FIRSTBANK: MORE RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS
After operating for over 128 years with awards and recognitions to
show for its commitments and accomplishments in banking, corporate
philanthropy, socio-economic development, support to businesses and
commercial activities, FirstBank is showing no signs of stopping or
slowing down. In the first five months of this year, First Bank of
Nigeria Limited has been in the news for all the right reasons and the
recognitions and awards have been pouring in, literally.
Among the numerous recognitions and awards that have been received so
far in 2022 are 10 awards which highlight FirstBank’s outstanding role
in driving national, regional and global economic growth and
development through constructive engagements with both public and
private sectors in communities and economies across the globe. Top on
the list of awards is the recognition and listing of FirstBank as a
Superbrand. Superbrand International conferred on FirstBank the
Superbrand Award 2022 for “maintaining a formidable brand perception
for 128 years”.
This global recognition is one the local banking industry and indeed
the whole nation can be proud of as it puts Nigeria on the world map
of countries with longstanding and stable banking sectors. The feat by
the same bank which was the first Nigerian company to feature on CNN
100 Club, is very much in keeping with the pedigree of FirstBank.
Since its establishment in 1894, the bank has consistently played a
pioneering role in driving socio-economic growth and innovation,
introducing to its customers that it puts at the heart of its
business, innovative products, services and initiatives hitherto
unknown in Nigeria’s banking industry, such as the automated teller
machine (ATM) and agency banking.
Besides the Superbrand award, FirstBank’s trove of trophies was
further boosted by awards that recognised its pole position in
Nigeria’s financial services sector and the strides it was making in
terms of digital transformation, customer service, corporate banking
and corporate social responsibility (CSR). International Investor
Awards recognised FirstBank as Best Bank in Nigeria for the year 2022.
This followed an independently conducted survey and data retrieved
from Thomson Reuters. Relying on the same survey and data from Thomson
Reuters, International Investor Awards also presented FirstBank with
Best Banking Digital Transformation in Nigeria for the year 2022.
For the Best Bank in Nigeria award, the International Investor Awards
considered FirstBank’s leadership role as Nigeria’s premier banking
institution and leading financial inclusion services provider in
promoting financial inclusion in the country. This is because the
bank’s role has been critical to stimulating economic activities,
supporting businesses and improving lives across the country. With
over 800 business locations and over 160,000 banking (Firstmonie)
Agents spread across 772 of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria,
FirstBank has been doing far much more than any other deposit money
bank in the country to drive financial inclusion.
The Best Bank in Digital Transformation award took cognisance of
FirstBank’s continued efforts at reinventing its digital banking
channels and driving a cashless society by enabling customers enjoy
secured and seamless digital banking experiences. FirstBank offers an
array of options in terms of digital banking channels that spoil the
customer for choice. Customers can use the recently unveiled fully
automated branch (FirstBank Digital Experience Centre), *894# USSD
banking, FirstMobile (mobile banking), FirstOnline (online banking)
and WhatsApp banking, among others.
Particularly delighted by the awards by International Investor Awards,
Mrs Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate
Communications at FirstBank, did not hesitate to dedicate the awards
to “our esteemed customers spread across the world for their
unflinching patronage of our services through our 128 years of
existence.” She added: “As a bank that is woven into the fabric of
society, we remain committed to ensuring that our customers enjoy
safe, secure and advanced financial services as they seamlessly carry
out their banking transactions on the go, irrespective of where they
are,” she concluded.
Digital Banker Award was convinced that it was in customer service
that FirstBank stood out the most and conferred the bank with the Best
Digital Bank in CX award. Global Banking and Finance Award decided
that it was in corporate banking and CSR that FirstBank stood head and
shoulders above other financial services players. Best Corporate
Banking Western Africa 2022 and Best CSR Bank Western Africa 2022 were
the two awards Global Banking and Finance Award presented to FirstBank
as a result.
The latter award by Global Banking and Finance Award was premised on
FirstBank’s SPARK (Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness)
Initiative and its robust implementation of the Initiative across West
Africa. Its operations in Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and
Senegal, (besides operations in London and Paris through FBNBank (UK)
Limited, the Democratic Republic of Congo through FBNBank DRC and
China through its Representative Office in Beijing), meant that
FirstBank was poised to rapidly scale any programme initiated in
Nigeria across Africa.
Like bank, like CEO, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, the Chief Executive Officer
of FirstBank, also picked up a number of awards during the first half
of the year. The awards were presented to him for his leadership,
transforming impact on the institution and standing as a banking icon.
Leadership Newspaper took cognisance of Adeduntan’s role in
introducing banking services to the underserved hinterlands and
bestowed on him Leadership Banker of the Year award.
The African Leadership Organisation conferred on Adeduntan the African
Leadership Legacy Award while Capital Finance International recognised
him as the Best Commercial Bank Executive 2022. The Sun Newspaper
considered Adeduntan’s role in transforming FirstBank and presented
him with the Banking Icon of the Decade award.
In line with the saying “the reward for hard work is more work”,
FirstBank and its CEO, Adeduntan, should brace up for more work. But
they should do so with the informed knowledge gained from the
institution’s very own experience that shows that the reward for hard
work is not more work only but more work coupled with recognitions and
awards. More work for FirstBank has led to more recognitions and
awards, which in turn have opened the door to yet more work that have
brought yet more recognitions and awards. It has become a never-ending
virtuous cycle of work, more work, recognitions and awards.
This has been the story of FirstBank. And even after 128 years of
continuous operations, there is no sign the story is about to change.
Why? Because the world rewards the hard-worker with more work, the
star performer with more opportunity to perform, the diligent project
executioner with more projects to execute and the award-winning bank
with more recognitions and awards so it can keep putting its customers
first and have its trove of trophies continuously bursting at the
seams. Vanguard.
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