First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s Most Valuable Bank Brand, in the financial year 2017 received an avalanche of awards in recognition of its activities and interventions in various sectors in the financial services industry. The awards epitomize the Bank’s sustained relevance to its customers and the nation at large for 124 years. FirstBank was named the ‘Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria’ six times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 by the globally recognised The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group, having achieved this feat in recognition of its steady transformation, increased brand value and excellent service delivery through several years. The Bank was also named the ‘Best Bank in Nigeria’ by Global Finance Magazine for the thirteenth time in recognition of the Bank’s consistent leadership in enterprise and innovative banking in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

FirstBank was reaffirmed ‘Best Retail Bank in Nigeria’, an award it has previously won five times in a row by the Asian Banker. This award was earned based on the Bank’s robust portfolio and exceptional performance in Nigeria’s retail market. To reinforce the Bank’s position as the number one SME bank in Nigeria, the Bank was acknowledged as the ‘Best Bank in SME Banking in Nigeria 2017’ by BusinessDay Media Limited based on the Bank’s unflinching support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. FirstBank also won ‘Excellence in Retail Banking’ by New Age Banking Awards following its consistent demonstration of excellence in the Retail Banking industry. The Bank through 124 years of existence has continued to nurture the SME sector to build sustainable businesses and facilitate economic development.

For the second time, FirstBank was named the winner of the ‘Digital Bank of Distinction in Nigeria’ for the year 2017 by the globally recognised Global Finance Magazine for its prudent utilization of slim budget to achieve sustainable profit optimization and consistent leadership in Nigeria’s digital banking space. The Bank was also recognized and celebrated as the first financial institution in Nigeria and the second bank in Africa to issue 10 million payment cards to customers across the country. In addition, the Bank won three Interswitch awards in Electronic Payment as the fastest Mobile Penetration Bank across Africa, the Highest Card Transacting Bank and the Highest Issuer of Verve Cards

FirstBank clinched the ‘Best Private Bank in Nigeria’ award by World Finance Magazine in recognition of its attention to client services and its Best-in-Class Private Banking Hubs located in Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt, as well as the accelerated speed in growing its market share and registering optimized revenues within a short span of operation. To buttress its prowess in the private banking sector, FirstBank was awarded the ‘Best Private Bank’ by Global Finance Magazine in recognition of the value created for its clients through an accurate understanding of clients’ financial objectives, efficient asset/portfolio allocation and first class customer service delivery, consistently providing best in class solutions to investment needs and objectives.

In financial security, the Bank was awarded the ‘Best Fraud Desk and Most Cooperative Fraud Desk’ in the Industry by Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum following its efforts in combating electronic fraud, cyber-crime, and ensuring the security and protection of evolving electronic payment climate of the financial services sector of the Nigerian economy. Other awards include the Best Company in Infrastructure Development in The SERAs CSR 2017 Awards; the Outstanding Financial Brand of the Decade by Marketing Edge Publications Limited; and the Security Conscious Bank of the Year 2016/2017 by National Crimewatch Awards

Speaking on the Bank’s awards, Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications said “our awards reflect our commitment to deliver the ultimate gold standard of value and excellence to our teeming customers and are a fitting testimony to our customers and stakeholders’ recognition of FirstBank’s efforts in making banking services a continuous journey of ease and convenience. We have been in business for 124 years, and we are not resting on our oars but would continue to provide value adding services to delight our customers”.