First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider, has announced the promotion of 1179 employees to new grades part of the year-end appraisal outcomes.
The promotion exercise is a demonstration of the Bank’s commitment to empowering its employees and driving productivity against all odds, especially amid the social, economic and health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, “the resilience and sustainable performance and growth of FirstBank for the past 127 years have been largely attributed to the commendable efforts of our employees. Promotion is one of the numerous incentives we employ to reward our employees and boost their passion as they work towards the accomplishment of their individual career goals as well as the delivery of the Bank’s strategic objectives. In this regard, the promotions serve to specially thank our employees who worked assiduously with dedication throughout the unprecedented times of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a Bank, we are committed to grooming and retaining top talents who are motivated to demonstrate and live our core values of entrepreneurship, professionalism, innovation and customer-centricity.’’
FirstBank has a clearly defined career growth and talent programmes that cater for the leadership development needs of employees across levels. These include the Senior Management Development Programme (SMDP), Leadership Acceleration Programme (LAP) and FirstBank Management Associates Programme (FMAP).
The SMDP is the Bank’s intensive modular program for a select group of senior managers and principal managers who are proven leaders in their respective functions and have been identified as central to the Bank’s succession plan. Since its inaugural edition in 2017, the Bank has graduated 52 of its exemplary senior staff.
The LAP was specifically designed to infuse critical leadership and change agents within the middle management staff cadre (Assistant Manager – Manager Grade) of the Bank. The programme is an intensive skill development programme structured to enhance core leadership and business competencies of our team leads and functional leaders who will in turn drive and advocate the transformation and innovation core at FirstBank – providing the Bank with a sustainable thrust for ensuring superior performance and a talent pool of “change agents”. A total of 56 cohorts have successfully graduated from the programme over the last 18 months and are currently serving in various leadership roles in the Bank.
On the other hand, FMAP is a 24-month fast-track comprehensive developmental programme targeted at young, dynamic, self-motivated, and highly driven individuals who possess the right skill set and excellent leadership potential among Junior and entry-level employees. The programme is also open to non-FirstBank employees who meet the selection criteria. The programme commenced in 2018.
Recently, the giant strides made by the Bank at impacting its employees were acknowledged by Great Place to Work Institute as it noted that “FirstBank recognizes the immutable merits of maintaining a “brand-first” mindset and culture, as a critical component of its business strategy. Its brand has evolved over the years, with strengthened manpower development policy to match the constantly evolving expectations of today’s increasingly discerning stakeholders.”
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is the premier Bank in West Africa and a leading financial services provider in Nigeria for over 127 years.
With over 750 business locations and over 100,000 Banking Agents spread across 99% of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, FirstBank provides a comprehensive range of retail and corporate financial services to serve its over 30 million customers. The Bank has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal, as well as a Representative Office in Beijing, China.
The Bank has been in the forefront of promoting digital payment in the Nigeria and has issued over 11 million cards, the first bank to achieve such a milestone in the country. The Bank have over 16 million subscribers/customers on its digital banking platforms – FirstMobile, *894 USSD and FirstOnline.
Since its establishment in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management and leadership. Over the years, the Bank has led the financing of private investments in infrastructure development in the Nigerian economy by playing key roles in the Federal Government’s privatisation and commercialisation schemes. With its global reach, FirstBank provides prospective investors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities that are available in Nigeria and other key African economies where the Bank operates. FirstBank is a credible financial services partner with an internationally competitive world-class brand.
FirstBank has been named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” six times in a row (2011 – 2016) by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group; “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017) by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards and “Best Bank in Nigeria” by Global Finance for 15 years. Our brand purpose is always to put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of our business, even as we standardise customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brand vision “To be the partner of the first choice in building your future”. Our brand promise is always to deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on our inherent values of passion, partnership, and people, to position You First in every respect.
Folake Ani-Mumuney
Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
www.firstbanknigeria.com
