The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries has appointed First Bank of Nigeria Plc as its Official Banker for the 2006 edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair which kicks off on Friday, November 3, 2006.

Undisputedly the biggest fair in the West African Sub-region, the 2006 Lagos International Trade Fair, titled “Harnessing the Opportunuties and Benefits of Economic Reforms” is expected to witness an influx of local and international participants. As usual, FirstBank will be coming with its team of seasoned financial advisory experts. Services like the on-line-real-time banking, Internet banking, banking on wheels, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) facility, cards products, and Western Union services would be rendered at the 10-day fair.

Apart from this, the Bank’s marketing and credit teams would also be on hand to take customers and prospective ones through the process of accessing any of the Bank’s suite of retail products, U-First. The U-First product suite, powered by FinnOne, a credit processing software that fast tracks processing of credit applications, includes Personal Home Loans, First WIFI Loans, Share Purchase Loans, Auto Loans, Household Equipment Loans, One-Off Temporary Overdraft against Salary, Revolving Overdraft against Salary, Personal Loans against Salaries and Secured Loans & Overdraft. Others are Asset Acquisition Loans, Revenue Loans, Receivables Finance, Secured Loans & Overdrafts, LPO Finance and Cash Covered Bonds & Guarantees.

With Shareholders’ Funds currently at N62 billion and a branch network of about 398, out of which 360 are on-line real-time, the Bank remains the most profitable Bank at N17 billion profit after tax. Its total assets plus contingent of N730,801 is also the biggest in the industry.

Reputed as the largest financial services group in sub-Saharan Africa, FirstBank has eight subsidiaries under its umbrella. They include FBN Bank (UK) Limited, First Trustees Nigeria Limited, First Registrars Nigeria Limited, First Insurance Brokers Limited, First Funds Limited, First Mortgages Limited and First Custodians Nigeria Limited and First Capitals Nigeria Limited.