Business

ALAT By Wema wins Overall Best Mobile App in Nigerian Fintech Awards

Published

2 years ago

November 7, 2022

ALAT By Wema wins Overall Best Mobile App in Nigerian Fintech Awards

ALAT By Wema, the first fully digitalized bank in Nigeria, has been named the Overall Best Mobile App in the Nigerian FinTech Awards 2022, beating the other FinTech apps nominated alongside it in the category in the platform’s shortlist. The announcement was made at the award ceremony in Lagos, on Friday 4 November 2022.

In its 10th year, the Nigerian Fintech Awards was founded by Fintech Africa, one of Africa’s oldest and most influential publications on financial technology to honour excellence in product designs and service delivery in financial technologies. The Overall Best Mobile App, won by mALAT By Wema, according to the organizers, is in recognition of the digital bank’s contribution to the Fintech world.

ALAT By Wema, the first fully digital bank in Nigeria, was launched in May 2017 by Wema Bank Plc, the country’s oldest indigenous commercial bank, to drive transformation and redefine experiential banking in the Nigeria’s banking sector. In its first year, ALAT by Wema gained over 250,000 customers who were responsible for the well over NGN 1.6 billion ($4.48m) deposits. In 2018, the bank closed in the N1 billion ($2.78m) mark in terms of deposits into savings accounts.

Olusegun Adeniyi Chief Digital Officer, Wema Bank expressed his joy at the award, saying that the honour is only the icing on the cake of transformation that ALAT By Wema has brought to the banking industry in Nigeria.

“We are delighted at being named as the Overall Best Mobile App by the august platform, which is dedicated to honoring excellence in financial technologies and services companies and products. The award is complimentary to the excitement that the multi-award-winning app has brought to its numerous individual and corporate subscribers.”

He informed that ALAT By Wema, which matches customers’ lifestyles, is helping its subscribers save more with access to exclusive group and personal savings, free debit cards, and up to four percent annual interest in savings.

Adeniyi said that since its launch in May 2017, ALAT By Wema, the branchless and paperless bank has reduced the stress of having to walk into a branch to open an account by providing a seamless sign-up process using a mobile phone, PC or tablet. The ALAT By Wema app, unlike other banking apps, provides all the banking services the customer could ask for.

“All banking apps only offer some banking services, typically airtime purchases, bill payments and transfers. For example, even with a banking app, customers usually still need to go to a physical bank to get a debit card and activate it, submit documents and often, get some kinds of customer support. This is not the case with ALAT, which was built from scratch to be entirely digital, making all banking services available to the customers anywhere they can access the internet.”

Business

Giraffe Global Magazine rebrands as Giraffe Global Africa

Published

2 hours ago

November 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Eureka!
Its 8 years of excellent media reportage for
Giraffe Global Magazine

….now rebrands as Giraffe Global Africa

Eight years ago, the idea of setiing up Giraffe Multimedia Communications, the Publisher of Giraffe Global Magazine was birthed by quintessential and well known journalist, Akin Sokoya. Gradually, the magazine has suddenly become a highflyer in the African media value chain. Aside publishing, Giraffe Media also controls an online platform tagged www.giraffeglobal.com.ng which is diseminating quality and up to date news and information globally.

Presently, the media company has rebranded it’s soar away and seasoned celebrity Journal to Giraffe Global Africa, which has also reflected in it’s online platform, www.giraffeglobalafrica.com.ng

According to the publisher/editor-in-chief of Giraffe Global Africa, Akin Sokoya noted that the reason for the rebranding has to do with the wider reach to more African countries and in diasporas.

“It’s exactly eight years that Giraffe Global Magazine, and it’s online platform www.giraffeglobal.com.ng has been in existence, and we deem it fit to give our readers and advertisers a better value for their money and data, and this culminated into rebranding the name, giraffe globalafrica, www giraffe globalafrica.com.ng.

Business

Ex-bank manager remanded

Published

15 hours ago

November 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Ex-bank manager remanded

A former new generation bank manager in the Iju branch, Abiodun Sanni, was on Monday remanded in the correctional centre by a Lagos State Special Offences Court, in Ikeja, over alleged N122,011,441 fraud.

Sanni was arraigned on 16 counts bordering on obtaining credit by false pretences, forgery, use of false documents and stealing by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, O. Adewunmi, told the court that Sanni committed the offences on or about February 24, 2020, in Lagos.

Adewunmi told the court that the defendant while he was the bank manager of the lju branch of Polaris Bank Limited, obtained credit in the form of a loan in the sum of N17m, for one Bamgbose Tayo Taofia trading under the name and style of Banut Haulage.

The prosecutor said that the money was obtained from Polaris Bank Limited, by the false pretence that the loan had collateral in the form of a fixed deposit account number 0071572791, worth N111,540,380.52 belonging to Yinkus Multibiz Ventures and that the owner, one Mrs Olayinka Hannah Aderibigbe, consented to it being used as collateral.

He was also alleged to have dishonestly converted a Polaris Bank Limited fixed deposit account number 0071277522 worth N15, 011,441.00 (Fifteen Million, Eleven Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-One Naira) belonging to Atolagbe Joshua Tinuoye, to his use.

The prosecutor, urged the court to remand the defendant at the correctional centre, pending his trial date.

“My Lord, the prosecutor intended to call 10 witnesses regarding this case and we urge the court to remand the defendant in custody”, Adewunmi said.

But the defence counsel, Osho Oludoshu, told the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client.

In a short ruling, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe adjourned the case and ordered that the bail application should be submitted to the court before the date of trial.

“I adjourn this case to Match 6 and 19, 2025, and I remand the defendant at the correctional centre. They are entitled to bring a bail application before his trial date”, the judge held.

Business

FirstBank Hosts Inaugural China-Africa Interbank Association Forum; reiterates its commitment to promoting trade, financial cooperation and Economic Development.

Published

22 hours ago

November 18, 2024

Sahara Weekly

FirstBank Hosts Inaugural China-Africa Interbank Association Forum; reiterates its commitment to promoting trade, financial cooperation and Economic Development.

FirstBank, the premier West African financial institution and financial inclusion service provider has announced its hosting of the first-ever China-Africa Interbank Association (CAIBA) Forum to strengthen economic ties and investments between China and Africa. The forum, themed “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Strengthening China-Africa Trade, Industrialization and Economic Diversification,” will take place on November 27, 2024, at the Fraiser Suites Abuja.

Established in 2018, CAIBA marked a significant milestone in fostering financial cooperation between China and Africa, comprising 16 African banks, including FirstBank, and China Development Bank (CDB) as well as ABSA Bank, West African Development Bank, Central African States Development Bank, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, Development Bank of South Africa, Ecobank, United Bank for Africa, RawBank with the aim to enhance partnerships in various spheres, such as infrastructure interconnection, international cooperation, and cultural exchange. This initiative was driven by the need to address the funding gap in Africa for industrialization, infrastructure, and poverty alleviation.

The CAIBA Forum which will be co-hosted by China Development Bank offers a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing, networking and deal making, for the purpose of fostering a win-win cooperation and promote joint development among member-banks. Formerly convened only in Beijing, the Forum will now provide a unique platform to spotlight Nigeria’s pivotal role in the growing China-Africa economic relationship as the host country.

Intrinsically woven into the fabric of the society and with its extensive network across Sub-Saharan Africa, UK, and China, FirstBank provides unparalleled access to markets, to facilitate trade and investment flows between China and Africa.

Additionally, FirstBank’s expertise in financial inclusion, trade finance, corporate and investment banking positions it as an ideal partner with China Development Bank with key strengths in inclusive and sustainable financial solutions in driving this important initiative to support Chinese and African businesses.

Speaking about the forum, the CEO of FirstBank Group, Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu, said, “We are honoured to host this pivotal event that fosters dialogue and collaboration between Chinese and African financial institutions. This forum reinforces our commitment to bridging the gap between Africa and China, catalyzing economic growth and development. The selection of FirstBank as the host is a testament to our rich legacy, deep expertise in African markets, and an impressive 130-year history of empowering businesses and communities to thrive. We are proud to support the continent’s economic transformation and growth and remain dedicated to exploring the partnership opportunities this forum will bring for the mutual benefit of China and Africa.”

Participants will have the chance to engage with government officials, business leaders, and financial experts from both regions. Expected guest speakers include His Excellency, the Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Minister of Trade, Industry & Investment, MD of China Development Bank, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Governors of Lagos, Kano and Anambra States; Ambassadors from countries of CAIBA members, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank, Representatives from the China-Africa Development Fund, and many industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to explore opportunities for cooperation and mutual growth.

In addition, the CAIBA Forum will feature a plenary session which include Dr. Abiodun Adedipe – Founder & Chief Consultant BAA Consult, David Ofosu-Dorte – Senior Partner, AB & David Africa, A Pan-African Law Firm, Ugo (UgoDre) Obi-Chukwu – Publisher Nairametrics, Wole Adeniyi- CEO, Stanbic IBTC, Bamidele Abu- CEO, ABSA Nigeria Capital Markets, Mrs Kouassigan Dovi Eliane Khady – Head Financial Institutions West African Development Bank (BOAD). Other exciting line-ups include a trade exhibition, keynote speeches, and networking events that will explore the latest trends and opportunities in China-Africa cooperation.

The establishment of CAIBA is a positive development that has the potential to significantly impact the economic landscape, actively shaping economic future and fostering partnerships that drive sustainable growth and prosperity of both China and Africa.