Connect with us

Business

Rotary Should Continue to Inspire Women for Economic Growth- Alaba Lawson

Published

on

Mrs Geetika Tandon, Rtn Gabriel Otsu, Chairman, organising Committee, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Keynote Speaker, District Governor, Rotary District 9110, Rtn Omotunde Lawson & Rtn Francis Lawson
A call has gone to Rotary International District 9110 and indeed organisations around the country to  consistently inspire and promote women for economic and national growth
The appeal was made by former President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Chief Alaba Lawson while presenting the keynote address at the first Rotary District 9110 Women in Rotary Conference held at the Nigeria Law School Auditorium, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Rtn Francis Lawson, District Governor, Rtn Omotunde Lawson, Mrs Angela Emewa, Chairman, Punch and award recipient & Rtn Gabriel Otsu, Chairman, Organising Committee

Speaking on the topic “ The Transformational Woman: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Socio-Economic Change”, Chief Lawson stated that Rotary as an organization has made giant strides in the area of women empowerment and advised that the body should do more as it will ultimately lead to the nation’s growth.

Rtn Gabriel Otsu, Rtn Francis Lawson, District Governor, Rtn Omotunde Lawson, Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson & guest speaker

She noted that women are the key to Nigeria’s economic and political advancement, and the more women involved at the top echelon and decision-making process, the better.
 According to her“When more women work, economies grow. Women’s economic empowerment boosts productivity, increases economic diversification and income equality in addition to other positive development outcomes”.
Describing women as the future, she stated that studies have shown that companies with more women on their boards outperform those without them by a significant margin, and organisations with greater gender diversity globally grew to 32% in 2022.
According to her, women often excel at soft skills required for business leadership and they represent a significant economic force and provide valuable consumer insight that any nation needs to thrive.
She further highlighted the fact that Nigeria needs traits such as ability to connect, collaborate, empathize, communicate and be prudent which are inherent in women to make progress in key sectors including economy, politics and more.
She, however, lamented that despite the fact that women are in the majority in terms of population, the opportunities for them to show their skills and contribute meaningfully have been hampered by systemic bottlenecks.
She therefore advised that to fuel its fire of progress and revolutionize its economic, political and social structure, women must be given adequate representation in government and key sectors of the economy.
Also speaking, Tax expert and  management consultant, Mr Gbenga Badejo who spoke on “10 Top Financial Challenges for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises” noted that if women can overcome these challenges, they would be able build formidable businesses and play in the big league.
He gave the challenges as: limited or inconsistent cashflow, not using budgetary control mechanism, no preparation for unforeseen expenses, not raising enough capital, too much debt, neglecting necessary financial reporting and book keeping, , poor regulatory compliance, mixing business and personal finances, poor marketing tactics and poor managing of receivables and payables.
Earlier in her welcome address, Rotarian Omotunde Lawson, District Governor, Rotary International District 9110 noted that the conference, the first in the 41 -year history of the District, which covers Rotary Clubs in Lagos and Ogun States, was aimed at equipping women with the right support for personal and financial growth.
The conference was rounded off with a dinner and awards ceremony at the same venue where eminent women were honoured for their contributions to national development.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

UBA Celebrates 10 Years of Digital Partnership Success with VERiCASH, Rewards Customers

Published

on

By

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, is celebrating a decade of impactful digital transformation through its strategic partnership with leading fintech firm, VERiCASH. The collaboration, which birthed the award-winning UBA Mobile App, has revolutionised digital banking across the continent – delivering seamless, secure, and user-friendly experiences to millions of customers.

To commemorate this significant milestone, UBA is launching a special promo for its mobile app users as a way of appreciating their loyalty and sustained engagement. The promo is designed to reward customers for their continued trust in UBA’s digital platforms and reaffirms the bank’s commitment to driving innovation and excellence.

With over 10 million downloads, the UBA Mobile Banking App ranks amongst the most downloaded apps in Nigeria, reinforcing the bank’s status as a digital trailblazer across the continent.
Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, who spoke on the success of the partnership, highlighted the global standards of the app which has been instrumental in bridging financial gaps and aiding inclusion in over 20 countries.
He said, “This partnership with VERiCASH has been instrumental in positioning UBA as Africa’s premier digital banking institution, which is indicated by the amount of downloads and transactions we have processed in the past years.

“We made banking accessible to the unbanked, enabling millions of Africans to participate in the formal financial system from the comfort of their homes which reflects our commitment to financial inclusion and our vision of becoming Africa’s global bank,” Fashola added.

Chairman, CIT VERiCASH, Ashraf Zaki, who expressed his organisation’s delight at partnering with UBA over the past 10 years explained that the collaboration represents the pinnacle of possibility when innovative technology meets visionary banking leadership.

“Our collaboration with UBA over the past decade has been transformative, not just for both organizations, but for the entire African banking landscape. We’ve witnessed firsthand how UBA’s commitment to innovation, combined with our technological expertise, has created a digital banking experience that rivals the best in the world” Zaki said.

Also speaking on the partnership, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, expressed immense gratitude to the customers who have used the app, and unveiled the Special UBA/VERiCASH Celebratory Promo.

“We are deeply grateful to our over 10 million app users who have been with us on this incredible journey. Your trust, feedback, and loyalty have been the driving force behind our continuous innovation and improvement” Ladipo said.

Continuing, she said, “To celebrate this milestone, we’re launching a promo where customers can win 10 times the airtime purchased. For 10 weeks, simply buy airtime via the UBA Mobile Banking App, and you could be one of 10 daily winners!.”

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.

Continue Reading

Business

UBA Announces Strategic Expansion into Key Markets Across Africa

Published

on

By

UBA Group senior executives recently concluded the Group’s Half Year Business Review. Held at global headquarters in Lagos Nigeria, Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, brought together executives responsible for UBA’s twenty-four countries of operation.

It was an opportunity to restate the Group’s pan-African strategy, and commitment to further expanding the Group’s coverage across high potential markets across Africa, while also deepening its operations in its existing twenty African presence markets. With over 51.7% of Group revenues from ex Nigerian operations, UBA’s journey to being Africa’s most diversified financial services group was clearly in evidence,

The international strategic intent reinforces with the Group’s intention to deliver innovative financial solutions to its fast-growing global customer base. The strategy demonstrates UBA’s unique position as Africa’s global bank and ability to leverage growth opportunities in emerging and leading African markets.

The Group commenced its Pan African journey, with its entry into Ghana in 2004, followed by rapid expansion into 18 additional African markets. Today, as a resilient and future-focused institution, UBA continues to push boundaries by connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa.

Mr Alawuba highlighted the Group’s expansion plans, disclosing that the Group is excited about the vast opportunities that the new markets present, a testament to UBA Group’s confidence in the African economy, providing world-class banking services that meet the continent’s evolving needs.

“UBA’s vision is clear – we are building a truly global institution anchored in Africa, but serving customers across continents. Further strategic expansion positions us to unlock new opportunities, support intra-Africa trade, and deliver world-class banking experiences wherever our clients choose to do business,” Alawuba said.

“In Europe, UBA has operations in the United Kingdom and upgrading its license in France, expanding its capacity to serve cross-border trade, investment flows, and the African diaspora, complementing our over 40-year presence in NY. These moves signal a clear message of UBA’s intent to reshape the competitive landscape”, Alawuba further said.

As part of the Group’s plan to expand its global presence, UBA, in January, announced plans to open operations in Saudi Arabia.

Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees’ group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.

Continue Reading

Business

Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price to N820

Published

on

By

The Dangote oil refinery has reduced the price of petrol from N840 to N820 per litre.

The N20 reduction came one week after the refinery dropped the price of the fuel from N880 to N840.

This indicates a N60 (6.82 per cent) cut in petrol prices by the Dangote refinery within a week.

The spokesman of the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the company reduced the price to make the product more affordable for Nigerians.

“We have reduced petrol gantry price to N820 from N840 per litre,” he stated, noting that the price slash took effect from Tuesday.

Recall that Dangote, NNPC and other major fuel distributors in Nigeria hiked petrol prices less than three weeks ago, blaming this on the rise in crude oil prices in the international market as occasioned by the conflict between Israel and Iran.

The pump prices of petrol hovered between N915 and N955 at the pumps, then, depending on the location. It was below N900 before the sudden hike.

During the price hike, marketers stated that the product was sold at N960 and N980 in the far north because of the distance.

However, as crude prices fell below $70 last week, the pump prices of PMS also declined. Crude prices had crashed because Israel and Iran stopped bombing each other, alleviating fears of a supply disruption in the Middle East.

As of Tuesday, many filling stations sold petrol below N900 per litre in Lagos and Ogun States.

PUNCH Online reports that the filling stations sold petrol at rates ranging from N875 to N890 a litre.

A marginal drop is expected in the price of the product at the pumps.

Continue Reading

Trending