First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s Most Valuable Bank Brand has reiterated its commitment to drive financial literacy among the youths and unbanked segment of the economy.
As part of the activities to empower the Nigerian child with a sound financial education, the bank has established the FutureFirst initiative aimed at empowering secondary school students between the ages of 12 and 17years old with the tools and knowledge for long-term financial independence. FirstBank’s Financial Literacy Programme aims to provide an experiential supplement to the business education of high school students in Nigeria and empower them with financial knowledge through training on running a business and the basics of money to promote a savings culture amongst them.
To this end, the bank would visit Meadow Hall School, Oba Elegushi road, Ajah on Friday, January 29, 2016 to take the students through the concepts of financial literacy while letting them know that their capacity to imbibe this principles will enable them build a prosperous future.
The FutureFirst Initiative has two platforms of expression – Career Counseling and Financial Literacy Programmes – both aimed at ensuring the youth of our nation are financially independent through fulfilling careers and the right financial knowledge. The Financial Literacy programme is run in partnership with Junior Achievement of Nigeria, who has been at the forefront of championing financial literacy in Nigeria for over 15 years. So far, over 40,000 students from 60 secondary schools have benefitted from this programme. In demonstrating its commitment to the all-round development of students, FirstBank continuously seeks speaking opportunities to deliver on this programme in select secondary schools through its employee volunteering scheme where the Bank’s staff volunteer to teach the students financial literacy.
According to Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, the bank would constantly create avenues to put its stakeholders at the heart of its business. This is why the FutureFirst programme is designed to empower secondary school students to build fulfilling careers and be better equipped with tools and knowledge for financial independence. To further secure the financial future of young students, FirstBank has in place the MeFirst Account targeted at secondary school students, between 12 to 17 years to make them financially savvy, whilst saving up funds for their education and other future endeavours.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, is Nigeria’s leading financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings and one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). Since its establishment in 1894, the Bank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, risk management and strong capitalization.
FirstBank operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centers/agencies), over 2,464 ATM’s and over 10 million customer accounts. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services and has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in DR Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.
FirstBank is the recipient of many awards. The Bank has been named “The Best Bank Brand in Nigeria” four times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group. FirstBank’s brand purpose is to always put its stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of its business, even as it is poised to standardize customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across Sub Saharan Africa, in consonance with its brand vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”. The brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on the FirstBank’s inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position its customers first in every respect.
For three consecutive years, 2012, 2013 and 2014, FirstBank was named the “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards. Other recent awards include the “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, “Best Bank in West Africa” and “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” in the African Banker Awards, “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards for the fourth time, “Best Foreign Exchange Services in Africa” in the EMEA Finance Treasury Services Awards, “Best Banking Group in Nigeria” by World Finance Banking Awards, and “Best Financial Reporting Company” by Africa Investor.
