This aligns with the Corporation’s commitment to empowering and elevating the continent’s youth, with more than 260 young artists expressing interest in exhibiting their works at the second edition of the international art fair, organized by Soto Gallery in collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, AFC and Craneburg Construction Company.

This meticulously curated five-day event, titled “Championing Patronage in Nigerian Art,” will feature the works of emerging and un-galleried artists.

The fair will run from March 27th to March 31st at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, located at 270B1, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, starting daily at 10:00 AM.

Samaila Zubairu, president & CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, stated,

“The +234Art Fair aligns with AFC’s advocacy strategy of empowering and elevating Africa’s youthful population, thereby fostering job creation, skills development, value retention and rapid economic growth. We are proud to continue our collaboration with Ecobank to help drive Africa’s creative industry forward by creating a catalyst for promoting African art and artists locally and on the global stage.”

Bolaji Lawal, managing director and Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, shared,

“As a Pan-African bank, this fair is an important initiative in our commitment to economic growth and investing in Africa’s next generation of talent. It offers emerging artists a unique opportunity to showcase their works to key decision-makers, influencers, and a global audience.”

Mrs. Tola Akerele, Founder of +234 Art Fair and Soto Gallery Foundation, emphasized,

“Patronage in the art world goes beyond financial support; it’s about building relationships that allow artists to grow and sustain their creative practices. The 2025 edition of the +234 Art Fair aims to show how meaningful support can impact an artist’s journey and the broader art ecosystem, fostering essential connections along the way.”

The +234 Art Fair celebrates the dynamic talents of Nigeria’s emerging artists, offering them a vital platform to share their work with a broader audience.

Visitors will experience a wide range of artistic expressions, including painting, sculpture, visual and digital art, installations, and more.

The fair will also feature interactive workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for artists, art enthusiasts, and key stakeholders in the creative sector.

The event is expected to draw a diverse group of attendees, including Nigerians, Africans, international residents, government officials, policymakers, diplomats, and global art lovers.

This international observance highlights the significance of customer service and those who support customers daily. The global theme for this year’s celebration, running from October 7 to 11, is “Above & Beyond.”

During the event’s kickoff, Adetola Oshomah, head of Customer Experience at Ecobank Nigeria, emphasized that this week offers a chance for the bank to express gratitude to customers for selecting Ecobank as their financial partner.

She highlighted the bank’s commitment to consistently exceeding expectations in service delivery.

“At Ecobank, customer service is a lifestyle focused on providing exceptional experiences. We strive to create memorable interactions,” said Oshomah. “We appreciate our customers for their trust and continued use of our products and services across all touchpoints. The theme resonates with our principle of ‘going the extra mile’ and is vital to executing our Growth, Transformation, and Returns (GTR) strategy.”

“Our commitment to you, drives our investment in technology and training for our staff, ensuring they are equipped to deliver the solutions you need. For us, customer service is about creating exceptional experiences,” she emphasized.

Ecobank Nigeria is also undertaking significant technology-driven initiatives to enhance service delivery. The bank is remodeling its branches nationwide, transforming traditional banking halls into modern smart banking spaces designed to offer a welcoming experience. The upgraded branches feature fully functional digital service points, new ATMs, solar power for uninterrupted electricity, and other enhancements to improve the customer experience.

The six-month campaign, which is set to run between July 1 and December 31, 2024, will see 540 customers of the Pan African bank winning various monetary rewards.

Announcing the commencement of the campaign, Adeola Ogunyemi, head, Consumer Banking, said it is part of the bank’s strategy to reward customers’ loyalty, adding that it would also deepen financial inclusion for all classes of Nigerians, especially those in the rural and semi-urban areas.

She explained that participation is open to both new and existing individual customers of the bank across the country, who qualify to be rewarded, while also enjoying a first-grade banking experience.

According to her,

“Under the reward initiative, 520 of our customers will win N50,000 monthly for 6 months; 16 customers are expected to win N500,000 quarterly in September and December and 4 customers will win N2,000,000 each at the end of campaign. We expect many Nigerians particularly those that are yet to have account with us to avail themselves of this opportunity and enjoy the top-notch services that we offer.”

Speaking on the dynamics of the campaign, Victor Yalokwu, head, Consumer Segments & Products, stated that the conditions to qualify for the campaign were made simple and easy, all in a bid to ensure both new and existing customers participate and get rewarded.

According to him, “New customers only need to open an account with a minimum of N10,000  and maintain for 30 days to qualify for the monthly draw which also applies to existing customers. To qualify for the quarterly draw, new and existing customers are expected to deposit and maintain a minimum amount of N50,000  for 3 months consecutively while to qualify for the grand prize, customers are expected to deposit and maintain a minimum amount of N50,000 for 6 months consecutively. In addition, customers are expected perform a minimum of 2 transactions monthly,” he noted.

Mr. Yalokwu further explained that prospective customers can open an account by visiting here while customers with dormant accounts can visit here to reactivate their accounts.

Ecobank is a major player in the distribution of financial services in Nigeria, leveraging digital platforms including Ecobank Mobile App, MySME App, USSD *326#, Ecobank Online, Ecobank OmniPlus, Ecobank Omnilite, EcobankPay, Ecobank Africa, ATMs, POSs and an extensive distribution network of over 240 branches and over 50,000 Agency Banking locations.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had dissolved the Board and Management of Polaris Bank on Wednesday.

In a statement by Mrs Sidi Ali, Hakama, the acting director of Corporate Communication of CBN, on the Bank’s verified X handle @cenbank directed Mr. Lawal Mudathir Omokayode Akintola, the newly appointed MD/CEO of Polaris Bank to assume his role with immediate effect.

SO, who is Lawal Mudathir Omokayode Akintola?

Lawal Mudathir Omokayode Akintola has a strong educational background that has equipped him with the knowledge and skills to excel in the banking industry. Here are some of his educational qualifications:

He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos.

He has a Master of Business Administration degree from the Netherlands Business School.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

He is an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School, the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and the University of Oxford.

Career

Lawal Mudathir Omokayode Akintola has a long and successful career in the banking industry, spanning over 25 years.

He has worked in various capacities and sectors, such as corporate and investment banking, treasury, risk management, and business development.

He has also led and executed many strategic projects, initiatives, and transactions that have added value to the organizations he worked for and the customers he served. Here is a summary of his career path:

He started his career in 1998 as a Senior Manager at Prime Merchant Bank, where he was responsible for managing the bank’s treasury operations and foreign exchange dealings.

In 2000, he joined Ecobank Nigeria as a Group Head of Corporate Banking, where he oversaw the bank’s portfolio of corporate clients in various sectors, such as oil and gas, telecommunications, manufacturing, and infrastructure.

In 2003, he moved to Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria as a Regional Executive of Corporate and Institutional Banking, where he led the bank’s business development and relationship management activities in the South-West region of Nigeria.

In 2006, he was appointed as the Executive Director of Corporate and Investment Banking at Sterling Bank Plc, where he was in charge of the bank’s strategic business units, such as corporate banking, institutional banking, project finance, structured finance, and trade finance.

In 2018, he left Sterling Bank to set up Intermediate Equity Partners Limited, a Lagos-based firm that provides advisory and consultancy services to corporate and institutional clients in various sectors and markets.

In 2020, he became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fractional Investment Services Limited, a real estate company that offers innovative and affordable housing solutions to Nigerians.

In 2024, he was appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, one of the largest commercial banks in Nigeria, with over 300 branches and millions of customers.

He led the successful acquisition and integration of Equitorial Trust Bank by Sterling Bank in 2011, which increased the bank’s assets, branches, and customer base.

He initiated and executed several landmark transactions in the corporate and investment banking space, such as the $1.2 billion MTN Nigeria syndicated loan, the $1 billion Dangote Cement bond issuance, and the $300 million Lafarge Africa rights issue.

He was instrumental in developing and implementing the Sterling Bank’s corporate transformation strategy, which improved the bank’s performance, profitability, and reputation.

He received several awards and recognition for his leadership and excellence, such as the Banker of the Year Award by the Nigerian Leadership Awards, the Most Outstanding Banker of the Year Award by the Nigerian Bankers’ Merit Awards, and the Most Influential Banker of the Year Award by the Nigerian Banking and Finance Awards.

In a message to customers via email, as part of the Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the bank enjoined customers to integrate four key measures into their online practices to safeguard their personal data from digital threats.

These include, using strong passwords and/or a password manager, turning on multifactor authentication, recognizing and reporting phishing and regular update of their phone or computer software.

The National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is usually celebrated in October annually. It is a month-long effort dedicated to promoting cybersecurity awareness and education.

It aims to empower individuals and organizations to take proactive steps in safeguarding their digital lives, assets, and sensitive information.

According to Ecobank, customers should be risk aware enough to recognize and report phishing, describing phishing as an attack that attempts to steal money, or identity, by getting bank customers to reveal personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank information, or passwords – via a phishing website or link that poses to be legitimate.

“Cybercriminals typically pretend to be reputable companies, friends, or relatives in a fake message. Be careful if you receive an email or message asking for personal information. If you get this type of message, don’t provide the requested information without confirming that it is legitimate. Also,  we advise customers to always use multi-factor authentication to protect their bank accounts and confidential information.  Multi-factor authentication acts as an additional layer of security that helps prevent unauthorised users from accessing your accounts, even when the password has been stolen. Multi-factor authentication is a multi-step account login process that requires users to enter more information than just a password. For example, along with the password, users might be asked to enter a code sent to their mobile or email, answer a secret question, or scan a fingerprint”, the bank stated.

Further, Ecobank stressed the need for a strong password, “Your PIN, OTP and passwords should always be kept confidential. For strong passwords, consider using three random words, a mixture of capital letters, special characters and even numbers.” In addition, “You should update your apps and your device’s software as soon as they are available. Updates include protection from viruses and other kinds of malware and often improvements as well as new features.”

The Pan African Bank noted that it continually runs awareness programmes to ensure employees and customers understand the various forms of cybercrime and how to prevent them, stressing that with digital banking being a key pillar of its strategy,

“we must ensure our platforms are well secured to safeguard the integrity of our data. The Bank has heavily invested in training and various forms of capacity building to ensure staff understand cyber related challenges and address them promptly,” the statement added.

The Gender Leader Awards, which is being implemented under the Nigeria2Equal (N2E) program, is designed to recognize, and celebrate private sector companies leading the way in Gender Equality Performance across a broad range of indices.

Ecobank Nigeria was an awardee in the Gender Diversity in Supply Chain category at the high-level event by priivate sector company chief executives, business leaders and dignitaries including the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Speaking during the award ceremony, Ms. Dahlia Khalifa, IFC’s Regional Director, Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, commended the progress of Nigeria2Equal’s participating companies in advancing the role of women in their organizations.

Khalifa said;

“As we celebrate the accomplishments of these organizations who have shown outstanding leadership in closing the gender gaps within their own organizations, we acknowledge the power of collaboration and the transformative impact that specific, measurable, and time-bound commitments can have on achieving gender parity in Nigeria’s private sector. IFC remains resolute in our commitment to sustain the momentum and support the private sector to scale up its efforts for a more gender-balanced, prosperous future.”

Receiving the award, Carol Oyedeji, Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, said Ecobank has policies and structures in place that promote gender balance in its employment, stressing that the recognitions are a testament of Ecobank Nigeria’s significant contributions to advancing gender equality within the organization and by extension, in Nigeria’s private sector.

She disclosed that the bank also has many initiatives and innovative products targeted at empowering and sustaining female entrepreneurs in Nigeria such as ‘Ellevate’ and ‘Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative (EFEI)’, which are designed to empower and support female owned small-scale businesses. According to her;

“Across Ecobank, we are intent on ensuring that all women can reach their full potential and always have equal opportunities to men in advancing their careers and achieving promotion. Female staff are holding strategic leadership and management positions in the organization. We are committed to creating a society and workplace that is free of bias and gender-based discrimination”.

The webinar, slated for Friday, 5th May 2023 by 11am will feature a carefully selected panel of speakers.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Yemi Kale, Partner and Chief Economist, KPMG Nigeria. He is a former Statistician General of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Other speakers include Oluyemisi Ogunmola, Managing Director, EDC Fund Management Limited; Victor Yalokwu, Head, Personal Banking, Ecobank Nigeria Limited and Daberechi Effiong, Head, Consumer Products, Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

Members of the public are expected to join the virtual webinar by registering here.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mrs. Korede Demola-Adeniyi, Head, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, said the webinar will focus on practical financial planning insights on maximizing income and how customers and members of the public can key in as they go through their financial lifecycle. “I’m impressed with the caliber of speakers selected for this webinar. They are quite experienced and subject matter specialists. I believe they will do justice to the theme.

The keynote speaker at the Ecobank Nigeria webinar, Dr. Yemi Kale, a former Statistician General of NBS and now Chief Economist at KPMG Nigeria, is well known and versed on the subject matter.

“He will be joined by business experts from our Consumer banking team, as well as EDC, the bespoke investment arm of the Ecobank.”

She noted that the webinar is a further proof of the bank’s commitment to the financial well-being of her customers, and so, urged the bank’s customers as well as non-customers to register and participate fully in the webinar, assuring them that the learning points would greatly impact their lives and businesses.

According to her, “In the face of current realities, people are generally seeking best ways to manage and grow their resources. This webinar presents an opportunity for us as a bank that cares and proactive enough, to facilitate a discussion on how to grow and maximise income. We will also expound on the benefits of income diversification. We have assembled subject matter specialists such as Dr. Kale, a former NBS Statistician General to share their expertise and experience. It is important to note that this webinar is not limited to our customers. It is for all. They will all find it most rewarding and impactful. You can register via the link.

Further, Mrs Demola-Adeniyi explained that the webinar is targeted at individuals, salary earners, small businesses, self-employed and other interested stakeholders, adding that it will also provide a guide to investment in key sectors and the bank’s offerings to help customers get the best out of today’s financial landscape.

Tutoring the students of Comprehensive School Management and Technology, New Layout, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, Bolaji Lawal, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, reiterated that “Saving is the act of putting money aside for future use. There are different ways to save, like putting your money in a savings box, through savings groups, but the recommended way is in a bank account. You can save for short-term goals such as buying clothes, buying books or long-term goals such as going to university, buying a car, etc.”, he stated

Mr Lawal further advised the students on the investment avenues such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, stating that choice of investment should align with their financial plan. The interactive session saw the students’ asking questions which were promptly responded to.

The Ecobank Nigeria, Managing Director, who was represented by Mr Chris Igili, the Branch Manager, Abakaliki,  explained to the students and staff of the school how to earn and make money, the various investment channels and the need to donate for positive social impact amongst others.

He emphasized that sound financial planning guarantees a fulfilling future.

The 11th edition of GMW with the theme, “Plan your Money, plant your Future,” which took place between 20-26 March, saw other Senior Management staff of Ecobank Nigeria tutoring and mentoring students across several schools in major cities across the country, including Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Yenagoa.

Global Money Week is an annual global celebration initiated by Child & Youth Finance International (CYFI), with local and regional events and activities aimed at inspiring children and youths to learn about money, saving, creating livelihoods, gaining employment and becoming entrepreneurs. It is also aimed at empowering the next generation to be confident, responsible and skilled economic citizens.

Speaking on the anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD), Head, Human Resources, Ecobank Nigeria, Adekunle Adewuyi, stated that the bank as a responsible organization, has in place structures for ensuring all women can reach their full potentials and have equal opportunities to men in advancing their careers and achieve promotion in the bank.

Only recently, Ecobank Group won the highly coveted Best Place to Work in Africa 2022 Award from the Best Place to Work organisation.

The Award honours organisations that exhibit the highest standards of excellence in Human Resources (HR) practices and employees’ experience.

According to him, “Female staff are holding strategic leadership and management positions in the organization. We are committed to creating a society and workplace that is free of bias and gender-based discrimination. As part of our IWD 2023 celebrations, we will be organizing health screening for our female staff in four different locations including Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt. We will also host a Health Talk for female employees, who as at today constitute 51 percent of our workforce.” he stated.

Mr. Adewuyi further stated that the choice of this year’s theme #EmbraceEquity was apt, adding that while celebrating women and girls championing transformative technology and digital education, IWD 2023 will also address the impact of the digital gender gap in widening economic and social inequalities.

“It is the responsibility of all of us to make transformative technology and digital education inclusive. At Ecobank, our digital solutions aim to respond to the needs of all our clients, including women and women entrepreneurs. The Ecobank Foundation has partnered with organisations – such as UN Women and the Global Partnership for Education – that leverage on digitalisation to address the gender gap.”

IWD is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

In his message to the customers as part of this year’s anniversary of Customer Service Week, Lawal observed that their loyalty to the bank over the years have made the Pan African bank one of the most preferred financial institutions in the country.

According to him, “For us as a bank, we are inspired by your confidence and support to us in numerous ways. We are proud to celebrate your trust in our products and services and use and reliance on them across our touch points. Indeed, your word-of-mouth recommendations of them make us delighted to serve you better.”

He pointed out that the choice of this year’s theme: “Celebrate Service” particularly resonates with Ecobank’s philosophy that service is a game changer, stressing that “it is the reason we are constantly investing in our technology and equipping our staff with the requisite skills and resources to provide you with the relevant solutions you need and cutting-edge banking experience.”

Mr. Lawal reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to implement their feedbacks, noting that “we will continue to be relentless in our efforts to make financial services readily and easily accessible to you. As your preferred financial partner, we are happy to listen to you and remain committed to tailoring our products and services to suit your lifestyle and power your aspirations. We will continue to evolve with you and innovate our products and services to make banking a more rewarding experience for you.”

Customer Service Week is an international celebration of the importance of customer service and of the people who serve and support customers daily. 

It is celebrated annually during the first full week of October.  This year’s celebration holds from October 3 to 7.