FirstBank Partners Freedom Park to Boost Creative Industry
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings PLC and Nigeria’s Most valuable bank brand, has again demonstrated its commitment towards the promotion of the creative arts through its initiative First@arts. The Bank has developed this initiative through a strategic partnership with Lork Enterprise LLP, managers of Freedom Park, British Council, and Ebony Life Television.
The First@arts initiative was driven by the quest to promote entertainment as a veritable vehicle for cohesion amongst family and friends, and it demonstrates the bank’s dynamism as a provider of bespoke services that meet the needs of its strong global-wide customer base. Through the years, FirstBank has influenced the history and growth of the country through the sponsorship of several arts initiatives across diverse cultures. The Bank has continually supported the annual Calabar Festival over many years, Enugu Carnival, Thespian theatre and even the scintillating drama and dance group, Umoja, from South Africa among several others.
The initiative would provide a bigger platform to drive several arts and theatrical performances, television programmes whilst exploring several new, relevant and engaging avenues to create entertainment and value for its teeming audience across the globe. The Bank’s partnership with Lork Enterprise LLP, managers of Freedom Park, British Council, and Ebony Life Television is based on their rich pedigree to deliver credible performances as well as drive arts and culture over several years. Freedom Park and British Council Nigeria have become rallying points for arts and theatre performances in Lagos and Nigeria and have captured the attention of the local and international community, arts loving Nigerians locally and in the diaspora. Just recently, Freedom Park received a certificate of excellence from Trip Advisor, a leading search site in the hospitality industry.
In a statement by the CEO of Lork Enterprise LLP, Mr. Theo Lawson, Freedom Park was designed to create a platform for dialogue between the arts and the community. According to him “the partnership with FirstBank will totally change our capacity to engage and promote the bountiful latent talent we regularly come across as well as provide a rich menu of entertainment and experience for our visitors”.
Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank’s spokesperson also stated that “FirstBank is particularly interested in Arts and Culture and has established First@arts initiative as a platform dedicated to promoting arts and culture events. The Bank has supported several theatrical performances, dance and drama events as well as carnivals under this platform and would through our new partnerships drive further engagements for our esteemed customers, promote creativity and enterprise”.
With the First@arts initiative, FirstBank is set to solidify its position as the leading brand in the creative arts space, whilst growing sustainable value chain in the tourism industry and the economy in the long run.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, is Nigeria’s leading financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings and one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). Since its establishment in 1894, the Bank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, risk management and strong capitalization.
FirstBank operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centers/agencies), over 2,397 ATM’s and over 10 million customer accounts. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services and has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, Banque International de Credit (B.I.C) in the Republic of Congo, International Commercial Bank (ICB) in Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.
FirstBank is the recipient of many awards. The Bank has been named “The Best Bank Brand in Nigeria” four times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group. FirstBank’s brand purpose is to always put its stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of its business, even as it is poised to standardize customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across Sub Saharan Africa, in consonance with its brand vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”. The brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on the FirstBank’s inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position its customers first in every respect.
For four consecutive years, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, FirstBank has been named the “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards. Other recent awards include the “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, “Best Bank in West Africa” and “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” in the African Banker Awards, “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards for the fourth time, “Best Foreign Exchange Services in Africa” in the EMEA Finance Treasury Services Awards, “Best Banking Group in Nigeria” by World Finance Banking Awards, and “Best Financial Reporting Company” by Africa Investor.
Signed
Folake Ani-Mumuney
Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
