Business
FirstBank Appoints Alhaji Ado Yakubu Wanka as Non-Executive Director
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider, today announced the appointment of Alhaji Ado Yakubu Wanka as Non-Executive Director.
Speaking on his appointment, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited said, “We are delighted to welcome Alhaji Ado Yakubu Wanka, to the FirstBank Board. We are especially excited that he is bringing a combination of complementary skills and rich experience to the table which will no doubt enhance the quality of governance towards meeting our strategic goals.
Alhaji Ado Yakubu Wanka attended Government Secondary School, Bauchi (1966 – 1970), Federal School of Science, Lagos (1971 – 1973), holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1973 – 1977) and an MBA from the same institution (1982 –1984). He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and Switzerland’s Institute of Management Development, Lousanne. Alhaji Wanka served in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as a graduate assistant with the Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife. Thereafter, he started his managerial career as a young process engineer with Ashaka Cement Company Plc where he rose to the position of Deputy Production Manager
After completion of his MBA degree, Alhaji Wanka acquired further managerial competence during his stay with the Northern Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), Kaduna. During the period, he participated actively in new business development and monitoring of NNDC’s quoted and unquoted investments and left as Principal Investment Executive.
Alhaji Wanka began his banking career in April 1988 with the then Nigerian International Bank (Citibank Nigeria) where he served for six months as Deputy Manager. He was with the FSB International Bank Plc from 1991 to 1997 and rose to become Executive Director. He assumed duty as the MD/CEO of the then Gamji Bank Limited in 1997, moved to First Bank of Nigeria Plc in 1998 as Executive Director, where he spent about eight (8) years. In between his banking career, Alhaji Wanka spent three years in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – September 1988 to April 1991 – where he was Acting Head, New business Development Unit and later Head, Strategic Planning Unit of the Corporation.
With experience in Corporate and Investment Banking, he served in various capacities in other organisations, most notably as Executive Director, Finance and Administration and also, Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria and Sao Tome Joint Development Authority (an agency which oversees the commercial exploration of mineral resources in the Joint Development Zone covering the overlapping maritime boundary between Nigeria and Sao tome & Principe).
Alhaji Wanka joined Unity Bank in March 2008 as a Group Executive Director, initially in charge of Retail Banking and later Risk Management & Control Directorates. He retired in August 2013, after serving as the Bank’s Managing Director for two (2) years.
Alhaji Wanka is currently the Chairman, APT Securities and Funds, APT Pension Fund Managers and Director, Arewa Metal Containers (ARMECO) Ltd.
Alhaji Wanka is a fellow of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN); Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) (NIM); Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSCHE); Institute of Chartered Management Accountants (ICMA) and Institute of Credit Administration (ICA). He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Chemical Society and a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD).
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank), Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the launch of the Verve Flash Promo, a special initiative rewarding customers with free Verve cards.
The campaign, which commenced on 6 October 2025, and will run until 30 January 2026, is exclusively targeted at FirstBank customers whose ATM cards have expired.
The free cards will be issued daily to 131 customers on a first-come, first-served basis across the Bank’s branches, nationwide. FirstBank’s unwavering commitment to convenience, accessibility, and customer satisfaction.
Speaking on the rewards to FirstBank customers, Chuma Ezirim, the Group Executive, e-Business and Retail Products at FirstBank, said: “The Verve Flash Promo is not just about rewarding customers with free verve debit cards; it is about celebrating our legacy of 131 years of trust, resilience, and innovation in the Nigerian financial services industry. At FirstBank, we remain committed to providing customer-centric solutions that enable secure, seamless, and convenient payment experiences. Partnering with Verve International on these initiatives, including the Verve Good Life promo, underscores our shared vision of deepening financial inclusion while rewarding our loyal customers for their continuous patronage.”
Also commenting, Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve International, noted:
“Through strategic collaborations like this with FirstBank, we continue to demonstrate Verve’s commitment to enhancing access to seamless payment solutions for every Nigerian. The Verve Flash Promo not only rewards loyal customers but also reinforces our vision of making everyday transactions more rewarding, secure, and convenient. As we extend the Good Life Promo, we remain steadfast in our goal of deepening financial inclusion while delivering real value to Verve cardholders across the country.”
Meanwhile, the ongoing Verve Good Life promo, designed to reward Verve debit card holders for using their cards at specific merchant points, has been extended to 30 November 2025.
During the period, Verve Card holders enjoy 10% cashback at The Place Restaurant, Quickteller, Buypower, Filmhouse, AlliExpress, Addide Supermarkets, and Chowdeck app every Thursday to Sunday.
Verve cardholders can now enjoy a 10% cashback on the Google Play Store any day of the week throughout the Good Life Promo, which runs until 30 November 2025. Moreso, every transaction made with a Verve card whether on ATMs, POS terminals, or online platforms automatically earns customers a chance to win up to ₦1,000,000.
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.
