank since 2016. Prior to being the Chairman, she was a Non-Executive Director. since 2016 . The representation further cuts across the group entity of its parent company, FBNHoldings. Other companies across the group, FBNQuest and FBNInsurance are also not left out.
Otunba Debola Osibogun, Non-Executive Director, FBNHoldings; Cecilia Akintomide (OON), Independent Non-Executive Director, FBNHoldings; Oluwande Muoyo, Independent Non-Executive Director, FBNHoldings; Dr. Omobola Johnson, Non-Executive Director, FBNQuest Merchant Bank; Oyinkansade Adewale, Non-Executive/Independent Director, FBNQuest Merchant Bank.
Others are Kehinde Adenrele, Chairman, FBNInsurance, Folake Ani-Mumuney,Chairman, FBNInsurance Brokers; Ijeoma Agboti, Non-Executive Director, FBNQuest Capital; Funke Feyisitan Ladimeji, Non-Executive Director, FBNQuest Asset Management; Titi Adebiyi, Independent Director, FBN General Insurance and Margaret Dawes, Non-Executive Director, FBNInsurance.
With such an admirably notable representation, it is no surprise that only recently, Women Corporate Directors (WCD) – Nigerian Chapter – had FirstBank host its meeting, held on Thursday, 3 October 2019 with 60 female directors and leaders of various organisations across various industries in attendance. These women discussed pertinent corporate issues with a view to promote the continued influence of women in Business and the economy, also ensuring that the needed balance on the home front is bolstered. The keynote speaker is Osagie Okunbor, managing director SPDC & Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria.”
FBNHoldings recognition of female impact in its business operations at management level no doubt sets the tone for other institutions across other industries to promote women inclusiveness in management, thereby instrumentally shaping gender balance in the business atmosphere, thus influencing ethical practices in a cultured way worthy of consistently reiterating the recognition of female at impacting the economy and National Income as a whole. This in no small measure transcends to the political space, the cornerstone of legislative impact in the economy and business activities as a whole.
Godwin Emefiele, governor of the CBN, said recently that the Apex bank had made remarkable progress in closing the gender gap in the Bank.
“It is heartening that today, women represent 29.0 per cent of CBN staff and 29.0 percent of directors are women. Eight departmental directors and one Director General of WAMZ as against 26.0 per cent of staff and 25.0 percent of directors in 2014. Similarly, three out of 11 board members are women (27 percent)”, Emefiele said at the 2019 CBN Commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) in March, 2019.

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Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or “the Group”) has released its Unaudited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements as of September 30, 2025, to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE)

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The Group posted profit before tax of ₦900.8billion on the back of strong performance on the core earnings lines of interest income and fee income which grew y-o-y by 25.6% and 16.8% respectively. The strong core-earning performance continued to narrow the y-o-y dip in PBT to 26%, thereby cushioning the impact of the ₦523.2bn fair value gains recognised in Q3-2024, which did not recur in Q3-2025.

The Group recorded growths across all its Asset lines and continues to maintain a well-structured, healthy liquid and diversified balance sheet in all the jurisdictions wherein it operates a Banking franchise, as well as across its Payments, Pension and Funds Management business verticals.

Group’s total assets and shareholders’ funds closed at ₦16.7trillion and ₦3.3trillion, respectively. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very robust and strong, closing at 36.5%, likewise asset quality improved as evidenced by IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans which closed at 3.3% and 4.4% % at Bank and Group level in Q3-2025 (Bank 3.5%, Group 5.2% in December 2024). Cost of Risk (COR) also improved to 2.2% from 4.9% in December 2024. In specific terms, the Group’s loan book (net) grew by 16.5% from ₦2.79trillion as of December 2024 to ₦3.24trillion in September 2025. Similarly, deposit liabilities grew by 16.0% from ₦10.40trillion to ₦12.06trillion during the same period.

Commenting on the results, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Our third quarter performance underscores the consistency and resilience of our business model, as well as the continued strength of our diversified financial services ecosystem. We are seeing steady, sustainable growth across our banking and non-banking businesses, supported by disciplined execution and a strong focus on operational efficiency. The improvements we have made to our digital and payments infrastructure are enhancing customer experience, deepening engagement, and driving greater integration across our ecosystem.”

He further stated: “Looking ahead, our focus remains on advancing our competitive edge through innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to superior customer outcomes. With a clear growth trajectory and strong organizational alignment, we are well-positioned to sustain performance momentum and deliver another year of industry-leading results.”

Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian Financial Services Industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., Pre-Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) of 39.5%, Pre-Tax Return on Assets (ROAA) of 7.6%, Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 36.5% and Cost to Income ratio of 28.8%.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is a leading financial services group with operations across Africa and the United Kingdom. Renowned for its strong corporate governance, innovative financial solutions, and customer-centric approach, GTCO Plc provides a wide range of banking and non-banking services including payments, funds management, and pension fund administration. The Group is committed to delivering long-term value to stakeholders while driving growth and development across its markets

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Access Holdings Reports 2.5 Trillion Gross Earnings in H1 2025

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Access Holdings Plc (“the Group” or “the Company”) today announced its half-year audited financial results for the period ended June 30, 2025.The Group’s financial results for the half year ended June 30, 2025, reflect the resilience of our business model, the diversification of our revenue streams, and the steady progress to the execution of our five-year strategic plan. Gross earnings increased by 13.8% year-on-year to 2.5 trillion in H1 2025 from 2.2₦ ₦ trillion in H1 2024, driven by strong growth in interest income which increased by 38.9% year-on-year to 2.0 trillion from 1.5 billion in H1 2024. Net interest income also increased by 91.8% year-on-year to 984.6 billion in H1 2025 from 513.4 billion in H1 2024. Complementing this performance was a growth in net fees and commission income, which increased by 16.1% year-on-year to 237.7billion in H1 2025 from 204.7 billion in H1 2024. Profit before tax (PBT) and profit after tax (PAT) closed at 320.6 billion and 215.9 billion respectively underscoring the strength and resilience of our business model in the markets we operate in. Key balance sheet indicators remain strong with total assets, customer deposits, loans and advances, and shareholders’ equity closing at 42.4 trillion, 22.9 trillion, 13.2 trillion 3.8 trillion respectively. The Banking group demonstrated resilient performance in H1 2025. Interest income grew by 38.7% year-on-year to 2.0 trillion in H1 2025 from 1.5 trillion in H1 2024. Net interest income increased by 85%, from 536.7 billion in H1 2024 to 992.7 billion in H1 2025. Fee and commission income increased by 27% to 294.9 in H1 2025 from 232.5 billion in H1 2024 driven by increased transaction volumes. Profit before tax (PBT) and profit after tax (PAT) closed at 303.0 billion and 199.3 billion respectively. Banking group subsidiaries contributed 65% to the Banking group’s profit before tax (PBT) in H1 2025. This result highlights our journey towards sustainable performance and execution across our key African and international markets. The Group’s non-banking subsidiaries maintained a strong growth momentum. For Access – ARM Pensions, financial performance was robust, with revenue up 29.9% to 21.0 billion and profit before tax up 65.1% to 13.1 billion. The business delivered a₦ ₦
www.accessbankplc.com solid ROAE of 48.1%, a cost-to-income ratio of 35.1%, and a PBT margin of 62.5%, underscoring strong operational efficiency and profitability. Hydrogen Payments recorded a 40.5% growth in top-line revenue compared to H1 2024. Profit before tax (PBT) grew by 273% year-on-year. The total transaction value processed increased by 211%, reaching 41.1 trillion in H1 2025, up from 13.8 trillion in H1 2024. Access Insurance Brokers has sustained strong momentum, recording a 125% year-on-year increase in gross written premium, 146% growth in revenue, and a 161% improvement in profit before tax (PBT). Oxygen X, the Group’s digital lending arm, has sustained strong momentum since launch in Q3 2024, delivering 5.4 billion in revenue and 2.2 billion in profit before tax in H1 2025. Access Holdings’ businesses are well-positioned to deepen market penetration, expand product offerings, and leverage cross-sell opportunities across the Group to drive continued growth and profitability. The group’s focus remains on driving prudent growth and continued execution of its strategic priorities, scaling its digital and transaction-led income streams, increasing revenue diversification, embedding efficiency, innovation, and disciplined portfolio management across all areas of the business. It will also continue to uphold the highest standards of risk and governance discipline to ensure sustainable profitability.Access Holdings remains confident that it will continue to deliver sustainable value and returns to its shareholders. Its long-term objective is to build a stronger, more agile Group that consistently delivers superior returns, fosters innovation-driven growth, and optimises portfolio performance to create inclusive value across its markets while reaffirming investor confidence in the strength and future of Access Holdings. The Group appreciates the continued trust and support of its shareholders, customers, and employees. Together, the Group is building a stronger future.

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JIM OVIA: FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN ZENITH BANK, REAFFIRMS STRONG COMMITMENT TO SHAREHOLDER VALUE AT THE NGX CLOSING GONG CEREMONY

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L-R:GMD/CEO, Nigerian Exchange Group, Mr. Temi Popoola; Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON; Chairman and Founder, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR; Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group, Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Kwairanga; Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama; CEO, Nigerian Exchange (NGX), Mr. Jude Chiemeka; and CEO, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri at the Closing Gong Ceremony of the Nigerian Exchange Limited, yesterday.

Zenith Bank Plc’s Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, accompanied by the bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, carried out the prestigious closing gong ceremony at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), marking a significant milestone in the bank’s continued partnership with the capital market and the official closing of the trading day. The ceremony highlights Zenith Bank’s strong relationship with the NGX and its commitment to transparency, accountability, and bolstering investor confidence. While speaking at the Nigerian Exchange, Dr. Umeoji expressed her delight in participating in the closing gong ceremony, acknowledging the NGX’s visionary leadership and innovative initiatives. “We are delighted to be here today to perform the closing gong ceremony – a symbol of shared progress and enduring partnership,” Dr. Umeoji said. “The NGX’s leadership has been very creative and innovative, and their electronic trading platform – X-stream played a pivotal role in the success of our recapitalization exercise, which achieved a 160% subscription. The bank’s stock price has doubled since the recapitalization exercise, from N36.50 per share to N68. Zenith Bank has also reported impressive financial results for the Half Year (H1) of 2025, becoming the most profitable bank in Nigeria and paying the highest dividend in the industry for the half year.””We are committed to creating value for our stakeholders and will continue to partner with the NGX to boost the Nigerian economy,” Dr. Umeoji added. “Our expansion strategy is focused on following our customers’ businesses and ensuring that we go to countries and economies where we can scale and provide more returns for our shareholders.”She stressed that the bank plans to make good on its promise of being investors’ delight by paying quantum dividends to its shareholders by year end. According to her “For us in Zenith, we are looking forward to paying more based on the confidence the market reposed on us. We are working assiduously to ensure that we do not disappoint the Market. We are going to continue to be the investors’ delight, and we assure the market that we would continue to pay enhanced dividends come end of the year.”Also commenting, the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama emphasised the role of the NGX in creating value in the Nigerian economic space. He said, “I want to thank you all for making the market what it is. Without you, the market wouldn’t have seen the leap that it has achieved in the last one-and-half year. I spoke earlier that at my assumption of office, market capitalization stood at N55 trillion, today it is hovering around 89 trillion and 93 trillion. That was not done by a spirit, it was done by you. Your ability, tenacity, courage, vision and transparency have moved the market where it is. Our vision is that by next year, we will have the market at 200trn.”

The Doyen of the NGX, Alhaji Rasheed Yusuf while giving his remarks, lauded the Founder & Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR for his vision and leadership. He ended by referring to him as the “Doyen of the Commercial banking sector”.Zenith Bank remains committed to creating long-term value for its stakeholders while driving economic development in Nigeria. As the bank continues on its growth trajectory, it has its sights set on global expansion. The bank intends to strategically leverage the capital raised from the Market to enhance its scalability and deliver enhanced services to its valued customers.The Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking, published by The Banker and “Nigeria’s Best Bank” at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025. The Bank was also awarded Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards for 2020, 2022 and 2024; Best Bank in Nigeria from 2020 to 2022, 2024 and 2025, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023; and was listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in 2023.Further recognitions include Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria for five consecutive years from 2021 to 2025 in the World Finance Banking Awards and Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 and 2024 Banking Awards. Additionally, Zenith Bank has been acknowledged as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards for four consecutive years from 2022 to 2025 and ‘Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom.The Bank’s commitment to excellence saw it being named the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in The Banker’s Top 500 Banking Brands for 2020 and 2021, Bank of the Year 2023 to 2025 at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, and Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022 and 2024 to 2025 at the BAFI Awards. The Bank also received the accolades of Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.Zenith Bank was also named Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, Best Company in Transparency and Reporting and Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at the SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024; Bank of the Year 2024. by New Telegraph Newspaper; and Best in MSME Trade Finance, 2023 by Nairametrics. The Bank’s Hybrid Offer was also adjudged ‘Rights Issue/ Public Offer of the Year at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards 2025.

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