Business
Euromoney Excellence Awards: FirstBank Emerges Best Corporate Bank

FirstBank, Nigeria’s premier financial institution and financial inclusion services provider, was announced as the Best Corporate Bank at the recent prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence, Nigeria 2023.
The Bank clinched the coveted award based on its 130-year commitment to enabling its corporate customers achieve success through relevant and tailored financial solutions. FirstBank’s continuous investment in technology has been crucial to its leading industry role in optimally meeting the needs of its corporate customers. Recent investments in technology include the development of its smart and interactive Transaction Banking Platform known as FirstDirect2.0.
FirstDirect2.0 provides a one-stop shop online banking platform for corporates, offering best-in-class capabilities such as Payments, Collections, and Account Services, and a locally focused phased implementation of Trade and Supply Chain Finance – a first for the Bank.
The platform offers customers various solutions for corporate cash management (Payments, Collections and Liquidity Management). It will also deliver end-to-end trade solutions for corporate clients covering L/C creation, tracking, bidding and reconciliations.
The Bank’s Corporate Banking model is focused on ensuring that its clients get the same quality of service across the Bank’s geographical locations. The execution of this approach through the deployment of the Global Account Management (GAM) Framework, implemented to enhance cross-relationship management tailored to Customers with a Pan African footprint.
Dedicating the awards to its customers, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, CEO FirstBank Group said: “We are thrilled to announce that we have been recognised as the Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023.
“We say a heartfelt thank you to all our incredible customers for trusting us. This award is dedicated to YOU,” he concluded.
According to Euromoney, the “Awards for Excellence” – is the definitive annual awards programme of the global banking industry. The awards represent the highest distinction to the banks and bankers who matter most in an industry where differentiation is highly sought after and exceptionally difficult to demonstrate.”
“For over 30 years, Euromoney has recognised the banks and that have demonstrated their differentiation, pioneering a comprehensive awards programme that today remains the industry benchmark globally, it concluded.”
Amongst other awards, FirstBank recently added to its awards kitty, Best Corporate Bank Western Africa, 2023, by Global Banking and Finance; Best Internet Banking in Nigeria, 2023 by International Business Awards; the Most Innovative Banking Brand in Nigeria by Global Brands Awards as well as the Financial Institution of the Year 2023 by Afreximbank Pan-African Business and Development.
Business
NNPC Slashes Petrol Price to N935 Per Litre in Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit price in Abuja.
Some motorists in Abuja confirmed the new fuel price adjustment at some NNPC retail outlets.
Reports quoted Abdullahi Hashim, a resident of Kubwa, Abuja, to have said: “I observed the drop in the fuel price to N935 per litre on Saturday morning. It is a welcome development.”
“I think I first saw this new price adjustment in Town, Wuse Zone 4 area, on Friday. NNPC filling station at Kubwa Expressway is just reflecting it,” Bukola Adewole also said.
The development comes after Dangote Refinery announced in its ex-depot petrol price to N835 per litre from N865.
The 650,000 barrels per day refinery had announced that its partners, such as MRS and AP filling stations, are expected to sell petrol between N890 and N920 per litre, depending on the location.
Meanwhile, MRS filling stations in Abuja have not been dispensing petrol since Wednesday, April 16, 2025, when Dangote Refinery announced a slash in ex-depot petrol price.
Business
Glo Opens New Retail Outlet to Serve Ogbomosho

Technology and digital solutions services provider, Globacom, on Tuesday opened a retail shop in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. The opening of the retail shop is meant to bring Glo products and services closer to the people of the area.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Ikechukwu Onuekwusi, Globacom’s Retail Sales Chief for Oyo Division, stated that the commissioning of the retail and customer service shop was in keeping with Globacom’s goal of expanding its platforms to enable customers access its extensive array of products and services.
Said he: “As you are aware, our approach to customer service is underpinned by innovation and total inclusiveness. This is why we are consistently seeking innovative channels to make available our array of services to them”.
He disclosed that the newly commissioned facility also stocks high-end and reasonably priced devices, smartphones, and other accessories. He also assured customers in and around Ogbomoso of quick and satisfactory resolutions of all issues ranging from SIM replacement and registration to recovery of over-scratched cards, refilling, unblocking of phones and laptop configurations for internet services, among other services.
Globacom promised that courteous, well-trained, and customer-friendly staff have been deployed to the new shop to offer first-rate services and handle client complaints in addition to meeting their needs for products and services.
Honorable Timothy Oyedokun, the Chairman of Ogbomoso South Local Government, praised Globacom for always providing Nigerians with various forms of relief. He also commended Globacom for being a proud Nigerian company.
“Since I have known Globacom, it has not changed in its resolve to serve the people of this nation. This shows that the management holds the wellbeing of the people in high esteem”, he noted.
Equally, Mrs. Olufunke Olaniyi, the Local Government Secretary, Ogbomoso North Local Government, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman, Hon. George Gbadegesin Ogunlade, noted that the Glo “network belongs to us, so I want to encourage all sons and daughters to patronize Globacom”.
Business
UBA Expands Operations to Saudi Arabia, France, to Focus on Digital Transformation, Others in 2025

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has outlined its roadmap for the 2025 financial year, with a strong focus on innovation, digital transformation, physical and financial strength as well as its global reach.
On the back of its full-year financial performance for the year 2024, which was released to stakeholders on Tuesday, the bank disclosed plans to accelerate growth through strategic investments in technology, enhanced risk management frameworks, and capital efficiency.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, who was speaking to its global investors during the Full year 2024 Investors Conference Call, which held at the UBA Head Office on Thursday, explained that the performance reflected broad-based growth across its core businesses, surpassing previous records and reinforcing its status as a leading global financial institution.
At the end of the 2024 full-year, the bank delivered an exceptional financial performance as the results showed an impressive rise in the bank’s profit after tax which went up by 26.14 percent to close the year at N766.6 billion up from N607.7 billion recorded at the end of the 2023 fiscal year.
Its Gross earnings also grew significantly from N2.07tn recorded at the end of the 2023 financial year to N3.187tn in the period under consideration, representing a 53 percent growth.
Despite the highly challenging global economic and business environment, UBA recorded a profit before tax of N803.72 billion representing a 6 percent increase from N757.68 billion recorded at the end of the 2023 financial year.
Consequently, UBA Group Shareholders’ Funds rose from N2.030 trillion as at December 2023 to close the 2024 financial year at N3.419 trillion, achieving an impressive growth of 68.39 percent.
As a result of the impressive performance the bank proposed a final dividend of N3.00 kobo for every ordinary share of 50 kobo, for the financial year ended December 31, 2024.
Alawuba told the investors at the meeting that the bank is set to further surpass its growth projection through strategic investments in technology, enhanced risk management frameworks, and disciplined capital efficiency.
“We will continue to push the frontiers of innovation and technology adoption to build sustainable value for shareholders by making strategic investments in technology. Our team of committed and motivated workforce will continue to work assiduously to sustain our performance and propel the bank in delivering high-impact, customer-centric product offerings,” Alawuba stated.
He disclosed that the bank is on course to sustain the momentum that it has achieved in the past years, adding that “We shall remain focused on best-in-class risk management strategies in navigating emerging market uncertainties while ensuring financial strength, full regulatory compliance, and long-term sustainability.”
This performance underscores UBA’s ability to generate sustainable revenue growth through core operations, including increased loan book growth, deposit mobilization, and transaction banking.
While disclosing the Bank’s finalisation of its planned expansions to France and Saudi Arabia, he said that the Bank’s ex-Nigeria (Rest of Africa & International) operations have expanded significantly over the past five years, now contributing 51.7% of Group revenue, up from 31% in 2019, “delivering diversification benefits and further boosting long-term shareholder value. This will continue to grow, as we further explore strategic markets that align with our overall vision.”
UBA’s Executive Director, Finance & Risk Management, Ugo Nwaghodoh, said the bank recorded triple digit growth in net interest income, resulting in remarkable improvement in net interest margin from 6.83 percent in 2023 to 9.14 percent, while also recording strong double-digit growth in fee and commission income lines of 91.66 percent.
He explained that as the bank navigates evolving risks, its management remains focused on responsible growth, delivering customer-focused value propositions, whilst ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements in all jurisdictions.
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 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and 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.