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NCOY: FirstBank is powering the Next Generation of Nigerian Innovators and Entrepreneurs
What did (the various territories that were later to be amalgamated into) Nigeria look like in 1894? How about a hundred years later in 1994? And what could Nigeria look like in the year 2094? History provides elaborate answers to the first two questions. Answers – accurate or near-accurate answers, that is – to the third, however, will rely entirely on the ability to predict/envision the future and work to invent and create the predicted future.
With a continuing shining legacy of nation building – supporting innovative financial, commercial and other developments in Nigeria and even Africa – one bank is already projecting beyond today to the year 2094 – exactly 200 years from its founding in 1894. The bank, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, is not just predicting a bright, innovative future for Nigeria but is going all out to foster what is required to invent it. FirstBank is putting its money where its mouth is. The bank has been betting the farm on Nigeria’s young and emerging generation for decades.
Take the last two decades, for example. FirstBank has been involved with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) for over twenty years as one of the many ‘fronts’ in the bank’s engagements with the next generation of Nigerians to collaboratively create the bright, innovative future that Nigerians dream of. For ten years now, FirstBank has been supporting the National Company of the Year (NCOY) competition, an extension of the JAN Company Programme, designed to help senior secondary school students better understand how businesses are organised and operated. The students will be required, during the course of the competition, to develop a business plan, establish production and sales of goods and services for their company, monitor progress toward goals at regular department and company meetings, maintain complete financial records, compile a report to stockholders, and liquidate the company at a given period with the support of a volunteer.
FirstBank’s partnership with JAN on the National Company of the Year competition has meant a decade of impact and innovation illustrated by the very nature of innovative products and services created by young minds to solve real problems facing society and the business systems they put in place in form of student companies to successfully produce and market the products and services sustainably and to impact their local communities. Consider the growing problem of fire accidents and deaths from gas explosions resulting from gas leakage in homes, offices and industries. The students from Taidob College, Abeokuta, through their student company, TC Achievers, created an innovative solution to address it.
TC Achievers produced a domestic and industrial gas leakage detector – a device which raises an alarm and sends SMS to the owner’s mobile phone once there is any gas leakage. Their innovative device fetched TC Achievers first position in the regional competition in Ogun State and at the national level in Lagos, earning them the right to represent Nigeria in Ghana at the 2019 African Company of the Year competition. Taidob College emerged from Ghana with four awards, the most by any of the participating Junior Achievement member countries, including Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Nigerian representatives won the following: Client Focus Award, Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, Facilitator of the Year Award and were second runners-up for Company of the Year Award.
The 2018 National Company of the Year competition winners who went on to emerge the grand winners at the Africa Company of the Year competition in Ghana same year, Inventive Explorers from Caro Favoured College, Ajegunle, Lagos were concerned about traffic accidents, especially in areas with school children crossing busy streets. Their innovative device, a rechargeable handheld LED traffic light, was designed to solve this real problem faced by various congested communities. Besides the grand prize at the Africa Company of the Year competition, they also brought back home the Access Award, given to the business that best exhibits the principles of global connectivity.
Guided by the same spirit of innovativeness and enterprise and a passionate desire to solve a real problem facing society that were at work when TC Achievers and Inventive Explorers devised their award-winning innovative solutions, the first runners-up in 2018, Brain Max, the student company formed by student representatives of Government Girls Secondary School, Abaji, Abuja designed a website and software application for connecting local produce farmers directly to their customers. Brain Box also won Best Corporate Social Responsibility Project Award on account of which they visited camps of Nigeria’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) to provide financial literacy and entrepreneurship education to occupants, including helping the IDPs to secure seed funding. It was the same inspiration for the second runners-up, Sharon Glory Ventures, the student company formed by students of Sharon Rose College, Saki, Oyo State who produced a water-level indicator to enable homeowners to determine the level of water in their tanks. Sharon Global Ventures also received the award for the Most Innovative Product.
In 2020, given the global COVID-19 pandemic, the FirstBank-sponsored National Company of the Year competition will be conducted virtually. The virtual format will, however, not take anything away from the allure and competitiveness that the competition has been noted for over the years. This year’s unique competition, holding on Saturday, 12 December 2020 at 3 p.m. (West/Central African time), will bring together six outstanding student companies across Nigeria to lock horns for a lifetime opportunity to carry Nigeria’s flag at the JA Africa Company of the Year competition later in the year, and possibly repeat the feat achieved by the 2018 Nigerian representatives.
The Virtual Company of the Year (VCOY) competition is the culminating point for the implementation of the Virtual Company Programme. The goal of the VCOY is to create a signature showcase for JAN and the students who benefited from the impact of the digital JA Company Programme. This pilot programme will be in two stages where the first stage will identify the top business ideas from each region and select the top five most viable business ideas and reward them with seed funding to fully develop their ideas into businesses. The second stage of this competition sees the introduction of top professionals across different sectors who would serve as the panel of judges to determine each student company’s performance against a set of established criteria. Judges look out for evidence of innovation and application of new ideas in all aspects of business and select the best team to represent Nigeria at the Africa Company of the Year competition.
Whichever student companies emerge as winners of the 2020 National Company of the Year competition, one thing is certain: All the participants, not just at the national level but also at the regional levels, will join the ever-growing and rapidly-expanding crop of young minds engaged, trained, prepped and reoriented in a FirstBank-sponsored empowerment programme to become innovative and entrepreneurial thinkers and problem solvers. The bank is supporting such programmes so the young participants will join it in the arduous task of nation building and inventing the desired future for Nigeria. FirstBank is confident that the young minds who come through the JAN Company of the Year competition will be Nigeria’s future Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. In their time and in the envisioned future for Nigeria, the country will stand tall, unintimidated by her Western counterparts, having been catapulted to the status of a leading developed nation by the young and emerging generation FirstBank has been betting big on for years.
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HabariPay Launches Maiden “HabariPay Impact Report 2025”, Showcasing Its Journey, Business Evolution, and Contributions to Digital Payments
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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Much more than commemorating the annual Children’s Day marked every May 27, Zenith Bank Plc is championing thenarrativethatchildrenarethetrueleadersoftomorrow.TheBankhasdeepeneditsinvestmentincarefullycuratedinitiativesthatelevatechildrenacrosseducation,financialliteracy,health,digitalinclusion,andsocialprotection,building a generation equipped to thrive and lead. For Zenith Bank, every child matters, and the Bank’s footprint reflectsa 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 threeyears, anchoring the Tuesday edition and Zenith Financial Literacy Friday show. The programme blends spelling beecontestswithfinancialliteracyquestions,creatingawarenessandonboardingchildrenintotheZenithChildren’sAccount (ZECA). This partnership came alive at the Inspiration FM Children’s Day Carnival on Saturday, May 23, 2026,whereZenithBankhostedover1,000childrenandtheirparents,celebratingZECAwinnerswithgames,skits,andZenith Bank branded gifts.The Bank’s Zenith Financial Literacy Week, held quarterly, takes this mission into select schools across all 36 statesandtheFCT.Studentsaretrainedonsavings,budgeting,basicinvestments,anditsretailproducts,withthetopperformer in each school awarded N50,000. Complementing this is the Bank’s nationwide Financial Literacy ProgramundertheCBN-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 Bankhasdonatedstate-of-the-artICTcentresandcomputersystemstoschoolsanduniversitiesnationwide,includingaComputerCentretoBamainaAcademy,Dutse,JigawaState.Itstransformativeinterventionsincludefullyequippedlibraries,vocationalfacilities,andlarge-scaleschoolrenovations,fromOjotaSecondarySchoolandVictoriaIslandSecondary School in Lagos to Hugallawa Primary School in Jigawa. Targeted financial support further breaks barrierswith N1 million cash donation to Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, supporting girl-child education; infrastructureupgrades at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School; a N1 million scholarship endowment for St. Francis CatholicSecondary 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 childhoodsavings during routine visits, linking health and financial well-being. The “PAD-A-QUEEN” Initiative commemorates theInternational Day of the Girl Child, reaching5,000 girls in 10 schools withsanitary pads, hygiene kits, and menstrualhealth 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 partneredwithBosco Child Protection Centre on medical check-ups, food, clothing, and counseling. Annual Christmas Charity Visits toorphanagesdelivercash,toys,andessentialsupplies,whilesupportfortheSmileandShineChildrenFoundation’sStrive 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, GroupManaging Director/CEO, ZenithBank Plc, said, “AtZenith Bank, weare deliberate about initiativesthat elevate childrenbecausetheyarenotjustourfuture,theyareourpresentresponsibility.AsWhitneyHoustonsopoignantlysang,‘Ibelievethechildrenarethefuture,teachthemwellandletthemleadtheway.’Thatisthephilosophydrivingourinvestmentsineducation,financialliteracy,health,anddigitalinclusion.FromKiddiesCornertoICTcentres,fromPHCs to orphanages, we are teaching them well, equipping them early, and giving them the tools to lead. Zenith Bankrenews 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 flagshipCorporate Social Responsibilityinitiative. Bringing togetherthousands of childrenand teenagers in avibrant showcaseof 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,andprepareNigeria’schildrenforleadership.Fromclassroomstocommunities, the Bank’s initiatives are teaching them welland letting them lead the way because the future belongs to children who are equipped today.
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