Heritage Bank has won in the inaugural Nigeria Sustainable Banking Award convened by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The lender said in a statement on Sunday that it won the award for “For Sustainable Transaction of The Year in Agriculture”
The award, which was in recognition of its success in sustainable development in 2017, was presented to the bank at the Bankers Committee meeting held in Lagos.
Remarking on the development, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo, was quoted to have said, “We are highly honoured to be awarded by the regulator as one of the most supportive financial institutions to the agric sector, which is a key sector of the economy and this validates the hard work and success story of the bank to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.”
According to him, Heritage Bank has continued to compliment the efforts of the CBN by making funds available to both individuals and corporate organisations in their efforts to increase agricultural output.
He explained that the bank had taken the front seat in financing critical agricultural projects in several states in the country, especially in Oyo, Kaduna and Zamfara.
Sekibo explained, “The award is in recognition of what we are doing with Biase Plantations Limited, a subsidiary of Wilmar International in supporting oil palm industry and Triton Aqua Africa Limited involved in aquaculture and reforestation projects.
“Being a bank with sustainability as part of our DNA, our relationship with the BPL that has sustainability as one of its core values, provides a natural fit. The project is being implemented in full compliance with all relevant national legal requirements in Nigeria, following best international management practices, including compliance with requirements of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.”
The bank’s Group Head, Agriculture Finance, Olugbenga Awe, explained further that Heritage Bank was currently implementing a scheme that was sustainable and would positively impact on the lives of the rural poor.
