On Thursday, 21 November 2019, First Bank of Nigeria Limited would host women from all walks of life across the country to the third anniversary of FirstGem, its lifestyle product designed specifically for women to promote female independence and entrepreneurship. The event themed “The Modern Woman Manifesto” would hold at The Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Guest Speakers at the event are Mr Soji Apampa, CEO, Convention & Business Integrity; Ife Durosinmi- Etti, author ‘Accessing Grants for Startups’ and Prof Mehta Kandarp, Senior Lecturer, IESE Business School. They would respectively speak on the topics “Agriculture, The New Oil: Understanding The Value Chain”; “Business Funding” and Negotiation as a Tool for Winning in Business & Career.
Since the product launch in October 2016, the Bank has implemented various activities targeted at promoting female empowerment, impact and influence in the economy. These activities which cuts across various field of endeavor, include: Benue State Women Empowerment Program held in 2016; Oyo State Women Empowerment Programme in 2017; Southern States Governors Wives’ Forum in 2017; OAU International Law Students Women Conference also in 2017. Others include; the Edo State Empowerment programme in 2018 as well as the FirstGem in the UK event.
FirstGem is an account designed specifically to meet the financial needs of women aged 18 years and above, targeted at a broad spectrum of women, working professionals, entrepreneurs or market women. The product comes in two (2) variants, savings and current.
According to Chuma Ezirim, the Bank’s Group Executive, e-Business & Retail Products, ‘we are excited to celebrate the third anniversary of FirstGem, as indeed it aligns with our resolve to promote the contribution of women to national development across the country. With FirstGem, we have re-awaken the can do spirit amongst many women and exposed them to numerous opportunities in their individual and business endeavors.
‘We are pleased to have disbursed loans to 14,755 individual and business accounts owned by women in the country from 2018 to date” he concluded.
