April 24, 2017
FirstBank Stimulates Economic Diversification through support for the Nigerian Creative Industry.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited under the auspices of its First@arts initiative has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Entertainment Conference 2017, as part of its support for the Creative Arts industry as well as home-grown human capacity development across several arts platforms. The event themed ‘It’s Time for Africa’ will convene bigwigs from different sectors of the entertainment industry in Nigeria; Nollywood, Music, and Comedy to deliberate on the future of the Entertainment Industry in Nigeria. The Conference is scheduled to hold on April 26, 2017 at the Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Lagos.
The FirstBank First@arts initiative was launched in 2015 to promote entertainment as a veritable vehicle for cohesion amongst family and friends as well as support for the economic diversification drive. The entertainment industry today has generated enough profitable content to attract investments in Nigeria. The industry has increasingly become important as it creates employment, economic empowerment and is fast growing into a multibillion-dollar business, with potentials to be a leading contributor the Nigeria’s GDP in the near future. With this foresight, FirstBank has created partnerships to build this resourceful sector of the economy and the Bank would lend its voice to the conversations at the conference in the panel session titled ‘Why the rest of the world needs African Entertainment’.
Some of the speakers at the conference would include Nigerian international singer Tiwa Savage, comedy trail blazers Ali Baba and Basket mouth, and award winning broadcaster and actor Patrick Doyle among several other renowned names in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. FirstBank through the First@arts initiative has positioned itself as the leading brand in the support of the creative industry in Nigeria. The Bank recently premiered the filmmaking reality TV show titled FirstStars to promote the discovery and management of talented Nigerian youth in the film industry. The participants had the opportunity to project their creative skills in directing, producing, script writing and acting. The Bank has also partnered with Lork Enterprise LLP, managers of Freedom Park, British Council, and Ebony Life Television to boost the creative arts industry in Nigeria. The support for the Nigeria Entertainment Conference 2017 is another way the Bank is promoting a diversified economy as well as sustaining enterprise within the creative arts value chain.
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.