In furtherance of
the need to promote the business activities of its foremost agent banking
platform – Firstmonie Agents – Nigeria’s leading financial inclusion services
provider, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, has announced the provision of a loan
facilities – up to one million naira – to its banking agents. The Bank
currently has over 86,300 Firstmonie Agents, spread across the country’s 772
Local Government Areas.
With its location
in every neighbourhood, Firstmonie Agents have been integral to filling the
financial exclusion gap, providing convenient banking services that are easily
accessible, thereby saving time and travel costs for individuals in the suburbs
and remote environments that have no access to financial services.
The Bank’s
financial inclusion activities are in line with the mandate of the Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure the availability of affordable financial products
and services to all individuals and groups of people in the country;
irrespective of location, literacy levels, familiarity with technology, and accessibility to modern infrastructural facilities. The
Firstmonie Agent channel is amongst the Bank’s many initiatives to expand
financial access in the country.
Appreciating the
Firstmonie Agents, Mr. Chuma Ezirim, Group Executive, e-Business & Retail
Products, First Bank of Nigeria Limited said “the roles played by our Firstmonie Agents in promoting
businesses across the nooks and crannies of the country cannot be
overemphasized as they have continued to set the pace in extending financial
inclusion to communities with little or no access to financial services.
“With our
Firstmonie Agents in every neighbourhood, several communities have witnessed a surge in business and financial activities, which is contributory to national
growth and development. We commend our Agents
and are delighted to support them with credit facilities, which they can access
24hours a day in less than 2minutes.”
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is the premier Bank in
West Africa and the leading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria
for over 126 years.
With over 750 business locations and over 86,300 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 an international presence
through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in
the Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone, and Senegal, as
well as a Representative Office in Beijing.
The Bank has been handy at promoting digital payment in the
country and has issued over 10million cards, the first bank to achieve such a milestone in the country. FirstBank’s cashless transaction drive extends to
having more than 10million people on its USSD Quick Banking service through the
nationally renowned *894# Banking code and over 4.5 million people on
FirstMobile platform.
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
investment in infrastructure development in the Nigerian economy by playing a 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, an
internationally competitive world-class brand and a credible financial partner.
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
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