Business
125 Years Anniversary: FirstBank Holds Relay Walk, Pledges Commitment to Teamwork, Service Delivery, Value Creation
By Eric Elezuo
Nigeria’s premier bank, FirstBank Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to continue to provide quality service to its over 15 million customers, create value and exhibit wholesome team work and coordination among its staff.
The remark was the collective stand point of the bank’s principal officers as it holds a 125 kilometres relay walk to celebrate the banks 125 years of uninterrupted existence as a heavyweight in the financial institutions and general corporate world.
The walk which took place simultaneously at major FirstBank stations across Nigeria, was described as a significant activity to prove that achievements involve everyone committing his own quota for the common good of the whole organization.
Speaking at the Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Ikeja branch of the bank, which hosted one of the walks, the Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Dr. Remi Oni, stated ‘that it takes collaboration, working together, teamwork, empowering ourselves to be able to achieve what we have’.
He pointed out that everyone else’s tiny bit of cooperation contributes to what the bank has achieved.
He also said that the exchange of baton is “significant in the sense that it suggests that the present group has done their part and has passed on to the next generation that will continue the milestone achievements the bank is known for.”
The walk moved to the headquarters at Marina where the leadership and major customers of the bank assembled.
In his speech, the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, said the bank remains committed to value creation and effective service delivery to all stakeholders in the years ahead.
He said the bank would continue to provide standard services and products to its customers and stakeholders for value creation to maintain its market share.
“What we intend to deliver to them will go up in terms of quality and in terms of value,” he said.
Adeduntan reiterated Dr. Oni’s stand that the Relay Walk was very significant because it shows greatness and synergy.
He explained that the 125km was a representation of the collaborative effort of not just FirstBank but all its entities.
“The 125km is a mark of our incredible journey of delivering impeccable financial services to our customers as we leave no stone unturned to remain an icon of admiration in today’s financial services industry in Africa.
“The Relay Walk is very significant and symbolic.
“It’s symbolic because it’s a collaborative efforts not just FirstBank but other operating entities within the FBN Holdings family.
“We came together to organise a relay and the significance is when you think of a relay, when you think of 125, if you want to run a relay of 125 on your own as an individual you can get tired but when you collaborate together you can achieve it.”
Adeduntan said the walk signified power synergy, noting that the leadership of the institution had moved from individual to individual, generation to generation in the last 125 years.
“What we are doing is to pass on the baton of this relay to the next generation of our staff,” he said.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director, FBN Holdings Plc, Urum Kalu Eke, said the bank had been able to create a network of partners in the past 125 years.
“What we have been able to achieve today by the Relay Walk is to create a network of partners.
“No other institution in Nigeria has achieved this and we belong to a unique club globally of those that have clocked 125 years and more and we are proud of this day.”
Eke said the passing of baton showed that the bank had come to stay with successive leadership team, team spirit, innovation and self development.
The Group Chairman, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, on her part, said the bank would continue to be the number one in the industry with long enduring legacy of value creation.
“If you had the kind of legacy we have had, we are 125 years, you can only look forward to the future.
“When you remember that the only way you can have the opportunity to celebrate 125 years today is because at different times, different generations from the least to the highest worker have added value and created value.”
Also speaking, the Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, said the bank would remain committed to helping customers build and grow their businesses as it has been committed to creating value for 125 years and counting.
She said: “We will continue to partner with our regulators to make sure there is strong robust financial services system in Nigeria.“
The anniversary celebration continues with more activities including a Jumat service on Friday, March 22, Church Thanksgiving service on Sunday, March 24 while a lecture will take place on Tuesday, March 26 with a prolific guest speaker, followed by a gala night.
Nigeria’s leading telecommunications company, Globacom, has announced enhancement of its data bundles to give subscribers more data volume at the same affordable prices.
The upgrade reinforces the company’s commitment to providing superior value and exceptional customer satisfaction.
The upgraded Glo Data Bundles are enhanced versions of the existing daily, weekly, and monthly plans, giving subscribers more data at no additional cost.
These improvements offer users greater freedom and convenience to enjoy their favourite online activities from streaming and gaming to social media, video calls, and more.
For daily users, the ₦100 plan has been upgraded from 105MB to 125MB, giving light internet users even more data to browse, chat, and stream short videos conveniently.
The weekly bundles have also received notable boosts, such as the ₦1,500 plan, which now offers 6GB instead of 5.9GB, enabling subscribers to stay connected longer.
Heavy data consumers will also enjoy remarkable value on the monthly plans. The ₦2,000 bundle now gives 6.25GB, while the ₦10,000 package has been enhanced from 38GB to 42GB, allowing users to do more from video streaming and large file downloads to remote work and virtual meetings.
Students are not left out, as the Campus Booster Plan has been upgraded with higher data allowances, ensuring seamless access to academic resources and social networks while on campus.
Globacom noted that the revised bundles are available to all Glo customers prepaid, postpaid, and hybrid and can be activated by dialing *312#, using the Glo Café app (available on Android and iOS), or visiting hsi.glo.com.
The company added that subscribers can use, share, or gift data through *312# or the Glo Café app. Customers will also continue to receive data usage alerts at 75% and 100% consumption levels to help monitor usage effectively.
Unused data is automatically rolled over upon renewal before expiry or when a new plan is purchased within the grace period (ranging from one to seven days, depending on the plan).
Globacom reaffirmed its commitment to empowering Nigerians with reliable and affordable data access, urging customers to take advantage of the revised data bundles that combine affordability, quality, and more browsing power ensuring every Glo subscriber enjoys more data without paying more.
Fidelity Bank Plc has congratulated Air Peace on the successful launch of its maiden direct flight from Lagos to London Heathrow, describing the milestone as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a testament to the power of indigenous partnerships.
The commendation was delivered by Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director of Fidelity Bank, during a special event held in Lagos to celebrate the airline’s expansion into the European market.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a win for Nigeria,” Onyeali-Ikpe said. “It reflects the strength of home-grown businesses and the impact of strategic financial support in enabling national champions to thrive on the global stage.”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that Fidelity Bank has played a pivotal role in Air Peace’s growth, providing early financial backing and advisory services that helped the airline become the largest carrier in West Africa. The bank continues to support Air Peace through payment processing and other financial services
The launch of the London route marks a new chapter for Air Peace, which now joins a select group of African airlines operating direct flights to Heathrow.
The development is expected to boost tourism, trade, and connectivity between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the event, Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, expressed gratitude to Fidelity Bank for its unwavering support and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to excellence and service.
“This partnership has been instrumental in our journey,” Onyema said. “We are proud to fly the Nigerian flag across international skies.”
Industry stakeholders present at the event praised the collaboration between the two companies as a model for sustainable business growth and national development.
The Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, and Heirs Holdings Limited, Tony Elumelu, CFR has challenged African policymakers to create environments that reward enterprise and unlock the continent’s vast potential. He said this much while delivering a keynote address during the Abuja Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, which held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre Abuja on Wednesday, said “Predictable regulation attracts long-term investment, while inconsistency drives it away. He therefore urged governments to see private sector success as the foundation of national prosperity.
Elumelu who underscored the critical role of the private sector as the true engine of transformation, accounting for over 70% of Africa’s GDP and 80% of employment, also urged African leaders to create a sustainable environment to attract long-term investment.
Elumelu who was speaking while delivering the keynote address during the Abuja Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, which held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre Abuja on Wednesday, said “Predictable regulation attracts long-term investment, while inconsistency drives it away. He therefore urged governments to see private sector success as the foundation of national prosperity.
Citing his group’s transformative investments in the Federal Capital Territory, including the revitalisation of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, the launch of the Transcorp Event Centre, and ongoing reforms in the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Elumelu pointed out that these projects illustrate how purposeful private capital can power real development.
Speaking on the theme, “Empowering Sustainable Growth: Unlocking Potential in Emerging Markets”, he called for a new social contract between business and government, grounded in trust, transparency, and partnership, adding that sustainable progress requires policies that convert investor confidence into nation-building.
While advocating policy stability to champion the pivotal role of the private sector in unlocking Africa’s vast economic potential, Elumelu, who is also the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, reiterated that no nation has ever achieved sustained prosperity without a vibrant and virile private sector.
“Across Africa, the private sector contributes over 70% of our continent’s GDP and over 80% of total employment. But this is not just about numbers; it’s about influence and initiative. The private sector is reimagining what is possible on our continent,” he stated.
He noted that Africa’s transformation will be led by investing long-term in critical sectors to unlock and catalyze prosperity and opportunities for all.
“How can we expect foreign investors to invest in us, in our economies and countries, if we don’t invest in our own economies? Make your money, but please bring it and invest locally. It will be a huge disservice and act of unpatriotism to save your money in economies that already have so much,” Elumelu challenged participants during the event.
He took time to commend the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Minister of State FCT, Dr. Mahmoud Mariya, for the infrastructural drive within the FCT, emphasizing the importance of collaboration.
In her presentation, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud who expressed profound gratitude to Tony Elumelu and fellow investors for their faith in Abuja, reiterated the FCTA’s unwavering determination to intensify its infrastructural drive, ensuring the capital remains the premier investment destination in Nigeria and across the continent.
The annual ABISummit2025 serves as a critical platform to turn this ambitious vision into concrete partnerships and actionable strategies for empowering sustainable growth across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
