FirstBank, the West African premier {financial} establishment and {financial} inclusion companies supplier, has emerged as Nigeria’s Best Bank for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) on the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025, held lately in London. This marks FirstBank’s second consecutive win within the ESG class, affirming its management in sustainable finance and accountable banking throughout Nigeria.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are considered one of the coveted accolades within the world {financial} trade. The extremely aggressive choice course of entails rigorous evaluation and evaluation, measuring efficiency in opposition to strategic and impact-oriented standards.
The Bank earned the award by means of its deepened sustainability commitments embedded throughout its operations and neighborhood initiatives. In 2024, FirstBank screened 237 transactions value over ₦3 trillion for sustainability dangers, integrating ESG issues into its credit score framework.
Among its flagship sustainability initiatives, FirstBank commenced a tree planting marketing campaign in partnership with Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), planting over 30,000 timber in 16 areas throughout Nigeria. This was the primary part of its 50,000-tree initiative, projected to soak up roughly 720 tonnes of CO₂ by the tip of 2025, contributing to local weather resilience and supporting biodiversity preservation.
FirstBank has been proactive in gender inclusion by means of the Gender Market Strategy, disbursing over ₦43 billion FirstGem loans to women-led companies in 2024. The Bank’s dedication to inclusive banking noticed a big improve within the value of transactions facilitated by FirstMonie brokers to over ₦9 trillion.
The Bank prioritises ESG/sustainability capability constructing, evidenced by the coaching of over 9000 staff, and its webinars and workshops reaching over 2,000 SMEs and corporates. The {bank}’s funding in management for over 2,000 feminine staff by means of the FirstBank Women Network has demonstrated a devoted structural dedication to cultivating a educated and various workforce catering to the dynamic ESG panorama.
Commenting on the award, the Chief Risk Officer of the Bank in addition to the Chairman of the FirstBank Sustainability Committee, Patrick Akhidenor mentioned, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award for the second time in a row, which is a validation of our efforts to create a sustainable and inclusive future for all our stakeholders. Our approach to sustainability is hinged on three pillars: education, health and welfare; diversity and financial inclusion; responsible lending, procurement and climate initiatives”
He added: “We remain focused on driving impact through purposeful initiatives and inclusive growth, ensuring that our ESG efforts continue to create meaningful change in communities across Nigeria and beyond.”
The continued success in ESG and sustainability is pushed by FirstBank’s imaginative and prescient to be Africa’s {bank} of first alternative, main with objective, accountability, and innovation.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited “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 reduce throughout three continents ─ Africa, Europe and Asia, with FirstBank UK Limited in London and Paris; FirstBank in The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea and Sierra Leone; FBNBank in Senegal; and a FirstBank Representative Office in Beijing, China. All the subsidiary banks are totally registered by their respective Central Banks to offer full banking companies.
Besides offering home banking companies, 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 nations.
For over 13 a long time, FirstBank has constructed an impressive fame for strong 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 know-how, innovation and transformation, and its cashless transaction drive has been steadily accentuated with just about over 25 million energetic FirstBank clients signed up on digital channels together with the USSD Quick Banking service by means of 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 supplies a complete vary of retail and wholesale {financial} companies by means of greater than 820 enterprise places of work and over 280,000 agent areas unfold throughout 772 out of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
In addition to banking options and companies, FirstBank supplies pension fund custody companies in Nigeria by means of First Pension Custodian Nigeria Limited and nominee and related companies by means of First Nominees Nigeria Limited.
FirstBank’s dedication to Diversity is proven in its insurance policies, partnerships and initiatives comparable to its staff’ ratio of feminine to male (about 41%:59%; and 37% girls in administration roles) in addition to the FirstBank Women Network, an initiative that seeks to deal with the gender hole and improve the participation of girls in any respect ranges inside the organisation. In addition, the Bank’s membership of the UN Women is an affirmation of a deliberate coverage that’s in line with UN Women’s Women Empowerment’s Principles (WEPs) ─ Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Nondiscrimination.
For six consecutive years (2011 – 2016), FirstBank was named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” by the globally famend The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group and “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” eight occasions in a row, 2011 – 2018, by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards.
Significantly, FirstBank’s Global Credit Rating was A+ with a optimistic outlook whereas rankings by Fitch and Standard & Poor’s had been A (nga) and ngBBB+ respectively each with Stable outlooks as at September 2023. FirstBank maintained the identical degree of worldwide credit score rankings because the sovereign; a milestone that was achieved in 2022 for the primary time since 2015.
In 2024, FirstBank acquired notable worldwide awards and accolades. Some of those embody Nigeria’s Best Bank for ESG 2024 and Nigeria’s Best Bank for Corporates 2024 each awarded by Euromoney Awards for Excellence; Best SME Bank in Africa and in Nigeria by The Asian Banker Global Awards; Best Private Bank in Nigeria and Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa by Global Finance Awards; Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best CSR Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best Retail Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best SME Bank in Nigeria 2024 and Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2024 all awarded by the Global Banking and Finance Awards.
FirstBank has continued to realize extensive acclaim on the worldwide stage with a number of worldwide awards and recognitions acquired thus far in 2025 which incorporates Best SME Bank in Nigeria 2025 and Best SME Bank in Africa 2025 by The Asian Banker; Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2025 and Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2025 by Global Finance Awards; SME Financier of the Year in Nigeria 2025 by The Digital Banker Global SME Banking Innovation Awards; Best Retail Bank in Nigeria 2025 and Best Bank for Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Nigeria 2025 all by The Annual Global Economics Awards.
Our imaginative and prescient is “To be Africa’s Bank of first choice” and our mission is “To remain true to our name by providing the best financial services possible”. This dedication is anchored on our core values of EPIC – Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Innovation and Customer-Centricity. Our strategic ambition is “To deliver accelerated growth in profitability through customer-led innovation and disciplined execution.”
Olayinka Ijabiyi
Ag. Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
First Bank of Nigeria Limited
