FirstBank, the West Africa premier {financial} establishment and {financial} inclusion companies supplier, has strengthened its partnership with the United Nations World Compact (UNGC) to reaffirm its dedication to driving sustainable finance and unlocking capital for growth. This ongoing partnership was strengthened on the just lately concluded Fourth Worldwide Convention on Financing for Growth (FfD4) hosted by the United Nations Division of {Economic} and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in Seville, Spain.
The FfD4 Convention introduced collectively international leaders, policymakers, and personal sector consultants to debate revolutionary options to handle the rising SDG financing hole and unlock capital for growth in fragile and underserved areas.
FirstBank’s Chief Danger Officer, Patrick Akhidenor, represented the {bank} on the convention and highlighted two FirstBank flagship initiatives driving resilience finance in Nigeria: The Photo voltaic Tools Financing initiative and the revamped FirstGem Fund. The Photo voltaic Tools Financing initiative affords tailor-made financing choices for the acquisition and set up of solar energy methods, making certain entry to scrub, dependable, and inexpensive power options. The FirstGem Fund, a women-focused proposition, offers single-digit curiosity loans to girls entrepreneurs with out collateral necessities, focusing on funding gaps in crucial sectors.
‘’We’re dedicated to driving sustainable finance and unlocking capital for growth,” mentioned Patrick Akhidenor. “Our partnership with UNGC and participation within the FfD4 Convention reveal our dedication to revolutionary finance options that deal with the SDG financing hole.”
Sanda Ojambo, CEO of UNGC, emphasised the necessity for revolutionary, inclusive {financial} fashions for underserved areas. “The non-public sector should play a central function in shaping fit-for-purpose, scalable finance options,” she mentioned. “De-risking instruments and blended finance might help unlock capital and drive significant influence.
FirstBank’s partnership with Growth Finance Establishments (DFIs) and its SMEConnect hub reveal its capability to steer efforts in sustainable finance. The {bank} offers coaching, networking, and tailor-made financing to SMEs throughout varied sectors, together with schooling, healthcare, and retail
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Restricted “FirstBank”, established in 1894, is the premier {bank} in West Africa, a number one {financial} inclusion companies 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 absolutely registered by their respective Central Banks to supply full banking companies.
Apart from offering home banking companies, the subsidiaries additionally interact in worldwide cross-border transactions with FirstBank’s non-Nigerian subsidiaries, and the consultant workplaces in Paris and China facilitate commerce flows from Asia and Europe into Nigeria and different African international locations.
For over 13 a long time, FirstBank has constructed an impressive repute for stable relationships, good company governance, and a powerful liquidity place, and has been on the forefront of selling digital cost within the nation with over 13 million playing cards issued to clients (the primary {bank} to attain such a milestone in Nigeria). FirstBank has continued to make vital investments in expertise, innovation and transformation, and its cashless transaction drive has been steadily accentuated with nearly over 25 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 43 million buyer accounts (together with digital wallets) unfold throughout Nigeria, UK and sub-Saharan Africa, the {Bank} offers a complete vary of retail and wholesale {financial} companies by greater than 820 enterprise workplaces and over 280,000 agent areas unfold throughout 772 out of the 774 Native Authorities Areas in Nigeria.
Along with banking options and companies, FirstBank offers pension fund custody companies in Nigeria by First Pension Custodian Nigeria Restricted and nominee and related companies by First Nominees Nigeria Restricted.
FirstBank’s dedication to Range is proven in its insurance policies, partnerships and initiatives similar to its staff’ ratio of feminine to male (about 41%:59%; and 37% girls in administration roles) in addition to the FirstBank Ladies Community, an initiative that seeks to handle the gender hole and improve the participation of ladies in any respect ranges throughout the organisation. As well as, the {Bank}’s membership of the UN Ladies is an affirmation of a deliberate coverage that’s in keeping with UN Ladies’s Ladies Empowerment’s Ideas (WEPs) ─ Equal Alternative, Inclusion, and Nondiscrimination.
For six consecutive years (2011 – 2016), FirstBank was named “Most Priceless {Bank} Model in Nigeria” by the globally famend The Banker Journal of the {Financial} Instances Group and “Greatest Retail {Bank} in Nigeria” eight occasions in a row, 2011 – 2018, by the Asian Banker Worldwide Excellence in Retail {Financial} Providers Awards.
Considerably, FirstBank’s World Credit score Ranking was A+ with a optimistic outlook whereas rankings by Fitch and Normal & Poor’s have 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.
In 2024, FirstBank obtained notable worldwide awards and accolades. A few of these embrace Nigeria’s Greatest {Bank} for ESG 2024 and Nigeria’s Greatest {Bank} for Corporates 2024 each awarded by Euromoney Awards for Excellence; Greatest SME {Bank} in Africa and in Nigeria by The Asian Banker World Awards; Greatest Non-public {Bank} in Nigeria and Greatest Non-public {Bank} for Sustainable Investing in Africa by World Finance Awards; Greatest Company {Bank} in Nigeria 2024, Greatest CSR {Bank} in Nigeria 2024, Greatest Retail {Bank} in Nigeria 2024, Greatest SME {Bank} in Nigeria 2024 and Greatest Non-public {Bank} in Nigeria 2024 all awarded by the World Banking and Finance Awards.
FirstBank has continued to achieve large acclaim on the worldwide stage with a number of worldwide awards and recognitions obtained to date in 2025 which incorporates Greatest SME {Bank} in Nigeria 2025 and Greatest SME {Bank} in Africa 2025 by The Asian Banker; Greatest Non-public {Bank} in Nigeria 2025 and Greatest Non-public {Bank} for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2025 by World Finance Awards; SME Financier of the Yr in Nigeria 2025 by The Digital Banker World SME Banking Innovation Awards; Greatest Retail {Bank} in Nigeria 2025 and Greatest {Bank} for Empowering Ladies Entrepreneurs in Nigeria 2025 all by The Annual World Economics Awards.
Our imaginative and prescient is “To be Africa’s {Bank} of first alternative” and our mission is “To stay true to our identify by offering the most effective {financial} companies attainable”. This dedication is anchored on our core values of EPIC – Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Innovation and Buyer-Centricity. Our strategic ambition is “To ship accelerated development in profitability by customer-led innovation and disciplined execution.”
Olayinka Ijabiyi
Ag. Group Head, Advertising and marketing & Company Communications
First Bank of Nigeria Restricted
