First
Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion
services provider, has announced that its all-female online community www.firstgem.com.ng , offers mentoring,
support and capacity building opportunities for all to create a new generation
of financially literate women.
With
the aim to increase its engagement and reach a wider audience, an online
repository for its FirstGem product was created and designed to provide a
virtual online community where like-minded women irrespective of where they are
in Nigeria and abroad, gather to connect, grow and share knowledge on
everything about lifestyle, parenting, career development, entrepreneurship,
health, work and family. Financial empowerment and wealth creation ideas are
shared to encourage women to play their part in providing financial support for
their families.
The
portal provides varied contents ranging from Blog stories to Vlogs,
Newsletters, Chat rooms which are built on 6 pillars – Health, Wealth and
Finance, Food and Recipes, Events, Entrepreneurship, Lifestyle and Beauty. The
FirstGem online community presently has over 61,634 members drawn from all
walks of life sharing ideas, insights and experiences.
According
to Chuma Ezirim, Group Executive, e-Business & Retail Products, First Bank
of Nigeria Limited, “FirstGem is suited for the Nigerian woman, and we are
using this online community as the ideal opportunity to position the Bank’s
gender initiatives to meet the required needs on a wide range of issues
affecting women from lifestyle, skills acquisition, finances, wealth
acquisition and management, business support, etc.
We
encourage all women to join the community by signing up via this link https://firstgem.com.ng/community to enjoy this
experience.
FirstGem
is a gender specific account designed to meet the needs of women, aged 18 years
and above. It is targeted at a broad spectrum of women, working professionals,
entrepreneurs and MSMEs with a view to promoting growth via an array of benefits, from free business
advisory services, regular information or insights on business opportunities in
various sectors and industries, as well as mouth-watering discounts at partnered
stores and outlets.FirstGem has successfully empowered women in states across
the geo-political zones in Nigeria and the UK.
First Bank of Nigeria
Limited (FirstBank) is the premier Bank in West Africa and the leading
financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria for over 125 years.
With over 750 business
locations and 53,000 Banking Agents spread across 99% of the 774 Local
Government Areas in Nigeria, FirstBank provides a comprehensive range of retail
and corporate financial services to serve its over 15 million customers. The
Bank has international presence through its subsidiaries, 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 Bank has been
nimble at promoting digital payment in the country and has issued over
10million cards, the first bank to achieve such milestone in the country.
FirstBank’s cashless transaction drive extends to having more than 9.5million
people on its USSD banking service through the nationally renowned *894#
banking service and over 3.5 million people on Firstmobile platform.
Since its establishment
in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing
on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised
risk management and leadership. 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, FirstBank 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.
FirstBank has 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 Times Group; “Best
Retail Bank in Nigeria” for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017)
by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services
Awards and “Best Bank in Nigeria” by Global Finance for 15 years. Our brand
purpose is to always put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of
our business, even as we standardise customer experience and excellence in
financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brand
vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”. Our brand
promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and
excellence. This commitment is anchored on our inherent values of passion,
partnership and people, to position You First in every respect.
Dangote Hails Tinubu on Impact of Crude for Naira Swap Deal
…As Dangote Refinery partners MRS to sell PMS at N935 per litre nationwide at its retail outlets
Sahara Weekly Unveils That The Foremost entrepreneur and President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the positive impact of the naira for crude swap deal on the Nigerian economy, which has led to reduction in prices of petroleum products in the country.
To provide succour to Nigerians, Dangote recently reduced the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N970 to N899.50 at its Refinery loading gantry and provided generous credit terms to marketers.
“To ensure that this price reduction gets to the end consumer, we have signed a partnership with MRS to sell petrol from its retail outlets nationwide at N935 per litre” he added. This price has already commenced in Lagos, and it will be offered nationwide from Monday.
In his statement, he called on other oil marketers such as the NNPC Retail and all other marketers, “to work with us to ensure that Nigerians enjoy high-quality petrol at discounted prices.”
According to him, “The Dangote Refinery is for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. We will therefore continue to work with various value chain players to deliver high quality petrol at cheaper prices. Our aim is for all Nigerians to have ready access to high quality petroleum products that are good for their vehicles, good for their health, and good for their pockets.
Recall that in September, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under the leadership of Mr. President approved the sale of crude to local refineries in Naira and corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira. The move, which commenced on October 1, led to reduced pressure on the dollar and ensured the stability of the local currency.
Dangote thanked Nigerians for their unwavering support and the government for creating an enabling environment for the domestic refining industry.
NNPC Debunks Shutdown Rumors, Confirms Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has dismissed reports circulating in certain media outlets claiming that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was re-streamed two months ago, has been shut down.
In a statement released by Olufemi O. Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, the company clarified that the refinery is fully operational. The statement noted that the facility’s operational status was recently verified by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC during a site inspection.
“Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing,” the statement confirmed, emphasizing that allegations of the refinery’s shutdown are baseless and intended to create panic or artificial scarcity in the fuel market.
NNPC Ltd urged members of the public to disregard such misleading reports, labeling them as the work of those seeking to exploit Nigerians.
The Old Port Harcourt Refinery has been in operation since its re-streaming, and the company remains committed to ensuring stability in the supply of petroleum products across the country.
In a show of solidarity, the Committee of Banks in Nigeria has extended a helping hand to victims of the September 2024 floods in Jigawa State. On Thursday, a high-profile delegation led by Dr. Oliver Alawuba, Chairman of the Committee and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), visited Dutse, the state capital, to present relief materials to the state government.
The donated items, worth several million Naira, included essential food supplies such as rice and cooking oil, along with mattresses and beverages. Dr. Alawuba highlighted that the gesture aimed to alleviate the hardship faced by flood victims and support critical institutions, especially public hospitals, in their efforts to assist those affected.
“We stand in solidarity with the people and government of Jigawa State during this difficult time. This donation is our way of expressing empathy and supporting those who have lost loved ones, properties, and livelihoods,” Dr. Alawuba stated.
The delegation included notable banking leaders such as Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna of Access Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji of Zenith Bank Plc, and Dr. (Mrs.) Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe of Fidelity Bank Plc, among others. Their collective presence underscored the banking sector’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and national development.
Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi expressed profound gratitude for the donation, describing the visit as a rare and commendable act of compassion. He assured the delegation that the relief materials would be judiciously distributed to the intended beneficiaries, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in rebuilding lives and communities.
The Committee of Banks also reiterated their commitment to supporting Nigerians during emergencies, drawing attention to previous interventions, including relief efforts during the 2011 and 2013 floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and security initiatives like the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.
This humanitarian gesture reflects the collective resolve of Nigeria’s financial institutions to foster social and economic growth, making a meaningful impact in times of need.