September 23, (THEWILL) – The inaugural edition of the Nigerian Fintech Festival, the biggest fintech festival in Nigeria, sponsored by FirstBank, West Africa premier financial institution and financial inclusion services provider, is set to take place in Lagos on September 26, 2024. The Nigerian Fintech Festival 2024 will host over 1000 industry stakeholders within the fintech and financial service sector, with the aim to foster collaboration and partnership required to deepen digital payments and unlock value to drive sustainable growth for the business ecosystem in Nigeria.
The event, scheduled to take place at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, will feature an afterparty and top speakers, including Damilare Odueso, Co-Founder Crendly; Mayowa Owolabi, Co-Founder PaddyCover; Lanre Adelanwa, Co-Founder/CEO of Optimus AI Labs; and Adaobi Igwe-Okerekeocha, Chief Innovations Officer at Interswitch Limited, among others.
The event will provide a platform for industry players and key stakeholders to discuss topical issues and industry trends with the goal of facilitating the growth of digital payments in the country.
This year’s edition, themed “The Convergence to Co-Create & Celebrate Nigeria’s Truly Digital Economy”, highlights the festival’s dedication to fostering innovation and collaboration in Nigeria’s digital landscape.
According to Callistus Obetta, Group Executive, Technology, Digital Innovation & Services, “FirstBank’s partnership with the Nigerian Fintech Festival not only aligns with its commitment to driving innovation but also fosters collaboration between the Bank and Fintechs towards growth of the Nigerian financial services sector. As an enabler and leader in the banking space, FirstBank is dedicated to promoting initiatives that foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, thought leadership that have potential to drive the future of finance and the country’s digital economy for the benefit of customers and businesses. This is testament to our 130-year legacy of enabling individuals, businesses, and communities to unlock their full potential.”
The Nigeria Fintech Festival, which is free for all attendees, has been designed to equip participants with the skills and insights needed to innovate and advance Nigeria’s digital economy.
Attendees can look forward to insightful panel sessions, keynote presentations, and fireside chats. Furthermore, attendees will have the opportunity to connect and network with fintech experts and key stakeholders.
Speaking on why the event was launched, Ikechukwu Ugwu, Founder/MD, Total Scope Marketing Solutions & Convener of the Nigerian Fintech Festival, said, “The Nigeria Fintech Festival is a platform that drives innovation and fosters collaboration within the financial service ecosystem. By bringing together thought leaders, innovators, and key stakeholders, the festival addresses the challenges and opportunities within Africa’s rapidly evolving fintech landscape. Its goal is to stimulate meaningful discussions and drive sustainable growth within Nigeria and across the continent’s digital payments ecosystem.”
He further said, “We are excited to create a platform that not only highlights Nigeria’s role as a leader in the fintech space but also paves the way for future advancements in the fintech industry.”
The Nigeria Fintech Festival has forged strategic partnerships with top organisations like FirstBank, MTN, Gunness, Optimus AI Labs, and Cybervergent, Crendly and other players, providing attendees with unparalleled access to a seamlessly immersive event experience.
The event will wrap up with an exhilarating afterparty featuring live performances by The Octaves Band, Mario Sings, and DJ Sammie. This afterparty will offer attendees a chance to relax, network, and enjoy an evening of top-notch music and entertainment, bringing a thrilling close to a day of insightful discussions and industry networking.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited “FirstBank”, established in 1894, is the premier bank in West Africa, a leading financial inclusion services provider in Africa, and a digital banking giant.
FirstBank’s international footprints cut across 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 fully registered by their respective Central Banks to provide full banking services.
Besides providing domestic banking services, the subsidiaries also engage in international cross-border transactions with FirstBank’s non-Nigerian subsidiaries, and the representative offices in Paris and China facilitate trade flows from Asia and Europe into Nigeria and other African countries.
For over 130 years, FirstBank has built an outstanding reputation for solid relationships, good corporate governance, and a strong liquidity position, and has been at the forefront of promoting digital payment in the country with over 13 million cards issued to customers (the first bank to achieve such a milestone in Nigeria). FirstBank has continued to make significant investments in technology, innovation and transformation, and its cashless transaction drive has been steadily accentuated with virtually 23 million active FirstBank customers signed up on digital channels, including the USSD Quick Banking service through the nationally renowned *894# Banking code.
With over 42 million customer accounts (including digital wallets) spread across Nigeria, UK and sub-Saharan Africa, the Bank provides a comprehensive range of retail and wholesale financial services through more than 820 business offices and over 243,400 agent locations spread across 772 out of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
In addition to banking solutions and services, FirstBank provides pension fund custody services in Nigeria through First Pension Custodian Nigeria Limited and nominee and associated services through First Nominees Nigeria Limited.
FirstBank’s commitment to Diversity is shown in its policies, partnerships and initiatives such as its employees’ ratio of female to male (about 39%:61%; and 32% women in management) as well as the FirstBank Women Network, an initiative that seeks to address the gender gap and increase the participation of women at all levels within the organisation. In addition, the Bank’s membership of the UN Women is an affirmation of a deliberate policy that is consistent 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 renowned The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group and “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” eight times in a row, 2011 – 2018, by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards.
In 2023, FirstBank received notable awards, including “Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2023” by Global Finance Awards; “Best Sustainable Bank in Nigeria 2023” by International Investors Awards; “Best Bespoke Banking Services in Nigeria 2023” by International Investors Awards; “Best Financial Inclusion Service Provider in Nigeria 2023” by Digital Banker Africa; “African Bank of the Year” by African Leadership Magazine; “Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria 2023’’ by Euromoney Awards and “Most Innovative Banking Brand – Nigeria 2023’’ by Global Brands Award.
Significantly, FirstBank’s Global Credit Rating was A+ with a positive outlook while ratings by Fitch and Standard & Poor’s were A (nga) and ngBBB+ respectively both with Stable outlooks as at September 2023. FirstBank maintained the same level of international credit ratings as the sovereign; a milestone that was achieved in 2022 for the first time since 2015.
FirstBank continued to gain wide acclaim on the global stage with several international awards and recognitions received so far in 2024. Some of these include Nigeria’s Best Bank for ESG 2024 and Nigeria’s Best Bank for Corporates 2024 both 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.
Our vision 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 commitment 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” and our brand promise is always to deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence to position You First in every respect.
Folake Ani-Mumuney
Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
First Bank of Nigeria Limited
