April 4, 2017
First Bank of Nigeria Limited: Building Sustainable Communities
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s Most Valuable Bank Brand, is known to be the leading financial services provider to stakeholders with varying social stratification and the Bank understands that the ability to operate successfully in a multicultural society is factored on building mutually beneficial relationships with its stakeholders and strengthening the communities where it operates.
The Bank’s quest to enhance the economic development of its communities has seen it structure its corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts to deliver long lasting impact along the strategic areas of Education, Health, Economic Empowerment and Environment. Included in these initiatives are the FutureFirst Programme, Educational Endowment Scheme, Youth Leadership Programme, Infrastructure Development Programme, Hope Rising Initiative and Employee Giving and Volunteering Scheme to mention a few.
In Education, FirstBank initiated the Endowment Programme in 1994 with the establishment of the Samuel Asabia Endowment in Business Ethics at the University of Lagos. Presently, the Bank has endowed sixteen Federal Universities located in the different geopolitical zones of the country. Some of these endowments have been converted to infrastructural projects including the University of Abuja Entrepreneurial Centre, ICT Park at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Lecture Theatre at the Federal University of Technology, Minna amongst others. Currently, the Bank’s total endowment portfolio is in the region of N500 Million.
The Hope Rising Initiative is designed to empower people living with disabilities; engendering inclusivity and diversity through education and advocacy; as well as skills acquisition through training. The Bank has partnered with the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative, Nigeria Society for the Blind, Sebbecly Cancer Care Initiative, and several other organisations and individuals, impacting over 6,257 people with its Hope Rising initiative. In the Health Sector, FirstBank Constructed the Remi Babalola Red Cross Clinic in Ibadan to provide accessible health care to people who are financially handicapped. Treatment so far administered at the center have been done free of charge, with over 43,465 patients treated on non-profit basis.
The Youth Leadership and Development programme is implemented in partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) to mentor the youth through sustainable community development programmes and value based leadership. The Bank has also initiated the Future First programme which includes Financial Literacy and Career Counseling, as part of its efforts at stimulating financial inclusion amongst the unbanked. It is also a platform where students in secondary school are taught about the importance of having a savings culture and early entrepreneurship. A total of 40,000 secondary school students have been reached so far with over 43,000 volunteering hours expended. In a statement by Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, the Bank would continue to invest its time and resources to enrich the communities in which it operates.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is Nigeria’s premier and most valuable banking brand, and largest financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings. With more than 12 million customer accounts, FirstBank has over 750 branches providing a comprehensive range of retail and corporate financial services. The Bank has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in the Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal, as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.
Since its establishment in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimized risk management and leadership. Over the years, the Bank has led the financing of private investment in infrastructure development in the Nigerian economy by playing key roles in the Federal Government’s privatisation and commercialisation schemes. With its global reach, FirstBank provides prospective investors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities that are available in Nigeria, an internationally competitive world-class brand and a credible financial partner.
FirstBank has been named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” six times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group; and “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards 2014. Recently, for the fifth consecutive time, the Bank clinched the “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” award by The Asian Banker. Our brand purpose is to always put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of our business, even as we standardise customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brand vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”. Our brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on our inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position You First in every respect.
