Our attention has been drawn to the news reports online with the conflicting claims that FirstBank branch or/head office has been sealed.

Please be informed that the referenced story is a misrepresentation of the facts and misleading. Neither our branch nor head office was sealed. On the 4th of August, 2022, there was an unlawful enforcement at the Bank’s Coomassie House Branch of a garnishee order issued by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which order the Bank is still challenging in court.

While the Bank has taken appropriate legal steps to deal with the situation, we wish to reassure our customers of unhindered banking services and unique customer experience in all our branches and through our numerous alternative channels

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider has announced that its agent banking network – Firstmonie Agents – spread across the nook and cranny of the country has collectively processed transaction volume in excess of 1 billion, amounting to over 22 trillion naira. The Bank currently has over 180,000 Firstmonie Agents, spread across the country’s 772 Local Government Areas.

Firstmonie Agents have been integral to bringing financial services closer to the underbanked and unbanked segment of the society, providing convenient banking services that are easily accessible, thereby saving time and travel costs for individuals in the suburbs and remote environments with no access to financial services.

Popularly referred to as the ‘Human ATM’, Firstmonie Agents are empowered to reduce the reliance on over-the-counter transactions while providing convenient personalized services. Amongst the services carried out by the Agents include; Account Opening, Cash Deposit, Airtime Purchase, Bills Payment, Withdrawals and Money Transfer.

Through various empowerment and reward schemes implemented to put its Firstmonie Agents at an advantage to economically impact their immediate communities whilst importantly having their business sustained, the Bank’s Agent Banking scheme has remained a toast to Nigerians, irrespective of where they are in the country. Amongst these schemes is the Agent Credit – launched in 2020 – which has had the Bank provide credit facilities to the tune of 238 billion naira to its teeming Firstmonie Agents.

Expressing his appreciation to the Firstmonie Agents, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, FirstBank said “since the relaunch of our Agent Banking scheme in 2018, our Firstmonie Agents have played a vital role in bridging the financial inclusion gap in the country, as many more people have been able to undertake various financial and business transactions in cost-effective ways, thereby saving a lot of time and money in travelling over long distances for basic banking services.“

“We are delighted by the giant strides of our Firstmonie Agents in promoting financial inclusion and commend them for their efforts in taking banking to the doorsteps of Nigerians - irrespective of where they are – in a very effective way”, he concluded.

Mr. Oliver Alawuba has been appointed as the Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa Plc, UBA.

He takes over from Mr. Kennedy Uzoka who has completed his tenor as GMD/CEO. Mr Alawuba takes on his new position from August 1, 2022, subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The appointment was announced today in a statement signed by Mr. Ramon Nasir, the Bank’s Head of Media and External Relations.

With his appointment as Group Managing Director, Mr. Alawuba will oversee all the Group’s banking operations across its twenty-country African network and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates.

UBA Appoints Oliver Alawuba as New Group GMD

Oliver Alawuba joined UBA in 1997 and has held a series of senior positions, including as the CEO of UBA Ghana, the CEO of UBA Africa and most recently, as Group Deputy Managing Director.

UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, said of the new appointment: “Oliver has extensive experience in Nigeria and our African network and is well equipped to advance our pan-African and global strategy. I have no doubt that Oliver will build on the legacy of Kennedy Uzoka, who has exemplified transformational leadership by championing a customer-first philosophy; launching our twentieth operation in Africa, UBA Mali; acquiring a wholesale banking licence for UBA UK in the United Kingdom; and opening our fourth global operation, UBA Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates”.

On his part, Mr. Alawuba expressed his commitment to his new role as Group Managing Director saying that, “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this great institution and would like to thank the UBA Group Chairman and the members of the Board of Directors for the confidence they have put in me to deliver the mandate.”

Equally appointed, according to the statement, is Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi, as Deputy Managing Director. He joined UBA in 1998, as a Senior Banking Officer in UBA’s Energy Bank, and has served the Group in Nigeria and the broader Africa network for twenty-four years.

Other executive appointments are:

• Sola Yomi-Ajayi, Executive Director, Treasury and International Banking. Sola has been with the Group since 2004 and has considerable international experience, culminating in her appointment as CEO of UBA America.
• Ugochukwu Nwagodoh, Executive Director, Finance and Risk Management. Ugo joined the Group from PwC in October 2004. He has since held a series of significant roles in the areas of performance management, compliance, financial control and reporting.
• Alex Alozie, Executive Director and Group Chief Operating Officer, who joined the Group in 2019 and has driven the Group’s digital transformation and operational efficiencies.
• Emem Usoro, Executive Director, North Bank. Emem joined the Group in 2011 and has served in a series of senior regional appointments across Nigeria, covering the retail, corporate and public sectors.

The Board also announced the retirement of the following Executive Directors, who have completed their tenor, many of whom will continue to serve the broader Group upon regulatory approval of a holding company structure.

• Kennedy Uzoka
• Uche Ike
• Chukwuma Nweke
• Ibrahim Puri
• Chiugo Ndubisi

Also announced today was the retirement of a Non-Executive Director, Ambassador Joe C. Keshi, OON, who served as Vice-Chairman of the board. This also takes effect from August 1, 2022 after a completion of his tenure of twelve years.

The Group Chairman congratulated the retiring Directors on the completion of their tenors for their exemplary records.

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 35 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.