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First bank records N1 trillion transaction on mobile banking

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First Bank of Nigeria Limited said its 894 quick banking, a USSD-based mobile telephony channel that enables customers to access banking services using any type of phone and without data or internet recorded transactions worth N1 trillion done by 4.5 million customers in 2017, a 250 per cent increase compared to what it recorded in 2016. The bank said it plans to increase its customer base on the USSD platform to over 6.5 million before the end of this year, with over N3 trillion worth of transactions projected to be processed this year. According to FirstBank’s group head, e-business, Chuma Ezirim, over 60 per cent of its customers currently use the bank’s digital platforms (FirstMobile, Firstonline and 894 Banking) to transact accounting for about 21 per cent of transactions on the NIBSS Instant Payment platform. Ezirim noted that a major element of the bank’s strategy is to make payments and collections easier for businesses around the country. Digitizing payment and collections processes not only improves transparency and efficiency, but also helps a business to grow. “That is why our 894 service is very useful for our Corporate and SME customers because every Nigerian can pay using 894 irrespective of the type of phone he/she uses, and without the barrier of internet access.” 

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Speaking on the impact of the bank’s financial inclusion services on customers and the economy, Ezirim said that in addition to providing FirstBank customers a more convenient and faster way to carry out basic banking transactions, the 894 banking service has led to the creation of over 500 new jobs for young Nigerians who assist customers to adopt digital platforms at the various branches of the bank nationwide. The 894 service is simple, secure, and easy to use, which is why the adoption rate by customers is very high. 

The channel is enabling the Bank to provide more efficient banking services to its customers, and offers a cost effective growth of the Bank’s retail and commercial banking businesses. Customers who use 894 are able to check their balance, send/transfer money to any bank account in Nigeria, buy airtime for themselves and for their loved ones, confirm payments, open accounts, and do lots more. The “894 Collection and CashOut” service is effectively designed for businesses to receive payments for goods and services, and to address their cash management challenges.

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WEMA BANK ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR ITS YOUTH-FOCUSED HACKATHON, HACKAHOLICS 5.0*

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*WEMA BANK ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR ITS YOUTH-FOCUSED HACKATHON, HACKAHOLICS 5.0*

 

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Wema Bank, Nigeria’s foremost innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has announced the Call for Entries in the 5th edition of its flagship youth and startup-focused tech competition, Hackaholics. This announcement was made at the Press Conference held at Wema Bank’s Head Office on Thursday, April 18th, 2024, declaring the registration portal for Hackaholics 5.0 officially opened.
Hackaholics is an annual tech and innovation competition birthed by Wema Bank in 2019 to provide a platform for young Nigerians with tech-driven ideas to bring their game-changing ideas to life, scale their ventures or startups and access a wider market for these tech-enabled solutions. Over the past 4 editions, Hackaholics has transformed thousands of Nigerian lives and businesses, helping Youth with interests spread across different areas to build their own Startups, create sustainable sources of income and gain a competitive edge on the global tech and innovation scene. Through Hackaholics, Wema Bank has powered the launch and expansion of a plethora of Startups through Hackaholics, disbursing over N150,000,000 in cash prizes in just 4 editions.

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With the launch of Hackaholics 5.0, Wema Bank is reportedly pulling all the stops to make this edition the grandest ever. Themed “Meta-Idea: DigiTech Solutions for Africa’s Prosperity”, Hackaholics 5.0 will be executed over a six-month period, touring 10 Universities across the country and challenging the Youth to pitch unique, innovative and practical Digi-Tech solutions to positively impact the acceleration of progress, development and prosperity not just in Nigeria but across the African continent.
Encouraging Nigerian Youth to leverage Hackaholics as a launchpad to their success in the digital world, Wema Bank’s Chief Transformation Officer, Babatunde Mumuni, highlighted the bank’s vision for Hackaholics. According to him, “With the birth of ALAT, a few things became clear, one of which is that while we have adopted innovation and digital excellence as our path to greatness, we need talented bright minds to drive this innovation, and this is one of the reasons we launched Hackaholics. With Hackaholics, we are not only empowering these youth to scale but also funding STEM education towards national development. Also, we are strengthening our nation’s capabilities and providing a platform for creative and innovative youth to thrive. We are in search of people who are curious, who are innovative enough to question the status quo, refine the norm and challenge themselves to make things better. If this is you, then Hackaholics 5.0 is the perfect platform to help you thrive”.
Highlighting the career opportunities available in Hackaholics 5.0, Ololade Ogungbenro, the Divisional Head of Brands, People and Culture, said, “Nigeria possesses a vibrant population of young people who are digitally skilled and willing to leverage innovation and technology as a tool to build digital products that are usable, scalable, and sustainable. All they need is an opportunity, a platform, and the right nurturing environment for their talents to thrive. That is one value we hope to harness with Hackaholics 5.0. The pitch sessions across the different universities present a unique opportunity for us to double our impact to not only empower these youth to own their own Startups from as early as their undergraduate years, but further provide them with access to first-rate employment opportunities. Through the career fairs we will host, participants and attendees can interact with us, learn about the bank’s culture, values, and job opportunities, and gain insight into the banking industry and learn about various technology-related roles available in the Bank. They’ll also enjoy Speed mentoring and Networking opportunities, Interview Preparation and a chance to hone their soft skills. So, if you are a young person who is keen on building a thriving career in Tech, then attending, and actively participating in the Hackaholics Career Fair should be a top priority for you”.
Wema Bank’s Head of Innovation, Solomon Ayodele, concluded saying, “This year, you’re going to experience the Coachella of the tech industry at our Hackaholics 5.0 grand finale tech festival, and the journey begins today. We have a cash prize of over N70,000,000 for our winners this year and we are not limiting you to any specific verticals. Any verticals you can think of will be accepted. Our focus for Hackaholics 5.0 is the brilliance of your mind so we leave it to you to discover a problem area that matters and develop an innovative solution that will drive positive impact. Our goal is to birth solutions that address diverse aspects of real-world challenges, and you have the opportunity to be a part of this transformative journey. To submit your entry please visit https://hackaholics.wemabank.com/register”.
Wema Bank has transformed thousands of lives across Nigeria, facilitating the successful creation of hundreds of startups across the country through Hackaholics. With the bank’s impact constantly proliferating especially in the digital space, it is no wonder that Wema Bank is regarded as Nigeria’s foremost innovative bank.

Interested participants are encouraged to submit their registrations for Hackaholics 5.0 at https://hackaholics.wemabank.com/register.

WEMA BANK ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR ITS YOUTH-FOCUSED HACKATHON, HACKAHOLICS 5.0
Wema Bank, Nigeria’s foremost innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has announced the Call for Entries in the 5th edition of its flagship youth and startup-focused tech competition, Hackaholics. This announcement was made at the Press Conference held at Wema Bank’s Head Office on Thursday, April 18th, 2024, declaring the registration portal for Hackaholics 5.0 officially opened.
Hackaholics is an annual tech and innovation competition birthed by Wema Bank in 2019 to provide a platform for young Nigerians with tech-driven ideas to bring their game-changing ideas to life, scale their ventures or startups and access a wider market for these tech-enabled solutions. Over the past 4 editions, Hackaholics has transformed thousands of Nigerian lives and businesses, helping Youth with interests spread across different areas to build their own Startups, create sustainable sources of income and gain a competitive edge on the global tech and innovation scene. Through Hackaholics, Wema Bank has powered the launch and expansion of a plethora of Startups through Hackaholics, disbursing over N150,000,000 in cash prizes in just 4 editions.
With the launch of Hackaholics 5.0, Wema Bank is reportedly pulling all the stops to make this edition the grandest ever. Themed “Meta-Idea: DigiTech Solutions for Africa’s Prosperity”, Hackaholics 5.0 will be executed over a six-month period, touring 10 Universities across the country and challenging the Youth to pitch unique, innovative and practical Digi-Tech solutions to positively impact the acceleration of progress, development and prosperity not just in Nigeria but across the African continent.
Encouraging Nigerian Youth to leverage Hackaholics as a launchpad to their success in the digital world, Wema Bank’s Chief Transformation Officer, Babatunde Mumuni, highlighted the bank’s vision for Hackaholics. According to him, “With the birth of ALAT, a few things became clear, one of which is that while we have adopted innovation and digital excellence as our path to greatness, we need talented bright minds to drive this innovation, and this is one of the reasons we launched Hackaholics. With Hackaholics, we are not only empowering these youth to scale but also funding STEM education towards national development. Also, we are strengthening our nation’s capabilities and providing a platform for creative and innovative youth to thrive. We are in search of people who are curious, who are innovative enough to question the status quo, refine the norm and challenge themselves to make things better. If this is you, then Hackaholics 5.0 is the perfect platform to help you thrive”.
Highlighting the career opportunities available in Hackaholics 5.0, Ololade Ogungbenro, the Divisional Head of Brands, People and Culture, said, “Nigeria possesses a vibrant population of young people who are digitally skilled and willing to leverage innovation and technology as a tool to build digital products that are usable, scalable, and sustainable. All they need is an opportunity, a platform, and the right nurturing environment for their talents to thrive. That is one value we hope to harness with Hackaholics 5.0. The pitch sessions across the different universities present a unique opportunity for us to double our impact to not only empower these youth to own their own Startups from as early as their undergraduate years, but further provide them with access to first-rate employment opportunities. Through the career fairs we will host, participants and attendees can interact with us, learn about the bank’s culture, values, and job opportunities, and gain insight into the banking industry and learn about various technology-related roles available in the Bank. They’ll also enjoy Speed mentoring and Networking opportunities, Interview Preparation and a chance to hone their soft skills. So, if you are a young person who is keen on building a thriving career in Tech, then attending, and actively participating in the Hackaholics Career Fair should be a top priority for you”.
Wema Bank’s Head of Innovation, Solomon Ayodele, concluded saying, “This year, you’re going to experience the Coachella of the tech industry at our Hackaholics 5.0 grand finale tech festival, and the journey begins today. We have a cash prize of over N70,000,000 for our winners this year and we are not limiting you to any specific verticals. Any verticals you can think of will be accepted. Our focus for Hackaholics 5.0 is the brilliance of your mind so we leave it to you to discover a problem area that matters and develop an innovative solution that will drive positive impact. Our goal is to birth solutions that address diverse aspects of real-world challenges, and you have the opportunity to be a part of this transformative journey. To submit your entry please visit https://hackaholics.wemabank.com/register”.
Wema Bank has transformed thousands of lives across Nigeria, facilitating the successful creation of hundreds of startups across the country through Hackaholics. With the bank’s impact constantly proliferating especially in the digital space, it is no wonder that Wema Bank is regarded as Nigeria’s foremost innovative bank.

Interested participants are encouraged to submit their registrations for Hackaholics 5.0 at https://hackaholics.wemabank.com/register.

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Access Holdings’ Shareholders Unanimously Back Capital Raising Plan, Hail Aig-Imoukhuede’s Return as Chairman

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Access Holdings' Shareholders Unanimously Back Capital Raising Plan, Hail Aig-Imoukhuede's Return as Chairman

Access Holdings’ Shareholders Unanimously Back Capital Raising Plan, Hail Aig-Imoukhuede’s Return as Chairman
…Re-elect Olusegun Ogbonnewo, Ojinika Olaghere as a Non-Executive Directors

The shareholders of Access Holdings Plc (“Access Holdings” or “the Group”) at the 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Friday, April 19, 2024, unanimously backed the Group’s plan to establish a capital raising programme of up to US$1.5 billion as well as the subset initiative to raise up to N365 billion, specifically, through a Rights Issue of ordinary shares to its shareholders.
The proceeds of the Rights Issue would be used to support on-going working capital needs, including organic growth funding for its banking and other non-banking subsidiaries.
The shareholders also ratified the appointments of Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Olusegun Ogbonnewo, and Ojinika Olaghere as Non-Executive Directors.
The appointment of Aig-Imoukhuede as the Chairman of Access Holdings was praised by the shareholders, who pointed to his rich history of success with the institution, having transformed it into Nigeria’s biggest lender by market value alongside Herbert Wigwe.
Aigboje’s leadership was instrumental in driving the institution’s growth during the 2004 recapitalisation of the banking industry led by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of its former Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo.
“We are thrilled with Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede’s return to the role of Chairman. His proven track record, experience, and strategic insights position him as the ideal leader to steer Access Holdings towards meeting its lofty targets. During his tenure as CEO, particularly during the recapitalisation directive by the CBN, he steered Access Bank to raise an impressive $2 billion in capital, and this demonstrates his capacity to, once again, lead Access Holdings towards successfully achieving the objectives of our planned Capital Raise and Rights Issue targets,” said Chief Sunny Nwosu, Chairman Emeritus of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN).
Access Holdings' Shareholders Unanimously Back Capital Raising Plan, Hail Aig-Imoukhuede's Return as Chairman
In line with the Group’s strong financial performance, the payment of a final dividend of N1.80 kobo per every N0.50 Kobo ordinary share for the 2023 financial year was approved, marking a 28 per cent improvement from the corresponding period in 2022.
The Group’s full-year results for the period ending December 31, 2023, showcased an impressive 335 per cent increase in pre-tax profit to N729 billion from N167.68 billion in 2022. The Group also experienced an 87 per cent surge in gross earnings to N2.59 trillion from N1.39 trillion in 2022 and reported a remarkable 306 per cent growth in profit after tax to N619.32 billion, from N152.20 billion in 2022.
Commencing in the second half of 2024, Access Holdings’ global expansion strategy will enter the consolidation and efficiency phase, aligning with its five-year plan to accelerate the attainment of its 2027 strategic objectives. The Group remains focused on driving sustainable growth, and delivering value to its shareholders even as it continues to build a globally connected community and ecosystem, inspired by Africa, for the world.

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Dangote crashes Diesel price to N1,000 per litre

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Dangote reacts to EFCC’s visit to its Headquarters

Dangote crashes Diesel price to N1,000 per litre

 

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In an unprecedented move, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a further reduction of the price of diesel from 1200 to 1,000 naira per litre.

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While rolling out the products, the refinery supplied at a substantially reduced price of N1,200 per litre three weeks ago, representing over 30 per cent reduction from the previous market price of about N1,600 per litre.

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This significant reduction in the price of diesel, at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is expected to positively affect all the spheres of the economy and ultimately reduce the high inflation rate in the country.

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