First Bank’s Kicks Off 125th Anniversary Celebration With an Official Hosting of its Ceremonial Flag

Friday, March 01, 2019 7.00PM / Ottoabasi Abasiekong for Proshare WebTV

Nigeria’s Oldestfinancial institution First Bank Nigeria, today flagged off activitiesfor its 125^th anniversary celebration in Lagos.

This was marked with theofficial hosting of the anniversary ceremonial flag at its head office inMarina, with the Oba of Lagos HRH Oba Rilwan Akiolu as the royal father of theevent.

The event broughttogether former MDs of First Bank, financial market leaders, capital marketleaders, business leaders, industrialists, staff and customers.

In his special messageOba Rilwan Akiolu commended the bank for its role in developing Nigeria’sfinancial system and economy.

Giving the goodwillmessage from the market community, the CEO of the Nigeria Stock ExchangeMr. Oscar Onyema, OON lauded First Bank for its remarkable contribution to thecapital market ecosystem.

Mr Onyema also notedthat two of the past Presidents of the Council of NSE came from the First Bankfamily namely; Mr Samuel Asuabia(Late, Former MD First Bank) and ChiefOba Otudeko(Current Chairman FBN Holdings).

The Deputy Governor ofCentral Bank of Nigeria Mr Adebisi Shonubi representing the Governor,congratulated First Bank on marking another milestone in its corporateexistence.

Mr Shonubi in hisremarks said two former CBN Governors, Mr Joseph Sanusi and Mallam LamidoSanusi(Current Emir of Kano) both served as MD/CEOs of First Bank.

At a press conferencewhich had the management of First Bank in attendance, the Chairman of FBNHoldings Chief Oba Otudeko in his opening statement said First Bank has in 125years, impacted Nigeria’s economy driving financial inclusion.

Dr Adesola Adeduntan theMD/CEO of First Bank Nigeria Plc stated that as a financial institution, thebank has supported the economic development of Nigeria.

By marking the 125^thanniversary, Dr Adeduntan said the bank was taking a unique posture which willafford it the opportunity to constantly innovate and reinvent itself.

According to Adeduntan,some of the strides of First Bank include;

TheBank with the highest spread of branches across the 774 Local Governments in thecountry
TheBank that processes 20% of the financial services transactions in the country
TheBank has 13,000 agents driving banking services and increasing financialtouchpoints.
TheBank with the largest ATM network in the country
TheBank that is in the rare club of financial institutions that have existed forover 100 years.
TheLargest Commercial bank in Nigeria

The Chairman of FirstBank of Nigeria Mrs Ibukun Awosika also speaking in the media parley, assertedthat the bank has played a major role in facilitating the growth of businessesacross the country, in the past 125 years.

Chairman of FBN HoldingsMr U.K Eke said First Bank as the largest financial services group, has overthe years continued to gain investor confidence, over its activities in thefinancial market.