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  • FirstBank Launches Diaspora Remittance Platform

    FirstBank Launches Diaspora Remittance Platform

     

    FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has launched its wholly-owned remittance platform, First Global Transfer, to promote the international transfer of funds across its subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa.

     

    The bank, in a statement at the weekend, said the FBN subsidiaries operate in Congo DR, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Senegal.

     

    It also said the network of International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) is targeted at easing the accessibility of its customers to receive money from close to 100 countries in a safe and secured manner.

     

    The bank said the new product would also boost diaspora remittance inflow into Nigeria and that with over 750 branches across the country, customers can receive money from the nearest FirstBank branch.

     

    The bank said it has been in partnership with Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Transfast, and WorldRemit.

     

    Other IMTO partners of the bank include Wari, Smallworld, Sendwave, Flutherwave, Funtech, Thunes and Venture Garden Group.

     

    “Beneficiaries can receive remittance in US dollars in any of our over 750 branches spread across the country.

     

    “Customers without an existing domiciliary account can have dollar accounts automatically created for their remittances.

     

    “You can also receive inflow directly into your account through Western Union,” the bank stated.

     

    In his comment, the bank’s deputy managing director, Mr Gbenga Shobo, said: “We are excited about these partnerships, as it is essential to ensure our customers are at an advantage to receive money from their loved ones and business associates, anywhere they are, across the world.”

  • FirstBank Launches LIT App, Reinforces Commitment To Putting Customers First

    FirstBank Launches LIT App, Reinforces Commitment To Putting Customers First

    In furtherance of its commitment to spearheading value-driven mobile and digital banking in Nigeria, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced the launch of the LIT Application, created to revolutionise the culture and experience of mobile banking in Nigeria.

     

    The state-of-the-art banking app is the first of its kind in the industry, exposing customers to a wealth of opportunities to promote their safety, convenience whilst ensuring they are at an edge in today’s digital banking world.

     

    It is a mobile banking app developed and owned by the Bank and configured with a wide range of exciting features to meet the needs of its dynamic customers.

     

    The LIT application is not just about bills payment, funds transfer or airtime recharge, but also the app is equipped with several other exciting features that reiterate the Bank’s resolve to continually expand its digital architecture to modernise its interaction with customers, irrespective of where they may be across the world.

     

    These functions of the LIT app include: multiple transfers which allow customers to select several beneficiaries at once for a single transfer; account opening opportunities for non-customers as well as account management, enabling customers to identify their relationship managers for immediate assistance, should the need arise.

     

    In addition, customers can generate bank statements with options to download as pdf or send an email whilst having receipts generated as far back as one wants.

     

    With the LIT app, customers are also able to log and manage their complaint(s) without having to visit the branch. The LIT app is not all about usage but rewards as users (customers) are rewarded for using the application.

     

    Expressing his excitement, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited said, “the LIT App is designed to strengthen our commitment to our customers, ensuring the continued safety of their funds and providing them with access to renewed transformative and adaptable solutions especially in today’s digital world. Developing the application is essential to make certain that our customers have more ways to seamlessly interact with us. The LIT App is the latest addition to the Bank’s robust electronic banking family, with others being the multiple global award-winning FirstMobile, *894# USSD Banking, FirstOnline internet banking, WhatsApp chat banking, amongst many others.”

     

  • SME Clinic 2021: FirstBank Supports 5 SMEs With N500,000

    SME Clinic 2021: FirstBank Supports 5 SMEs With N500,000

     

    FirstBank of Nigeria has announced a N500,000 business grant to five Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), through its SMEConnect initiative aimed at boosting employment.

     

    Group Head, Retail Banking, Lagos Mainland 1, FirstBank, Mrs Oludolapo Adigun, listed the five beneficiary SMEs to include: Buyscrap Nigeria Enterprise; Arteasy Nigeria; Gris Business; Digital Solutions Network and Edatsu Technology Ltd.

     

    She said each of the SMEs was given a N100,000 grant to support their businesses after the SME clinic 2021, held in partnership with Techpoint Africa.

     

    Adigun explained that SMEConnect was one of the tools by which FirstBank delivers the capacity-building pillar of its value propositions to SMEs, with a focus on impacting SMEs in key areas that affect their business growth and development.

     

    “In recent years, FirstBank has embarked on the task of empowering SMEs, considering their immense value to the Nigerian economy.

     

    “We created SMEConnect to help drive this mission and we’re delighted to have partnered with Techpoint Africa for the SME clinic 2021.

     

    “The small business grant is the tip of the iceberg of what SMEs stand to benefit from the programme. We’re looking forward to future partnerships, Adigun said.

     

    Also speaking, Precious Mogoli, Director, SME Clinic by Techpoint, said SMEs were the lifeblood of any economy, and in Nigeria, current data had shown that SMEs made up to 96 per cent of businesses, contributing over half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

     

    She noted that COVID-19 was changing the way businesses operate globally, with more emphasis being placed on technology.

     

    “While technology startups have been able to handle this change, traditional enterprises have found it more difficult.

     

    “With this in mind, the SME Clinic by Techpoint creates a forum that teaches Nigerian SMEs grit, resilience, and how to scale their businesses with technology.

     

    “The SME Clinic by Techpoint tries to reach Nigerian SMEs through its newsletter, town halls/webinars, an annual flagship event.

     

    “It was a truly memorable moment and we hope to keep building a community of business owners who will use technology to impact the Nigerian economy,” Mogoli said.

     

    She explained that small business owners in a pandemic-ridden world must find ways to the new normal – social distance, remote work and technology, among others, to survive.

     

    “While few businesses have found ways to use these new and emerging tech tools to solve everyday problems and grow their businesses, several others still struggle to adapt,” she added.

     

    Participants at the 2021 SME Clinic, were taught how to sustain their businesses using technology, with trainings on bookkeeping and managing online business.

     

  • FirstBank Grants Money Agents Loan Facilities

    FirstBank Grants Money Agents Loan Facilities

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited has said it is providing loan facilities of up to N1m to its banking agents.

     

    The bank said this in a statement on Tuesday titled ‘Firstbank empowers its firstmonie agents with up to N1m’.

     

    According to the statement, it has over 86,300 Firstmonie agents, spread across the country’s 772 Local Government Areas.

     

    FirstBank said with its location in every neighbourhood, Firstmonie agents had been integral to filling the financial exclusion gap, providing convenient banking services that were 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 said its financial inclusion activities were in line with the mandate of the Central Bank of Nigeria 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 was among the bank’s many initiatives to expand financial access in the country, it stated.