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FirstBank: Much More than a Brand

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By Eric Elezuo

In 1894, a brand was not just created; a brand was given birth to for the sole function of taking over the leadership of not only the financial world but the entire corporate business inclusion. The process was tailored through the provision of custom made quality services that beat the imaginations of competitors and would-be rivals. That brand is FirstBank, Nigeria’s primus inter pares in corporate business.

The invincibility of FirstBank cuts across the African sub regions towards achieving for itself continental and global accolade. Consequently, for 125 years and counting, the brand has remained one indivisible brand with no record of ever being acquired merged or put on hold for any period. It has maintained unbroken and uninterrupted service delivery and never changing its name. It was birthed in 1894 as FirstBank, and today is still FirstBank with a conglomeration of subsidiaries which gave it the impetus to be addressed in the superlative as first among equals.

Among many of the qualities that set First Bank of Nigeria Limited aside and make it the premier Bank in West Africa, is its ability to provide first class banking services solutions in Nigeria, a task it has performed effortlessly for 125 uninterrupted years.

It is therefore not a fluke that the brand boasts of about 15 million customer accounts, to whom it provides a comprehensive range of retail and corporate financial services in well over 750 business locations across the globe.

Over the years, the Bank has evolved, consequent upon unimaginable beneficial services to all and sundry, and developed subsidiaries through which it has developed wholesome international presence. These subsidiaries include but not limited to 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.

The hallmark of FirstBank’s ingenuity since its advent in 1894 lies in its ability to consistently build relationships with customers focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management and leadership.

The high flying FirstBank flag

It is worthy of note that 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, it 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. Little wonder the only financial institution on the lips of investors and business oriented minds is FirstBank.

The bank, over the years has been blessed with splendid leadership that has stood the test of time, exhuming confidence far from intimidation, corrupt practices and anti-welfarism. Some of this leaders include Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who from the stable of the bank became the Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor and went ahead to sit on the reverred stool of Kano Emirate. There is also Joseph Sanusi, who also became the Central Bank governor as well as the immediate past Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya; these men portray a brand discipline and professionalism which only FirstBank can bestow.

FirstBank’s domineering efforts has not escaped the eagle eyes of industry watchers, and the entity has on six consecutive occasions been named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” (2011 – 2016) by “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group, a renowned global outfit.

Furthermore, it won Best Retail Bank in Nigeria for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017) as presented by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards, and followed it up wit “Best Bank in Nigeria” award by Global Finance for 15 years.

FirstBank, as a brand has no other mission other than to always put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of its endeavour. Primarily speaking, the customers are the centrepoint of the Bank’s local and international relations.

Noted for so many firsts, the bank in 1996, distinguished itself with the highly celebrated Century II transformation project which made it rise heads and shoulders above its peers. Consequently, It has continuously transformed and projected for the future by reinventing, re-engineering and creating value for customers by rethinking next generation solutions ahead of others in the industry.

This is a bank strategically positioned to always put the Customers current and future needs at the core of its business.

In 2016, the bank floated PR1MUS, a Brand name for it’s new Enterprise Transformation program. This has articulated an ambitious strategy to maintain position as undisputed industry leaders through profitable growth by leveraging technology to drive innovation.
The project cuts the brand away from a culture of silos and manual operations while aligning with the basic strategic pillars of business objectives in a more structured and targeted way. The following are some of intentions of the scheme:

• More deliberate and aligned business objectives and strategic initiative.
• More collaborative engagements with stakeholders across all levels.
• And finally, embarking on projects and initiatives with clear set and well defined objectives with a new set of ambitious end goals in sight.

Not resting on its oars, FirstBank is working tiredlessly to standardise customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with the brand vision.

Moving assiduously to a common goal, FirstBank’s wholesome ambition is to be the partner of first choice in building the future of anyone who comes in contact with it, promising to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence.

What else can anyone say… FirstBank in 125 years, has really lived up to its billing as ‘truly the first’.

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Business

Airtel Performs Groundbreaking Ceremony for its NXTRA Data Centre, Promises 1000 Jobs

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By Eric Elezuo

Prominent Nigerians were present as network communications service provider, Airtel Africa, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the establishment of its NXTRA data centre project in Nigeria, at the prestigious Eko Atlantic City, in Victoria Island, Lagos, informing that the project is programmed to create over 1000 jobs for Nigerians.

The company noted that the facility, nicknamed the Nitra frontier, and reported as the first of five hyperscale data centres to be developed by Airtel Africa on the continent, will deliver 38 megawatts of total power and host high-density racks that integrate the latest best practice construction to achieve 1.3 power usage effectiveness (PUE).

It was also revealed that the data centres at full capacity will offer 180-megawatt capacity, distributed across 13 major data centres, and over 48 edge data centres.

Speaking at the event, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Airtel, Segun Ogunsanya, who informed that the project is expected to go live by the first quarter of 2026, further stated that out of the 1000 jobs expectedto be created, 250 will be permanent once the project is deployed and at capacity.

He praised the project as marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey and is a cornerstone of the organization’s growth strategy, with a particular focus on Nigeria, which unarguably is its largest market.

He added that the project will enhance data sovereignty, security, and preservation within the continent, as well as reflect the group’s commitment to make Nigeria a major hub for access to digital services as it propel Africa towards a sustainable and inclusive digital age.

“This mega project will provide over 1000 jobs. More significantly, once deployed and at capacity, it will create over 250 permanent jobs for Nigerians whilst supporting companies in manufacturing, financial services, and health care as they move their data and computing into third-party data centers like ours.

“Ultimately, we have to store data and content closer to where it is being consumed,” Ogunsanya said.
Boost for digital economy

Ogunsanya was also of the opinion that with Airtel Africa’s extensive fibre footprint, NXTRA “offers secure and scalable integrated solutions to global hyper-scalers, large African enterprises, startups, SMEs and governments.

“Through locally available data centre capacity, speed to access digital services will improve and the cost of managing data will be reduced, thus helping power increased innovation, while supporting a new generation of African tech talent,” he said.

In his remarks at the event, that also has the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in attendance, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani laud the creativity attached the innovation, saying it is in tandem with technology revolution that is fast engulfing the universe, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a main point of reference.

“Data is a key driver in our economy. Not only do we need to connect our people, we also must invest in the digital economy, and through the investment that companies like Airtel have made in our economy, we are fully able to participate in the digital economy,” he said.

Other personalities that graced that event include traditional rulers and stakeholders in the telecoms sector.

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Customers Applaud As Glo MoneyMaster PSB Mobile App Enhances Banking Experience

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The mobile banking app recently launched by MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank Limited (MMPSB), Nigeria’s leading payment service bank, has been enriching the banking experience of the bank’s customers.

The app, which was unveiled by MMPSB for the convenience of its existing and new customers provides a seamless banking experience to its customers thereby reaffirming the bank’s commitment to deliver faster and secure banking services to its growing customer base.

Apart from allowing customers to perform many services without stress from their comfort zone, the mobile banking app has a robust suite of functionalities. Customers using Android phones can download the mobile banking app from the Google Play Store, while iPhone users can also download from the Apple App Store.

The mobile banking app enables MMPSB customers to manage multiple accounts. Wallets, savings, and current accounts can all be managed from the mobile banking app. Customers can also upgrade the KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements for higher transaction limits and open additional accounts via the app. It is an invaluable tool for all existing and potential mobile wallet, savings, and current account holders of MoneyMaster PSB.

The mobile banking app is also fast and secure for all intra-bank and interbank transactions and allows customers to set transaction limits, manage beneficiaries, view transaction history, and download and share transaction receipts, among other exciting features. They can also request their account statement and receive it via e-mail.

It also features both biometric and password authorization to login and authorize transactions and allows customers to also buy airtime recharge and data bundles from all networks directly for themselves and others via the app. In addition, customers can pay for their DSTV and GOTV subscriptions, buy electricity units from all major DisCos and pay utility bills from the app.

Customers of the bank have also attested to the robust nature of the app. Some of them who commented on the effectiveness of the app include Uche Nwoye who said, “It has not been long that I downloaded the app, but from all indications, the features and design are easy to navigate.”

Also Henry Omosimua describes it as a “nicely built app. The UI is good and smooth. Kudos to Moneymaster PSB. It would be nice to add app notification for incoming and outgoing transactions”, he noted.

For Agunbiade Abiola, “this app is the definition of evolution”, while Michael Sanamo said the app is “fast in carrying out transactions.”

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Globacom Targets SMEs’ Growth with Launch of “Glo Outsource Pro”

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Leading telecommunications company, Globacom, has launched an outsourcing product aimed at helping small and medium scale companies as well as corporate organisations focus on their core operations thereby enhancing their productivity.
The company explained in a press statement that the service tagged “Glo Outsource Pro”, is a strategic business solution that aids companies and businesses to outsource some of their non-core operations.
Such businesses including banking, energy, oil and gas, FMCG, manufacturing, distribution, utility, internet service providers (ISPs), logistics companies, MSME, etc. will be able to  focus on their core competencies, leading to improved efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced customer experiences.
“Glo Outsource Pro enables companies to delegate specific operational activities, such as customer support, finance and accounting, IT services, human resources, and supply chain management to Globacom which leverages its expertise, technology, and economies of scale to optimize processes and deliver high-quality results that will impact positively on their operations”, the telecommunications giant said.
The company added that “with Glo Outsource Pro, organizations are able to contract out their inbound and outbound call centre activities, inbound technical helpdesk, social media management, data mining for planning purposes and general back office support. It will also help them in the areas of teleprospecting, customer campaigns/onboarding, retention campaigns, collections, sales campaigns, etc”.
It also confirmed that the service will assist companies to maximize cost-effectiveness, boost productivity, and improve effectiveness in the marketplace by helping them look after some non-core sections of their businesses so they can focus on their core activities.
The new business management proposition is meant to further boost Globacom’s image as the ultimate value and innovative solutions provider for businesses at varying levels while unlocking their full potentials as well as enabling cost savings, operational excellence and unmatched customer satisfaction.
Aside from these, “Glo Outsource Pro” will equally enhance technology upgrade, competitive advantage and improved effectiveness in the marketplace.

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