First Bank of Nigeria Plc has through its endowment in professorial chairs in 12 universities across the nation provided platforms for scholarly research, academic excellence and economic development, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya has said.

Represented by the Group Head of the Bank’s Public Sector in Enugu, Mrs. Nwanneka Okolo, at the public presentation of the Bank’s sponsored research report at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Onasanya said the endowments are meant to promote capacity building and complement the efforts of the Federal Government in educational development.

The report of the research titled; “Fifty years of Banking Sector Reforms in Nigeria (1960-2010), Past Lessons and Future Imperatives” was presented by Prof Francis Okafor, chair of the Bank’s endowment at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

In a welcome address read on his behalf, Onasanya said the report would become a resource tool for enhancing professionalism, regulation and grooming of future leaders for the sector.

“FirstBank is proud to be associated with projects that enhance human capital and economic development in the nation. To date, we have endowed N420 million in 12 professorial chairs in universities across the nation and we have also strengthened the scheme with infrastructure development. Our vision is to generate sustainable manpower development to drive rapid growth of the national economy,” the Bank’s GMD said.

Some of FirstBank’s infrastructural projects over the years include an ICT Park at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, an Auditorium at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, a Lecture Theatre at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife and a Faculty of Dentistry Building at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla.

Others are an Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Abuja, a Faculty of Social Sciences Building at University of Port Harcourt and a Lecture Theatre at the Federal University of Technology, Minna. In some other universities, we have provided buses to ease the challenges of transportation on our campuses.

Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi and the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Muoghalu who were represented by the state commissioner for finance, Mr. Eze Echesi and Controller of Awka branch of CBN, Mazi Azubuike Okoro commended the FirstBank for its leadership role in the sector, adding that the report would point the way towards achieving a stronger banking in Nigeria.