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FIRSTBANK CONVENES THE FOURTH EDITION OF ITS ANNUAL FIRSTGEM EVENT

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First Bank of NigeriaLimited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services providerhas announced the fourth edition of its annual FirstGem Conference, taggedFirstGem 4.0. The 2021 event is themed ‘The Art of Negotiation’ andconvened to provide women with insights on the secrets of wealth management,investment and savings. It is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 31 March 2021.Participants are required to register via the link http://bit.ly/firstbankwebinar The product, FirstGem, isan account designed specifically to meet the needs of women, aged 18 years andabove. The product is targeted at a broad spectrum of women, workingprofessionals, entrepreneurs or market women to promote their business throughan array of benefits, from free business advisory services on business funding,specialized training on Business Development initiatives (online and physical),regular information or insights on business opportunities or openings invarious sectors and industries. FirstGem account owners have access to mouth-wateringdiscounts at merchant outlets (spas, salons, grocery stores) that offerlifestyle products and services. The Guest Speakers at theevent are Mrs. Ibukun Awosika – Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank ofNigeria Limited; Prof Pedro Videla – Prof. of Economics at IESE Business Schooland Prof Mehta Kandarp, Senior Lecturer, IESE Business School. They wouldrespectively speak on the topics; the theme of the International Women’s Day“Choose to Challenge”, the current state of the Global Economy and how itImpacts Business Decisions and Negotiation as a Tool for Winning in Business& Career.  During the event,FirstBank SME customers would be given the opportunity to pitch their businessidea and stand a chance to get N1,000,000 seed fund to kick-start theirbusiness. The business ideas would be judged by the following criteria;Originality, Feasibility, Good presentation skills and Sustainability. Speaking on the event, Mr.Francis Shobo, Deputy Managing Director, Firstbank said “The FirstGem 4.0 isthe icing on the cake in the streams of initiatives and activities we haveorganised and participated in March as we join the world to celebrate women forthe indelible roles they play in our society. Through these activities, wespearhead the call on the need to promote women inclusiveness in the country asthe role they play towards the continued socio-economic growth and developmentof any given society cannot be overemphasized.” Shedding light on theimpact of the FirstGem account, he said “our FirstGem account is specificallydesigned to meet the financial needs of women as it offers unrivalled servicesthat empower women to do more and achieve more. It seeks to drive financialdevelopment and the empowerment of women through gender engineered programmes.At FirstBank, we recognize that promoting female entrepreneurship and empowermentis crucial to a better society, “he concluded.  Since the product launch in October 2016, theBank has implemented various activities targeted at promoting femaleempowerment, impact and influence in the economy. Through its online portal -designed to provide a virtual online community with over 61,293 members wherelike-minded women irrespective of where they are in Nigeria and abroad, gatherto connect, grow and share knowledge on everything about lifestyle, motherhood,career development, entrepreneurship, health, work and family. Weencourage all women to join the community by signing up via this link https://firstgem.com.ng/communityto enjoy this experience.  FirstGem has successfullyempowered women in states across the geo-political zones in Nigeria and theUnited Kingdom.   AboutFirstBank FirstBank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is the premier Bank in West Africa and theleading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria for over 126 years.  Withover 750 business locations and over 86,300 Banking Agents spread across 99% ofthe 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, FirstBank provides a comprehensiverange of retail and corporate financial services to serve its over 30 millioncustomers. The Bank has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBNBank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in the Republic of Congo, Ghana,The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal, as well as a RepresentativeOffice in Beijing.  TheBank has been handy at promoting digital payment in the country and has issuedover 10million cards, the first bank to achieve such a milestone in thecountry. FirstBank’s cashless transaction drive extends to having more than10million people on its USSD Quick Banking service through the nationallyrenowned *894# Banking code and over 4.5 million people on FirstMobileplatform. Sinceits establishment in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships withcustomers focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strongliquidity, optimised risk management and leadership. Over the years, the Bankhas led the financing of private investment in infrastructure development inthe Nigerian economy by playing key roles in the Federal Government’sprivatisation and commercialisation schemes. With its global reach, FirstBankprovides prospective investors wishing to explore the vast businessopportunities that are available in Nigeria, an internationally competitiveworld-class brand and a credible financial partner.   FirstBankhas been named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” six times in a row (2011 –2016) by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial TimesGroup; “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017)by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial ServicesAwards and “Best Bank in Nigeria” by Global Finance for 15 years. Our brandpurpose is always to put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart ofour business, even as we standardise customer experience and excellence infinancial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brandvision “To be the partner of the first choice in building your future”.  Ourbrand promise is always to deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value andexcellence. This commitment is anchored on our inherent values of passion,partnership and people, to position You First in every respect. FolakeAni-Mumuney GroupHead, Marketing & Corporate Communications www.firstbanknigeria.com   

FIRSTBANK CONVENES THE FOURTH EDITION OF ITS ANNUAL FIRSTGEM EVENT, REINFORCES ITS LEADING ROLE IN PROMOTING WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.

 

 

 

 

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider has announced the fourth edition of its annual FirstGem Conference, tagged FirstGem 4.0. The 2021 event is themed ‘The Art of Negotiation’ and convened to provide women with insights on the secrets of wealth management, investment, and savings. It is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 31 March 2021. Participants are required to register via the link http://bit.ly/firstbankwebinar

 

The product, FirstGem, is an account designed specifically to meet the needs of women, aged 18 years and above. The product is targeted at a broad spectrum of women, working professionals, entrepreneurs, or market women to promote their business through an array of benefits, from free business advisory services on business funding, specialized training on Business Development initiatives (online and physical), regular information or insights on business opportunities or openings in various sectors and industries. FirstGem account owners have access to mouth-watering discounts at merchant outlets (spas, salons, grocery stores) that offer lifestyle products and services.

 

The Guest Speakers at the event are Mrs. Ibukun Awosika – Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Limited; Prof Pedro Videla – Prof. of Economics at IESE Business School and Prof Mehta Kandarp, Senior Lecturer, IESE Business School. They would respectively speak on the topics; the theme of the International Women’s Day “Choose to Challenge”, the current state of the Global Economy and how it Impacts Business Decisions and Negotiation as a Tool for Winning in Business & Career.

 

During the event, FirstBank SME customers would be given the opportunity to pitch their business idea and stand a chance to get an N1,000,000 seed fund to kick-start their business. The business ideas would be judged by the following criteria; Originality, Feasibility, Good presentation skills, and Sustainability.

 

Speaking on the event, Mr. Francis Shobo, Deputy Managing Director, Firstbank said “The FirstGem 4.0 is the icing on the cake in the streams of initiatives and activities we have organized and participated in March as we join the world to celebrate women for the indelible roles they play in our society. Through these activities, we spearhead the call on the need to promote women’s inclusiveness in the country as the role they play towards the continued socio-economic growth and development of any given society cannot be overemphasized.”

 

Shedding light on the impact of the FirstGem account, he said “our FirstGem account is specifically designed to meet the financial needs of women as it offers unrivaled services that empower women to do more and achieve more. It seeks to drive financial development and the empowerment of women through gender-engineered programs. At FirstBank, we recognize that promoting female entrepreneurship and empowerment is crucial to a better society, “he concluded.

 

Since the product launch in October 2016, the Bank has implemented various activities targeted at promoting female empowerment, impact, and influence in the economy. Through its online portal – designed to provide a virtual online community with over 61,293 members where like-minded women irrespective of where they are in Nigeria and abroad, gather to connect, grow and share knowledge on everything about lifestyle, motherhood, career development, entrepreneurship, health, work, and family. We encourage all women to join the community by signing up via this link https://firstgem.com.ng/community to enjoy this experience.

 

 

FirstGem has successfully empowered women in states across the geo-political zones in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

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ZENITH BANK REWARDS HACKATHON WINNERS WITH N77.5M CASH PRIZE AT ZENITH TECH FAIR 4.0

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ZENITH BANK REWARDS HACKATHON WINNERS WITH N77.5M CASH PRIZE AT ZENITH TECH FAIR 4.0

 

A total sum of N77.5 million in prize money was won at the end of a keenly contested hackathon session at the Fourth Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI “, which held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The prize money was shared among ten finalists who emerged from the over 1,700 contestants that took part in the hackathon, with JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology solution reshaping the retail landscape in Africa emerging as the overall winner and taking home the grand prize of N25 million. This is in addition to a six-week mentorship and incubation program designed to help them grow and scale effectively, which will run from December 2024 to February 2025.

The first runner-up, CreditChek, a credit and verification service provider which leverages AI and open banking to streamline income and credit history verification for financial institutions, won N20 million and a mentorship programme, while the second runner-up, Salad Africa, a start-up which offers seamless integration of credit products for digital platforms and software companies won N15 million as well as a mentorship programme. Other finalists who took home N2.5million each include Regxta, CashAfrica, Middleman, Messenger, Pocketfood, Famasi Africa, Kitovu.

Earlier during the programme, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, in her welcome address expressed her appreciation to the Founder & Chairman, Dr Jim Ovia, CFR, for birthing the idea that led to the establishment of the Tech Fair initiative 5 years ago, she thanked him for his vision and foresight in utilizing technology to revolutionize the world of business and banking.

Commenting on the Hackathon, she said, “This prestigious annual event was created to empower and nurture young fertile minds. We hope to produce the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk from the Zenith Bank Hackathons in the nearest future. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, 70% of Nigeria’s population are youths which is an economic asset when properly harnessed. This is part of the reason why Zenith Bank is hosting this event to support the development of technology startups. Their success not only fosters innovation and growth in Nigeria, but it also plays a vital role in creating employment opportunities for our youth.” She also stressed on the importance of innovation and embedded finance in ensuring strong and enduring institutions. According to her, “it is paramount that we adapt and adopt technology to stay ahead of the curve. We have seen various cases of companies that failed because of their lack of innovation. It is quite obvious that when companies fail to innovate; they can easily be displaced, so this is not the time to be orthodox, innovation should be a top priority for us.”

In his goodwill message, The Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu called for a global approach to doing business in the country. According to him, “What we need to do is to be able to enhance our product and services in order to compete in the world. We can’t continue to act local, we need to think global. Anything that we’re doing now, we need to be able to know that we are not just serving a local market, we actually want to serve the global market, and that’s why I’m glad that consistently, for the past four years, I have kept up with the Zenith Tech Fair. I am sure 5.0 should be bigger and better than what we have today, but for us as a government, what we need to do is to continue to use platforms like this to reassure you of our readiness to provide an enabling environment for your ideas and innovative solutions.”

Described as a huge success by participants, the Fair featured the launch of the bank’s digital wallet, EazyByZenith, which will help to support the bank’s retail and financial inclusion strategy. The fair also included presentations on the leading technological innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Compliance, Financial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Communication Technologies, with the keynote address, “Banking Transformation in a Digital World”, delivered by Robin Speculand, a renowned Strategy & Digital Implementation Specialist.

The event also featured goodwill messages by Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank; His Excellency, Hon. Kashim Shettima, GCON, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (represented by Dr. Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to the Presidency on Economic Matters). Other eminent IT practitioners from top global brands who also made presentations include; Robin Speculand, renowned Strategy & Digital Implementation Specialist; Danilo McGarry, Global Expert on Digital Transformation and AI; Jania Okwechime, Partner, Africa, AI & Data Leader, Deloitte; Rupert Nicolay, Director, Microsoft Worldwide Financial Services.

The panel session had Wole Odeyele, Client Technology Lead for Microsoft Inc. as its host, and featured six discussants including Ada Jabaru, Founder & Director, Nistad Limited; Funke Opeke, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; Guy Futi, Chief Executive Officer, Orda; Dr Auwal Adam Sa’ad, Founder, ZamzamPay; Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The Zenith Bank startup pitch competition and incubation program seeks to identify and fast-track the growth of high-potential Nigerian startups innovating in key sectors, including Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity, Fintech, HealthTech, Agritech, E-commerce, and more. The program provides an ideal platform for startups to showcase their groundbreaking ideas and gain access to invaluable resources to scale their businesses.

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NEW BPP DG COMMITS TO EFFICIENCY AND STAFF WELFARE FOR IMPACTFUL SERVICE DELIVERY

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NEW BPP DG COMMITS TO EFFICIENCY AND STAFF WELFARE FOR IMPACTFUL SERVICE DELIVERY*

*_…begins review of bureau processes to enhance government procurement systems_*

The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, has outlined his vision to drive efficiency, enhance staff welfare, and reinforce the Bureau’s regulatory mandate in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope mandate and his commitment to improving Nigeria’s economy. This was made known during an interactive session with staff of the Bureau at the State House Banquet Hall on November 20, 2024. Dr Adedokun emphasised the urgency of delivering results as well as improving trust in the government procurement system to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, declaring, “Let us work together to get value for money for Nigeria’s developmental processes and achieve President Tinubu’s mandate of making Nigeria’s economy better.”

Furthermore, in a bid to strengthen operational efficiency, the DG also announced key reforms, including introducing Service Level Agreements for the bureau’s processes ensuring that letters are treated within 3 (three) days, and ensuring reports are completed within 14 (fourteen) days. He also highlighted plans to secure a sustainable budget that would improve the working environment and provide better welfare for staff.

Dr Adedokun firmly stated the Bureau’s resolve to uphold its regulatory integrity under his watch. He warned that officers are prohibited from visiting Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) unless on official assignments stressing the need for officers of the Bureau to stay above board. He further declared that contractors are no longer allowed within the Bureau’s premises to ensure that officers can perform their duties without undue interference and influence.

Calling for a collaborative approach, the DG urged staff to embody the Bureau’s regulatory values by adhering to procurement guidelines, avoiding delays, and striving for excellence. “As a regulator, you must be seen to be guided by the procurement process,” he stated. He assured the team of an open-door policy, encouraging innovative ideas that could propel the Bureau to greater heights.

The session also featured a visit from former DG, Engr. Emeka Ezeh, OFR, FNSE, who led the Bureau from 2009 to 2016. Engr. Ezeh commended President Tinubu for appointing Dr Adedokun and urged staff to provide their full support to the new leadership. He encouraged staff to focus on leaving a legacy of excellence, saying, “Work in a way that you will be celebrated wherever you go in life.”

Senior Directors, including Engr. Nasir Bello and Engr. Isaiah Yesufu reiterated the importance of supporting the DG’s vision while emphasizing adherence to the Bureau’s operational guidelines. Staff also welcomed the session, sharing their perspectives on improving the Bureau’s operations and pledging their support for the new leadership.

In a related development, Dr Adedokun sought collaboration with the Presidential Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy (PODES) led by its Head, Mr O’tega Ogra, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital/New Media, during a courtesy visit to his office on November 21, 2024. The DG emphasized the need to enhance the Bureau’s public engagement and visibility in line with the all-of-government communications approach being espoused by the PODES.

Mr Ogra congratulated Dr Adedokun on his appointment and highlighted the key role BPP plays in advancing Nigeria’s development agenda. O’tega further expressed his commitment to collaborating with the Bureau in amplifying its communication efforts and ensuring Nigerians understand and appreciate its critical role in national governance.

Dr Adedokun’s leadership marks a new chapter for the Bureau of Public Procurement, focused on accountability, efficiency, and impactful service delivery. His vision aligns seamlessly with the Federal Government’s goals of economic transformation and sustainable development as well as President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

Janet McDickson
Director, Information & Public Relations/Head, Media-BPP

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Abducted Rivers bizman rescued, suspected robber arrested

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Abducted Rivers bizman rescued, suspected robber arrested

 

The Rivers State Police Command said its men rescued a businessman identified as Julius Madabuchi, who was kidnapped by a four-man gang at a filling station in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The police said the man was abducted when the miscreants who were driving in a Black Toyota car stormed the area and started shooting discriminately before executing their plan.

The rescue of the man, the police said, followed a distress call sent to the command control room about the activities of the hoodlums on November 17 and immediately mobilised operatives to the scene, saying the abductors engaged the police in a shootout.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, on Wednesday.

 

The statement reads, “On the 17th of November, 2014, at about 2023hrs, operatives of the command received a distress call from the Room indicating that a gang of armed men numbering about four operating in a Black colour Toyota Corolla car shot sporadically and kidnapped one Madabuchi Julius at Sabbath Filling Station, Oyigbo.

“Operatives were swiftly mobilised to the scene and the hoodlums on sighting the police operatives drove off, but they were given a hot chase by the operatives and subsequently intercepted along Egbu Street, Oyigbo and a gun duel ensued between the operatives and the hoodlums.

“The hoodlums could not withstand the police’s superior firepower and eventually abandoned the victim and their operational vehicle with registration number RIVERS PHC 938 AH and escaped. The victim was rescued unhurt and the vehicle recovered. He has since reunited with his family.”

 

The state police image maker however said an investigation is ongoing while concerted efforts are being intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons.

In a related development, Iringe-Koko said the following day, precisely on Monday, operatives of the command acted on credible information, coordinated a covert operation at the St Lorinta Street, Oyigbo and arrested one Gabriel Morris, aged 25, at Mercy Ground in Kom-Kom, Oyigbo LGA of the State.

The state police spokesperson stated, “During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a syndicate that had been terrorising Oyigbo and its environs in recent times.

 

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, listed items recovered from the suspect including one locally made pistol and a quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.

She added, “Investigation is ongoing, while concerted efforts are intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.

“This successful operation further demonstrates the effectiveness of the Rivers State Police Command in combating kidnapping and all other forms of crime in the state.”

 

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