By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
FirstBank is building and improving product offerings and channels such USSD, ATM, FirstMobile, FirstOnline, LIT App, and other platforms to ensure banking operations without physical presence in the bank.
In recognition of the impact of its commitment to value-added products and services, the bank has received several recognitions by global leading financial awarding institutions.
The laurels this year alone include “Retail Banking CEO of the Year Nigeria”, “Most innovative Retail Banking App Nigeria” and “Best CSR Bank Nigeria” awards by Global Banking and Finance magazine.
Through apps
FirstMobile, the bank’s mobile banking application, won the Best Mobile Banking App at the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards in 2020 and Best Mobile Banking App by the Global Business Outlook in 2019.
The bank’s brand purpose is to always put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of the business, which aligns with the brand vision “to be the partner of the first choice in building your future.”
FirstBank’s brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence anchored on passion, partnership, and people, to position customers first in every respect.
The awards recognise the roles the bank plays in deepening financial inclusion, advancing digital banking as well as impacting its host communities with technology that provides learning for individuals of all ages, among others.
The awards also reflect the innovation, achievement, strategy, progressive and inspirational changes in the bank as it pushes towards delivering the best banking services for its customers.
All of these are not happening by accident, but by strategic positioning and constant innovation, as explained in a document provided by FirstBank, published by Nairametrics.
Since its inception, FirstBank has nurtured businesses to greater heights and help sustain the African economy and eradicate hunger in every form.
FirstBank and SMEs
The bank promotes businesses through specific accounts that put Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) at an advantage to contribute to national growth and development.
The accounts – FirstSME Classic and FirstSME Deluxe – are offered to SMEs, irrespective of industry, and tailored to have them exposed to a wide range of services and opportunities essential for continued growth.
The advantages and features of these accounts include
· Access to Temporary OverDrafts (TODs) and other facilities subject to meeting Risk Adjustment Capital (RAC) of each product
· Immediate enrollment on all digital platforms
· Free access to FirstBank SME events
· Free access to extensive business promotional and networking opportunities on the SMEConnect portal
· Access to a wide range of discounted and promotional offers
A year after FirstBank launched the Agent Credit scheme, it has empowered its over 130,620 Firstmonie Agents with N100 billion credit.
With 127 years of continuous banking operations, FirstBank has been a life enabler, equipping Nigerians with the right financial services to achieve their dreams.
Through the arts
FirstBank has been at the cutting edge of several social initiatives and programmes through its First@arts initiative, a platform for consolidating all its efforts in the arts,
· supporting the entire value chain of the creative arts
· providing financing and advisory support
· showcasing and facilitating the successes of the industry
· enabling customers to explore and access opportunities in the creative industry
These have been implemented through partnerships with organisations such as
· The British Council
· Duke of Shomolu Productions
· Live Theatre Lagos
· Freedom Park
· Terra Kulture
· Cross Rivers State Government (Calabar Festival)
· Sponsorship of Ayinla, the movie by filmmaker and director Tunde Kelani, produced by Jadesola Osiberu.
FirstBank in sports
The growing impact of FirstBank in sports is unprecedented. ThisDay recently reported that “in Kaduna, where polo seems to be the first choice, the bank has been very active.”
One of the world’s longest-running sponsored events is the Georgian Cup, a polo tournament FirstBank has sponsored every year for 101 years.
Dala Hard Court, a tennis tournament in Kano for 32 years, is powered by FirstBank, as well as the annual OBJ Golf Tournament in Abeokuta.
The annual Lagos Golf Open Championship sponsored by the bank – since its inception – is billed for its 60th edition later in the year.
The Elephant Girls, a basketball team powered by FirstBank, are famous through their unprecedented exploits on the African continent.
The FirstBank brand is close to the hearts of Nigerians and its efforts to reinvent itself is a catalyst for national socio-economic growth.
About FirstBank
FirstBank is the premier bank in West Africa and has been the leading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria for more than 127 years.
It boasts over 750 business locations and over 130,000 Banking Agents spread across 99 per cent of the 774 councils in Nigeria, providing comprehensive retail and corporate financial services to more than 30 million customers.
It has an 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 a Representative Office in Beijing.
FirstBank promotes digital payment and has issued over 10 million cards, the first bank to achieve such a milestone in Nigeria.
Its cashless transaction drive has garnered 12 million people on its USSD Quick Banking Service through its *894# code and over 4.5 million on its FirstMobile platform.
Since its establishment in 1894, FirstBank has built relationships with customers focusing on good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management, and leadership.
It has for years led the financing of private investment in infrastructure in the Nigerian economy by playing key roles in government privatisation and commercialisation schemes.
It supports investors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities in Nigeria, as a competitive world-class brand and a credible financial partner.
Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank Group Head (Marketing & Corporate Communications), lists other accolades won by the bank to include:
· “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” six times in a row (2011 – 2016) by The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group.
· “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017) by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards.
· “Best Bank in Nigeria” by Global Finance for 15 years.
“Our brand purpose is always to 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 the first choice in building your future,’” she stresses.
“Our brand promise is always to 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.”