The promotion of entrepreneurship, professional, corporate and national economic development featured significantly in our CSR scheme, with N34.2 million to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group for the Nigerian Economic Summit, N25 million for the Investors Road Show of Nigerian Gas Masterplan Infrastructure Blueprint in London and Singapore organised by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, N25 million for the South-South Economic Summit, N20 million for the maiden edition of Nigeria CEO Forum organised by BusinessDay Newspapers with Global Management Consultants and McKinsey & Co, N11.8 million to the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission for the sponsorship of a Business Investment Forum in Brazil, and N11.6 million to the World Economic Forum for sponsorship of the World Economic Forum Summit.

The Seminar on Trade Capacity Building Programme on Exporting to the United States: AGOA and Beyond was sponsored with N11.1 million, the 14th Lagos Economic Summit N5 million, the International Business Conference of Foreign Investment Network N10.5 million, the International Conference on Food Security N10 million, the Nigerian Infrastructure Summit N10 million, the 2008 Gateway Trade Fair, Abeokuta N3 million, the 4th Economist Conference by the Economist Magazine N4.6 million, and the Third Annual Opportunity Nigeria Investment Conference organised by Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce N2.5 million.

The development of professional bodies also benefited from this field of sponsorships, with N7.5 million for the 38th Annual Accountants Conference organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, N6.5 million for the ELAN 6th National Leasing Conference organised by the Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria, N5.6 million for the Institute of Directors Nigeria 2008 Annual Fellows Evening, N5.3 million for the Corporate Nigeria 2009 organised by Corporate Guides, N3 million for the 40th Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, and N1 million for the 2nd National Forum of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria.

Ample support was also extended to the 2nd Leg Women Bankers Forum organised by Association of Women Bankers of Nigeria, the Honorary International Investors Council Meeting by Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, the Annual General Scientific Meeting organised by Medical Women Association of Nigeria, the Annual Public Lecture of NIPR 19th AGM/PR Week 2008, the International Conference of Independent Shareholders Association, the African Energy Forum 2008 by Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the annual entrepreneurial award of Fate Foundation, the Renewal of Partnership for Business Leadership Programme organised by Leap Africa, and the International Conference on Good Governance and Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria.