FirstBank: First with touching lives
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, the premier bank whose tentacles are evident in every facet of life, has been enriching, enabling, ennobling and impacting, not only individual lives, but communities, organisations and other economic sectors across the length and breadth of the country. Its corporate social responsibility just like its core banking offerings is well thought-out and speaks solution to individual, societal, communal and organisational problems. The soothing hand of the bank is felt in the educational, health, economic and infrastructural life of the nation.
The recent global health and economic challenge known as Covid-19 pandemic rather than constrict, has led to the expansion of the bank’s spend on problem-solving/alleviation in the form of CSR. The bank was one of the biggest enterprise donors to the private sector initiative against the pandemic known as CACOVID.
FirstBank donated the sum of N1bn towards the joint effort by the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to rapidly expand the health facilities; especially Testing, Isolation, treatment and the provision of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities pivotal to controlling the spread and treating individuals diagnosed with COVID- 19. Apart from this, the bank’s CEO, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, promised “to continue to look at all areas of intervention where our business infrastructure, reach, digital platforms and other natural strengths lie and can be deployed to further support all efforts for Nigerians; young and old alike”.
The bank followed up on this promise by presenting 20,000 units of e-learning devices to the Lagos State government for distribution to school children to enable them continue learning while staying at home. This gesture prompted the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to say that the state had found a “real development partner” in FirstBank, noting that the intervention came at a time the Government was massively deploying technology to transform the conventional mode of teaching and learning.
Speaking during the presentation, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited said, “the e-learning initiative aligns with our Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability initiatives and falls under one of our key strategic pillars, thus Education through Support to our Communities”.
“We are excited to promote education and have consistently demonstrated this in our support of 10 universities and 3 secondary schools on infrastructure projects; our support of 10 universities with professorial Chairs and provision of financial literacy, entrepreneurial and career counselling to over 80,000 students in over 80 secondary schools in the country,” he added.
The bank’s Covid-19 response is adjudged a pacesetter. No wonder in the Banks and other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, 2020, FirstBank emerged the CSR Bank of the Year, the most significant of the awards/categories.
FirstBank’s CSR initiative is unarguably one of the most robust and pervasive CSR programmes in the Nigerian and African business landscape. Delivered through the three-pronged approach of Education, Health & Welfare, Financial Inclusion and Responsible Lending and Procurement, the bank’s CSR encapsulates and delivers to the critical sectors of life.
Education is the single largest beneficiary of FirstBank’s enormous investments in CSR. From elementary to tertiary, FirstBank’s investments cut across all levels of education. Not less than 10 universities and three secondary schools enjoy FirstBank’s infrastructure projects; 10 universities are endowed with professorial chairs by the bank; and over 80,000 students in over 80 secondary schools in Nigeria have benefitted from financial literacy and entrepreneurial and career counselling provided through FirstBank-sponsored programmes.
To deliver more educational products and learning platforms, FirstBank has been partnering with other firms both foreign and local. For instance, the bank is in partnership with IBM on the e-learning initiative making available to students the Digital-Nation Africa programme, an online youth-focused learning programme that enables innovation and skills development on emerging technologies. There are currently nearly 14,000 registrants on the programme, which is promoting opportunities to learn skills of the future.
Another is the partnership with Curious Learning which is designed to reach smartphone users using available curated and tested literacy and numeracy apps – with free access provided to these apps. Curious learning is delivering academic-based content for students aged three to eight through several mobile applications designed to empower these young children in a fun, self-guided learning process through exploration and curiosity to help them with their cognitive skills at a fundamental level. Examples of these apps are Feed the Monster and Read with Akili. The bank is also in partnership with Lagos State Government and Robert & John, owners of Roducate to produce e-learning platforms that culminated in the delivery of structured in line with the government’s accredited curriculum for primary, secondary and tertiary schools across various fields of academic endeavours such as science, commercial and arts, including tutorial videos to reinforce the learning engagement, as well as assignments and mock exams to test students’ knowledge and progress in the course of studying.
FirstBank’s infrastructural development programme promotes and supports infrastructure development. Some of the identified areas of support include provision of infrastructure facilities to schools, hospitals and environment. Recently, First Bank went into partnership with Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) with a view to producing 16, 000 rebranded sweepers’ uniforms as part of its contribution to waste management in the state. In his address during the event, the bank’s managing Director said: “At First Bank, our corporate responsibility and sustainability approach includes supporting our communities. We invest our time and resources as part of our responsibilities to enrich the communities in which we work and live.
“Contributing to environmental sustainability, FirstBank is committed to minimising environmental impacts beyond our responsible lending and investment efforts.”
FirstBank is also big on women empowerment. Designed to meet the needs of women aged 18 years and above which includes entrepreneurs or market women, promote their business through an array of benefits and provide women with insights on the secrets of wealth management, investment and savings.
From free business advisory services, business funding, specialised training on Business Development initiatives (online and physical), regular information to insights on business opportunities or openings in various sectors and industries, FirstBank is tick on women empowerment. For instance, through the FirstGem initiative, a bespoke product by the Bank as a platform to advance the course of women of all demographics in different sectors of the economy, the Bank has contributed tremendously to the financial inclusion of women and bridging the financial gap between me and women. The fourth edition of the annual FirstGem Conference tagged FirstGem 4.0. Themed ‘The Art of Negotiation’ was held recently. The conference provided women with insights on the secrets of wealth management, investment, and savings. Also, the Bank through partnership with Bank of Industry (BOI) and through this collaboration had secured a N9.0Billion funding support for women-owned businesses without any form of collateralisation.
Another innovative milestone that FirstBank had demonstrated in support of gender equality and diversity in favour of women is the creation of FirstGem Online Community. This is an online platform that provides information on a wide range of issues affecting women from lifestyle, politics, business ideas, skills acquisition, etc. It also features blogs and posts videos of high-profile women of influence providing mentorship nuggets and providing answers to a variety of life, career and business/social issues as guides for women.
Noted for reliability and safety, First Bank is not resting on its oars in efforts to secure and guide its customers and the banking public against cyber fraud. In furtherance of this, the Bank plans to host yet another webinar to sensitize the public on cyber security. Themed ‘Staying Protected Amidst the Pandemic Chaos’, the webinar is slated to hold April 16th, 2021 at 12 noon on Zoom. The webinar features speakers like Tope S. Aladenusi, Chief Strategy Officer and Cyber Risks Services Leader, Deloitte West Africa; Confidence Staveley, Cyber Security Evangelist/ Founder, Cyber safe Foundation; Harrison Nnaji, Chief Information Security Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited.
Surely, the bank is walking the talk of “supporting the communities in which we live and work is our key Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategic pillar. As a responsible organization, we are committed to growing our people, minimizing our environmental impacts, meeting the needs of our customers and investing in our communities in which we operate”.
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