FirstBank Sponsors the Maiden Version of The Nigerian Fintech Pageant Occasion in Lagos

The inaugural version of the Nigerian Fintech Pageant, the most important fintech pageant in Nigeria, sponsored by FirstBank, West Africa premier monetary establishment and monetary inclusion providers supplier is ready to happen in Lagos on September 26, 2024. The Nigerian Fintech Pageant 2024 will host over 1000 business stakeholders throughout the fintech and monetary service sector, with the intention to foster collaboration and partnership required to deepen digital funds and unlock worth to drive sustainable progress for the enterprise ecosystem in Nigeria.

The occasion, scheduled to happen on the Oriental Resort in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, will function an afterparty and high audio system, together with Damilare Odueso, Co-Founder Crendly; Mayowa Owolabi, Co-Founder PaddyCover; Lanre Adelanwa, Co-Founder/CEO of Optimus AI Labs; and Adaobi Igwe-Okerekeocha, Chief Improvements Officer at Interswitch Restricted, amongst others.

The occasion will present a platform for business gamers and key stakeholders to debate topical points and business developments with the purpose of facilitating the expansion of digital funds within the nation.

This 12 months’s version, themed “The Convergence to Co-Create & Rejoice Nigeria’s Really Digital Financial system,” highlights the pageant’s dedication to fostering innovation and collaboration in Nigeria’s digital panorama.

In line with Callistus Obetta, Group Govt, Expertise, Digital Innovation & Companies “FirstBank’s partnership with the Nigerian Fintech Pageant not solely aligns with its dedication to driving innovation but additionally fosters collaboration between the Financial institution and Fintechs in the direction of progress of the Nigerian monetary providers sector. As an enabler and chief within the banking house, FirstBank is devoted to selling initiatives that foster collaboration, data sharing, thought management which have potential to drive the way forward for finance and the nation’s digital financial system for the good thing about clients and companies. That is testomony to our 130-year legacy of enabling people, companies, and communities to unlock their full potential.”

The Nigeria Fintech Pageant, which is free for all attendees, has been designed to equip individuals with the talents and insights wanted to innovate and advance Nigeria’s digital financial system.

Attendees can stay up for insightful panel classes, keynote shows, and fireplace chats. Moreover, attendees could have the chance to attach and community with fintech specialists and key stakeholders.

Talking on why the occasion was launched, Ikechukwu Ugwu, Founder/MD, Complete Scope Advertising and marketing Options & Convener of the Nigerian Fintech Pageant, mentioned, “The Nigeria Fintech Pageant is a platform that drives innovation and fosters collaboration throughout the monetary service ecosystem. By bringing collectively thought leaders, innovators, and key stakeholders, the pageant addresses the challenges and alternatives inside Africa’s quickly evolving fintech panorama. Its purpose is to stimulate significant discussions and drive sustainable progress inside Nigeria and throughout the continent’s digital funds ecosystem”.

He additional mentioned, “We’re excited to create a platform that not solely highlights Nigeria’s function as a pacesetter within the fintech house but additionally paves the way in which for future developments within the fintech business.”

The Nigeria Fintech Pageant has solid strategic partnerships with high organizations like FirstBank, MTN, Gunness, Optimus AI Labs, and Cybervergent, Crendly and different gamers, offering attendees with unparalleled entry to a seamlessly immersive occasion expertise.

The occasion will wrap up with an exhilarating afterparty that includes stay performances by The Octaves Band, Mario Sings, and DJ Sammie. This afterparty will provide attendees an opportunity to chill out, community, and luxuriate in a night of top-notch music and leisure, bringing an exciting near a day of insightful discussions and business networking.

About FirstBank

First Bank of Nigeria Restricted “FirstBank”, established in 1894, is the premier financial institution in West Africa, a number one monetary inclusion providers supplier in Africa, and a digital banking large.

FirstBank’s worldwide footprints lower throughout three continents ─ Africa, Europe and Asia, with FirstBank UK Restricted in London and Paris; FirstBank in The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea and Sierra Leone; FBNBank in Senegal; and a FirstBank Consultant Workplace in Beijing, China. All of the subsidiary banks are totally registered by their respective Central Banks to offer full banking providers.

Apart from offering home banking providers, the subsidiaries additionally have interaction in worldwide cross-border transactions with FirstBank’s non-Nigerian subsidiaries, and the consultant places of work in Paris and China facilitate commerce flows from Asia and Europe into Nigeria and different African international locations.

For over 130 years, FirstBank has constructed an excellent fame for stable relationships, good company governance, and a robust liquidity place, and has been on the forefront of selling digital fee within the nation with over 13 million playing cards issued to clients (the primary financial institution to realize such a milestone in Nigeria). FirstBank has continued to make important investments in know-how, innovation and transformation, and its cashless transaction drive has been steadily accentuated with nearly 23 million lively FirstBank clients signed up on digital channels together with the USSD Fast Banking service by the nationally famend *894# Banking code.

With over 42 million buyer accounts (together with digital wallets) unfold throughout Nigeria, UK and sub-Saharan Africa, the Financial institution offers a complete vary of retail and wholesale monetary providers by greater than 820 enterprise places of work and over 243,400 agent areas unfold throughout 772 out of the 774 Native Authorities Areas in Nigeria.

Along with banking options and providers, FirstBank offers pension fund custody providers in Nigeria by First Pension Custodian Nigeria Restricted and nominee and related providers by First Nominees Nigeria Restricted.

FirstBank’s dedication to Variety is proven in its insurance policies, partnerships and initiatives corresponding to its workers’ ratio of feminine to male (about 39%:61%; and 32% girls in administration) in addition to the FirstBank Girls Community, an initiative that seeks to handle the gender hole and enhance the participation of girls in any respect ranges throughout the organisation.  As well as, the Financial institution’s membership of the UN Girls is an affirmation of a deliberate coverage that’s according to UN Girls’s Girls Empowerment’s Rules (WEPs) ─ Equal Alternative, Inclusion, and Nondiscrimination.

For six consecutive years (2011 – 2016), FirstBank was named “Most Precious Financial institution Model in Nigeria” by the globally famend The Banker Journal of the Monetary Occasions Group and “Greatest Retail Financial institution in Nigeria” eight occasions in a row, 2011 – 2018, by the Asian Banker Worldwide Excellence in Retail Monetary Companies Awards.

In 2023, FirstBank acquired notable awards together with “Greatest Non-public Financial institution for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2023” by World Finance Awards; “Greatest Sustainable Financial institution in Nigeria 2023” by Worldwide Buyers Awards; “Greatest Bespoke Banking Companies in Nigeria 2023” by Worldwide Buyers Awards; “Greatest Monetary Inclusion Service Supplier in Nigeria 2023” by Digital Banker Africa; and “African Financial institution of the 12 months” by African Management Journal; ’’Greatest Company Financial institution in Nigeria 2023’’ by Euromoney Awards and ‘’Most Progressive Banking Model – Nigeria 2023’’ by World Manufacturers Award.

Considerably, FirstBank’s World Credit score Ranking was A+ with a optimistic outlook whereas rankings by Fitch and Normal & Poor’s had been A (nga) and ngBBB+ respectively each with Steady outlooks as at September 2023. FirstBank maintained the identical stage of worldwide credit score rankings because the sovereign; a milestone that was achieved in 2022 for the primary time since 2015.

FirstBank continued to realize extensive acclaim on the worldwide stage with a number of worldwide awards and recognitions acquired thus far in 2024. A few of these embody Nigeria’s Greatest Financial institution for ESG 2024 and Nigeria’s Greatest Financial institution for Corporates 2024 each awarded by Euromoney Awards for Excellence; Greatest SME Financial institution in Africa and in Nigeria by The Asian Banker World Awards; Greatest Non-public Financial institution in Nigeria and Greatest Non-public Financial institution for Sustainable Investing in Africa by World Finance Awards; Greatest Company Financial institution in Nigeria 2024, Greatest CSR Financial institution in Nigeria 2024, Greatest Retail Financial institution in Nigeria 2024, Greatest SME Financial institution in Nigeria 2024 and Greatest Non-public Financial institution in Nigeria 2024 all awarded by the World Banking and Finance Awards.

Our imaginative and prescient is “To be Africa’s Financial institution of first selection” and our mission is “To stay true to our identify by offering the most effective monetary providers doable”. This dedication is anchored on our core values of EPIC – Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Innovation and Buyer-Centricity. Our strategic ambition is “To ship accelerated progress in profitability by customer-led innovation and disciplined execution” and our model promise is all the time to ship the final word “gold customary” of worth and excellence to place You First in each respect.

Folake Ani-Mumuney

Group Head, Advertising and marketing & Company Communications

First Bank of Nigeria Restricted