First Bank of Nigeria Limited, FBNBank Ghana’s parent bank, has received the Financial Institution of the Year Award at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) Pan-African Business and Development Awards.
The ceremony marked the 30th anniversary of Afreximbank as it hosted the Annual Afreximbank Meetings plus inaugural Pan-African Business and Development Awards, in association with the Business Council for Africa (BCA) in Accra.
The award bestowed on FirstBank recognises FirstBank of Nigeria’s immense role in promoting trade and investment across the continent, which has strengthened economic and multilateral business relationships across nations. With its subsidiaries across the FirstBank Group, FirstBank has continued to play a leading role in boosting cross-border businesses – including trade and investment opportunities, essential to enhancing trade relations among countries.
As part of its role in facilitating transactions across borders, in 2021 FirstBank launched its First Global Transfer (FGT) initiative – specifically designed to ensure safe, timely and improved efficiency in transferring funds across the network of FirstBank subsidiaries in Africa. The FGT is not restricted to FirstBank Group’s customers alone, but is also open to every individual resident in a country the funds transfer is originating from.
Speaking on the awards, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, FirstBank Group CEO said: “We thank the event’s organisers (Afreximbank, BCA) for the recognition, as it reinforces our commitment to promoting trade, finance and investment opportunities across borders which have been instrumental to the continued growth and development of the continent and the world. On behalf of the Board and Management, this award is dedicated to all employees at the FirstBank Group for their diligence and hard work – as well as to our esteemed customers for their loyalty and patronage in over 129 years of existence,’’ he concluded.
Victor Yaw Asante, FBNBank Ghana Managing Director/CEO who received the award on behalf of the Group said: “It is no coincidence that the award was handed over in Ghana, where we are focused on making our subsidiary a giant of a financial institution just like our parent in Nigeria”.
Also commenting on the awards, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board who has been at the bank for over 29 years said: “Tonight we are recognising outstanding leaders and institutions. Having joined the bank in 1994, I have been fortunate to work with many of them. At Afreximbank, contributing to Africa’s development is a lifetime vocation – as I know it is for all those that we have recognised tonight”.
In recognising these leaders and institutions, Arnold Ekpe, Chair of the BCA and former Group CEO of Ecobank said: “Too often, our business leaders do not get the praise they deserve. Succeeding in business on the continent is not always easy, but it is rewarding; and more importantly, it is possible to build strong, profitable businesses that are globally competitive. Our winners tonight have demonstrated this”.
FirstBank has consistently been recognised by reputable global organisations for its steady, outstanding performance – and among the streak of recent wins is the award for Best Financial Inclusion Service Provider Nigeria 2023 by Digital Banker Africa, as well as Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa by Global Finance.
The Pan-African Business and Development Awards are aimed at celebrating and recognising the excellence of outstanding organisations within the African business and finance sectors. Two other banks, National Bank of Egypt and Coris Bank, were recognised as Financial Institutions of the Year. Eight recognition awards were also handed to some staff members of Afreximbank to acknowledge their long service at the bank – including Prof. Benedict Oromah, President and Chairman of the Board, who has been at the bank for over 29 years.
