Business

Business Leaders Guide Youth on Turning Passion into Profit at Stanbic IBTC’s YLS

Published

4 years ago

April 22, 2021

Stanbic IBTC Ranks Top 3 in LinkedIn’s Best Places to Work

Business Leaders Guide Youth on Turning Passion into Profit at Stanbic IBTC’s YLS

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Nigeria’s leading end-to-end financial services organisation, held the 2021 edition of its Youth Leadership Series (YLS) on Thursday, 08 April 2021. The event held virtually this year due to the pandemic. Youths from across Nigeria and various parts of the world including the UK, USA and UAE were in attendance.

Dr Demola Sogunle, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, delivered the opening address. He stated that the YLS was birthed as an avenue to engage and empower young Nigerians into becoming future business leaders. He pointed that the youth made up over 50 percent of Nigeria’s population. Dr Sogunle asserted that the organisation remained committed to the vision of grooming young Nigerians and providing guidance in order to become successful in every sphere of life.

He said, “The Nigerian youth require support, guidance and empowerment to propel them to the pinnacle of their various fields. The innovative projects and tech disruptions championed by the youth in virtually every sector are proof of their ingenuity, skill, brilliance and resourcefulness. At Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, we believe in breaking boundaries, hence our tagline, IT CAN BE, which is hinged upon the premise that everything is possible as long as we are dedicated and put in the requisite effort to make it work.”

The 2021 edition of YLS was themed ‘WINNING’ and had an array of well-versed speakers in the areas of trading and investments, building businesses and monetising with social media. These speakers shared their invaluable entrepreneurial experiences, challenges and success stories in three (3) breakout sessions, much to the delight and admiration of the youthful audience in attendance.

Debo Adebayo; an entertainer better known as Mr. Macaroni, spoke during the ‘Winning with Social Media’ breakout session. He said his passion and urge to succeed propelled him into the business of entertainment. He added that having realised he wanted more visibility; he invested in himself from his meagre resources.

He advised youths to be passionate about their cause, and added that with passion, resilience could be sustained in the face of debilitating challenges.

Ms. Ifedayo Agoro, the founder of Diary of a Naija Girl (DANG), an online lifestyle website, revealed that the need to be heard and give women a voice made her leave a thriving career in the oil and gas industry and started her online community. She noted that although she did well in her career, she was unhappy until she found fulfilment with DANG.

She said the first six months were not encouraging as many people didn’t really understand her vision, but she kept at it. “Winning doesn’t only involve consistency, it also involves constantly adapting to change”, she added.

At the ‘Winning with Entrepreneurship’ breakout session, the duo of Olumide Soyombo, co-Founder, Bluechip Technologies and Tracy Batta, co-Founder, Smoothie Express addressed business strategic moves, that included the rudiments of nurturing businesses. The panellists shared their experiences and entrepreneurship journeys with the participants.

Soyombo alluded that it was common to encounter challenges and uncertainty with business start-ups and advised entrepreneurs to remain flexible and well adapted to the ever-changing business climate.

On ‘Winning with Investments’, Akin Bamidele Akintola, Head of Equity Sales, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers, emphasised the need to make adequate preparations for the future. He explained that it was better to save in investments such as stocks and mutual funds, as the economy was largely unpredictable.

Co-founder of Bamboo Invest, an investment platform that allows Nigerians to invest in United States stocks, Yanmo Omorogbe said her major challenge was getting funding and investors before the pandemic. She advised people to believe in themselves, improve pitching skills and be persistent. She also stated that when entering any investment business, it was important to know the regulators.

As Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, gave his closing remarks, he assured thousands of the participants at the event that Stanbic IBTC would continue to make productive investments in the lives of the younger generation, as well as providing the needed financial solutions that would help them achieve their dreams.

The general takeaway from this year’s YLS was that consistency, passion, self-development and value-addition remained essential ingredients for winning.

Related Topics:Featured Lifestyle Stanbic IBTC

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Fidelity Bank Supports Improved Maternal Health in Lagos

Published

6 minutes ago

January 9, 2025

Sahara Weekly

Fidelity Bank Supports Improved Maternal Health in Lagos

Leading Financial Institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has donated maternity kits to 30 pregnant women at Mushin Primary Health Centre (PHC), Lagos.

The donation, organized by the Great Minds Inductees Class, was made possible through the Fidelity Helping Hands Program (FHHP), a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by Fidelity Bank Plc aimed at promoting staff involvement in community development.

Through the FHHP, staff across the bank’s business locations identify projects that benefit their immediate community and gather funds to implement them. The bank’s management then matches this contribution with an equivalent amount and allocates it for the chosen projects.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Divisional Head, Brand and Communications Division, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr Meksley Nwagboh, noted that, “The project was borne out of the need to support pregnant women by providing them with essential materials for a safe delivery.”

Nwagboh noted that, “Maternal mortality remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with the country accounting for a substantial proportion of global maternal deaths. In fact, a 2023 United Nations report indicate that nearly 28.5% of global maternal deaths occur in Nigeria. This is an alarming statistic and as a bank given to improving the welfare of our host communities, we deemed it fit to support initiatives to address this challenge in the Mushin community with this donation.”

Appreciating the bank’s gesture, the Medical and Health Officer for Mushin Local Government Area, Dr. Kayode Odufuwa, noted that, “This intervention by Fidelity Bank will help reduce maternal mortality and encourage more women from less-privileged backgrounds to register for antenatal care.”

“On behalf of the Chairman of Mushin LGA, Mr. Emmanuel Bamgboye, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Fidelity Bank for extending its donation of maternity kits to pregnant women at this center. We appeal for continued collaboration with the Bank to further strengthen healthcare services within the area,” he stated.

On her part, the Apex Nurse and Deputy Director of Nursing Services in Mushin LGA, Mrs. Bolanle Odunlami, poured encomiums on Fidelity Bank for their generosity while noting that, “The donation is a much-needed relief for many mothers who are unable to afford essential delivery kits. Fidelity Bank has truly shown empathy by coming to the aid of our patients, and for that, we are extremely grateful,”.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Mary Olusanya, expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the bank’s support. “I appreciate Fidelity Bank for helping us. Many pregnant women cannot afford these kits, but this donation ensures that we can have safe deliveries and better healthcare,” she said.

Ranked as one of the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged customer commercial bank with over 8.3 million customers serviced across its 251 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, as well as on digital banking channels. The bank has won multiple local and international awards, including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023, and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards; Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023; and Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.

Business

EXPANDING FOOTPRINT – NIGERIA’S FIRSTBANK SETS SIGHTS ON ETHIOPIA, ANGOLA, CAMEROON

Published

3 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Sahara Weekly

EXPANDING FOOTPRINT – NIGERIA’S FIRSTBANK SETS SIGHTS ON ETHIOPIA, ANGOLA, CAMEROON

Building on its long-standing presence in sub-Saharan Africa, First Bank of Nigeria Limited is gearing up for its next growth phase as financial systems across the continent open up to new opportunities.

More than a decade after an acquisition spree that boosted its footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, First Bank of Nigeria Limited is looking to expand into several other countries, including Ethiopia, Angola and Cameroon.

“There are a number of large economies with large banking pools that are of interest to us because their financial markets are opening up,” Deputy Managing Director, Ini Ebong told The Africa Report in December on the sidelines of the Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS).

“So, you look at countries like Ethiopia and Angola. In francophone West Africa, we want to expand our presence in places like Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon. The market opportunity is there, and we seek to continue to exploit it,” said Ebong.

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, is poised to partially open its banking sector to foreign banks following a vote by lawmakers in December. The new banking law, passed by a majority in parliament, allows foreign banks to open subsidiaries in Ethiopia. Foreign firms will only be allowed to own 49% of shares, according to the Ethiopian news magazine Addis Standard.

Speaking during a panel session at AFIS, Ethiopia’s central bank governor Mamo Mihretu said the country had been working on the legislation that would finally open the banking sector to foreign competition over the past one year.

After the ratification of the legislation by the parliament, the largest economy in East Africa is “open for business” for any banks looking to come into the country, according to Mihretu.

Previously the executive director in charge of treasury and international banking before his appointment in June 2024, Ebong said that there are growing opportunities in markets across the continent with the expansion of financial systems similar to “what we saw in the early 2000s in some of the larger African markets”. “We believe it is an opportune time to take part in the phase of growth that we see,” said Ebong.

‘Strong franchise’

FirstBank, which has been operating in Nigeria for 130 years, began establishing subsidiaries in other African markets in 2011, when it acquired Banque International de Credit, one of the leading banks in Democratic Republic of Congo.

In November 2013, it snapped up the subsidiaries of International Commercial Bank Financial Group Holdings AG (ICBFGH) in The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Guinea. It went ahead to purchase ICB Senegal the following year, completing its acquisition of West African assets and operations of ICBFGH.

FirstBank also has a subsidiary in the United Kingdom with branches in London and Paris, France, as well as a representative office in Beijing, China. Its parent company FBNHoldings saw its pretax profit for the first nine months of 2024 soar to N610.86bn ($395m) from N267.88bn in the corresponding period a year earlier.

Fitch Ratings said in July last year that FirstBank, Nigeria’s third-largest lender, represented 10.7% of banking system assets at the end of 2023. “Its strong franchise supports a stable funding profile and low funding costs. Revenue diversification is significant, with non-interest income typically exceeding 40% of operating income,” it said.

Culled from The Africa Report

Business

ABRIDGED PROFILE OF CHINEDU NSOFOR (CEO, WORKWIS GROUP)

Published

2 days ago

January 7, 2025

Sahara Weekly

ABRIDGED PROFILE OF CHINEDU NSOFOR (CEO, WORKWIS GROUP)

Chinedu Nsofor is a Professional Social Worker, a Seasoned Technocrat, an International Development Expert, a Change Agent, a Media Guru/Wikipedian, and a Versatile Project Management Expert with a passion for developing and implementing programs and initiatives that touch lives and impact different segments of society, focusing on bringing about massive change, especially in Africa.

He holds an M.Sc. in Social Work, specializing in Industrial Social Welfare from the Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and a B.Sc. in Social Work from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

As a Media Guru/Wikipedian, he is the Founder/CEO of WORKWIS Media Ltd., a leading and reputable media outfit in Nigeria and Africa.

As an International Development Expert, he is currently the Country Director of Rapid Heal Nigeria, a leading wound and skincare treatment company with its global headquarters in Malaysia. Prior to assuming this role, he served as the Country Programs Director (Nigeria) and Africa Director of Asia Pacific Sports International, a reputable sports business and management firm headquartered in Malaysia, with branches in Singapore and other Asian countries.

As a versatile Project Management Expert, Chinedu has coordinated over 50 impactful programs at national, regional, and state levels in Nigeria, touching the lives of over 50,000 Nigerians. Some of these include:

Coordinator of the IMOFINTECH Program for 5,000 Imo youths, organized by the Imo State Government in partnership with Iwuanyanwu Foundation (October–December 2019).

Program Coordinator of safety training for ambulance drivers in Southeast Nigeria during COVID-19 (2021).

Coordinator of the Central Bank of Nigeria-Southeast Entrepreneurship Development Centre’s Program, Owerri Study Centre (2018).

Program Coordinator of the maiden edition of the Inter-secondary School Debate Competition for all secondary schools in Abuja (2018), organized by the Federal Road Safety Corps in partnership with Iwuanyanwu National Ambulance Foundation.

Coordinator of the 2017 Accident-Free Ember Month Program of the Federal Road Safety Corps (Owerri Safety Command) and Iwuanyanwu National Ambulance Foundation.

Program Coordinator of the Imo State and Ebonyi State Free Automobile Training Program, organized by Innoson Kiara Academy in partnership with Iwuanyanwu Foundation and the governments of Imo and Ebonyi States (2021).

Coordinator of the Free Physiotherapy Treatment Intervention Program for arthritis, neck pain, back pain, and waist pain patients in Ikeduru LGA, Imo State (December 3–4, 2021).

Co-coordinator of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Program, Abuja Study Centre (April–December 2015).

Co-coordinator of the 20-day NAPSAS/National Power Training Institute Program in Abuja (May 2015).

Co-coordinator of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN)/SURE-P TVET training for graduate engineers in Lagos (February–March 2015).

Coordinator of the second edition of the seven-day “Work While in School Conference” at UNN, attended by about 3,000 students, organized by the Work While in School Foundation in partnership with the Institute of African Studies, UNN.

Project Coordinator of the Global Impact Show organized by Great Minds International and powered by the Faculty of Social Sciences, UNN (2012).

As a student leader/Igwe of the Faculty of Social Sciences, UNN, he organized the Faculty’s New Yam Festival in 2010, an event attended by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties and other national dignitaries.

Coordinator of the first “Work While in School Conference” at UNN (2011) for over 4,000 third-year students, organized by the Work While in School Foundation in collaboration with the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research, UNN. This program is recorded as the largest student entrepreneurship conference in the history of UNN.

Coordinator of the seven-day African Education and ICT Conference, organized by WORKWIS Foundation and the Institute of African Studies, UNN (March 2010). The conference secured a renewal of the ₦5 million annual scholarship grant from the Dr. Sam Onyishi Foundation and attracted a ₦50 million donation to the university. Over 5,000 UNN students from seven faculties were trained in various skills.

Chinedu Nsofor is a man of integrity and deep spirituality, with a steadfast commitment to excellence in all his operations. His words are his bond, and his contributions consistently bring positive transformation to society.