Business
FirstBank: Empowering Staff, Driving Productivity against the Odds
By Segun Adams
As the coronavirus pandemic forces firms to downsize and cut their wage cost to cope with the adverse economic realities, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is bucking the trend with a different approach that puts its staff first, writes Segun Adams.
In a pandemic year where employees are agreeing to pay cuts to keep their jobs and businesses are either downsizing or simply liquidating, First Bank of Nigeria Limited is an outlier, taking an unusual approach to demonstrate how organisations can still ensure the best outcomes for both employer and employees.
The first-tier lender last Friday promoted a crop of its staff across all levels in a rare show of corporate resilience in the banking industry and beyond, both locally and across the borders.
According to FirstBank, keeping staff motivated during these unprecedented times is not only crucial for the soul of businesses, but it also demonstrates corporate responsibility.
In the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic, there have been unprecedented layoffs across the world as companies went bust, unable to generate cash to sustain their operations.
The United States, the world’s biggest economy has recorded a historic rise in unemployment with over 45 million initial unemployment claims in the last three months.
In Britain, HSBC, a giant global bank, is reviving plans for a 35,000 job cut due to pre-existing problems thought to have been worsened by the pandemic. Big banks like Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Barclays, Société Générale among others have announced about layoffs exceeding 60,000 jobs.
In Nigeria, 38% of the workforce was jobless in April due to the virus and lockdowns, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) estimates. In the MSMEs sector, 50,000 jobs were lost and 10,000 businesses have shut down according to Auwal Bununu Ibrahim, the National Vice President, North Central of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, (NASME) and in the Aviation industry, some 24,000 jobs were lost as of April.
While banks in the country have been barred by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from laying off staff without regulatory approval, there is no obligation for banks to implement promotions or raise pay. In fact, most lenders have initiated pay cuts to cope with the excess capacity arising from skeletal operations and depressed levels of economic activities in the economy which is reeling from the coronavirus and lockdown shocks.
But against the odds, FirstBank promoted its staff and didn’t cut down salaries.
In a recent article, Forbes stated that the manner in which firms treat their employees during the ongoing health and economic crisis will not only be remembered for years to come but have a direct effect on their productivity going-forward.
“How businesses respond will have a lasting impact on employee behaviour including, engagement, productivity and loyalty,” the American business magazine noted.
Hertzberg’s Two-Factor Theory also known as dual-factor theory postulates that career progression is a motivating factor for employees to work harder.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on the mental health and focus of employees in the country, and across the world, due to uncertainty of job status, lower income and a disruption to their career development, FirstBank stands out as a safe and rewarding place to work.
The stability and confidence enjoyed by the bank’s staff are the vital environment human resources experts say is necessary for firms that will successfully navigate the tides of current realities.
In a recent BusinessDay Webinar, Nkemdilim Begho, CEO, Future Software Resources Limited advised that businesses can engage their team and see how they can help in creating new ideas and products that the company can deliver. The resultant effect will be greater efficiency of staff and innovation whereas, elsewhere organizations are bound to struggle with a demotivated workforce which could lead to inefficiencies and higher costs for the businesses with adverse implications for bottom-line.
To realise optimal human resources contributions, Begho acknowledged the need for firms to sustain team bond and ensure that morale of their staff is high.
Even before current events, FirstBank has always proven to be conscious of the impact a stimulating and rewarding environment can have on the overall employee performance and thus, provided value accretion to shareholders, customers and other stakeholders.
From its competitive remuneration across cadres including mid-level and senior-level employees to benefits that cover medical insurance and disability insurance, sick leave and vacation, and retirement options, FirstBank puts its workforce first ensuring that they are well motivated and equipped to deliver higher productivity.
FirstBank has featured on some of the best workplace rankings including A Great place to Work and Jobberman. Last year, the big bank ranked among the Jobberman 2019 best 100 companies to work for in Nigeria, a list that scrutinizes over 60,000 companies to pick the best 100 based on strict metrics. The bank has enjoyed positive reviews from credible job/career sites like Indeed where it banks a 4.1/5 positive rating.
A former employee of the bank Aderemi Adebiyi commended the institution for its keen interest in the welfare and career progression of its employees. “I worked in the Bank for 15 years and do not regret it. It’s fast-paced, performance-driven with varied streams of career development,” Aderemi said. “The company also offers paid trainings.”
FirstBank’s talent management strategy is aimed at supporting employee engagement, employee motivation and increased productivity, and leadership development across all levels of employees within the organization, according to its website. As a tenet of career development, FirstBank has devoted itself to creating a culture of continuous learning tailored to the needs and aspirations of the employees and the business itself.
The bank’s FirstAcademy and learning centres strategically located around the country allows for e-learning, mobile learning, physical classrooms and virtual libraries to allow all employees the opportunity to equip themselves for future roles that benefit both them and the organization. This means pandemic or not, learning is continuous and uninterrupted.
FirstBank also prides itself as an equal opportunity employer so that qualified persons irrespective of gender, culture, age, nationality, sexual orientation, disability or social background can participate in its business.
At the same time, FirstBank remains a performance-driven organization and merit-based, allowing individual talents to be rewarded for their hard work and contribution to overall organisational goals.
With people as one of the bank’s greatest assets, it strives to maintain a pool of multi-skilled and well-rounded employees relying on initiatives like Job Shadowing, Coaching, Counselling, Mentoring, Succession Planning and Career Maps to develop and retain talents at all levels of the organisation’s operations.
One month after launching Season 5 of its flagship 5 for 5 Rewards campaign, Wema Bank has rewarded 273 customers with a total of ₦17.96 million, demonstrating the strong early impact of its refreshed customer rewards platform and reinforcing its commitment to rewarding everyday banking.
Launched on May 2, 2026, as part of the Bank’s 81st anniversary celebration, this season of the campaign introduced a more structured and inclusive rewards framework designed to encourage positive financial habits while recognising customer loyalty across the Youth, Women and Mass Market segments.
The season opened with a special anniversary activation at Ikeja City Mall, where 81 customers received ₦81,000 each, resulting in ₦6.56 million in rewards on launch day. Since then, the campaign has continued to reward customers through daily and monthly draws, with an additional 192 winners emerging within the first month.
Across the Youth segment, 37 students have received rewards worth ₦4.4 million, including 20 students who received ₦50,000 PocketMoni rewards and 17 university students who received ₦200,000 each in Tuition Support.
The Women segment also recorded strong participation, with 12 customers receiving ₦150,000 each through the #SelfCare category, while the Mass Market segment recorded the highest number of winners. Within the first month, 120 customers received daily cash rewards, and 23 customers won ₦200,000 each in the monthly draw, bringing total rewards in the category to ₦5.2 million.
Commenting on the campaign’s early impact, Wema Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, said; “At Wema Bank, we believe loyalty should be rewarded in ways that are meaningful, transparent and accessible. The response to Season 5 of the 5 for 5 Rewards campaign has been encouraging, and seeing hundreds of customers benefit within just one month reinforces our belief that everyday banking should create everyday opportunities.
Beyond rewarding transactions, we are encouraging positive financial habits while delivering real value to our customers. He added; “This is only the beginning. With more reward categories, more winners and more opportunities still ahead, we remain committed to creating meaningful impact for our customers and ensuring more Nigerians experience the value of banking with Wema.”
Customers can participate by opening or reactivating a Wema Bank account, funding it with a minimum of ₦5,000, maintaining an average monthly balance of ₦5,000, and completing at least five transactions every month using the ALAT app, Wema or ALAT cards, or *945#.
With over ₦170 million earmarked for rewards between May and December 2026, thousands more customers are expected to benefit as the campaign continues, reaffirming Wema Bank’s commitment to rewarding loyalty, promoting positive financial behaviour and delivering value beyond banking.
In commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, the UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, has reinforced its commitment to environmental sustainability through a tree-planting exercise at two of Lagos’ most historic educational institutions – King’s College, Lagos, and CMS Grammar School, Bariga.
The exercise marks the commencement of the Foundation’s 2026 Tree Planting for Sustainability Initiative, which is being implemented across selected schools in Nigeria to promote environmental consciousness among young people and encourage climate-positive action.
Observed annually on June 5 and coordinated by the United Nations, World Environment Day is the world’s leading platform for environmental awareness and advocacy. The 2026 theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” underscores the urgent need for collective action to address climate change and environmental degradation.
Speaking during the exercise at CMS Grammar School, Managing Director/CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, described the initiative as a strategic investment in the future.
“We want young people to understand that the environment needs our collective support and protection. Through initiatives like this, we are encouraging the next generation to embrace sustainable practices that will help create healthier communities and a better future for all,” she said.
Now in its fourth year, the Tree Planting for Sustainability Initiative is designed to instill environmental responsibility in students by integrating sustainability practices into school communities and empowering young people to become environmental ambassadors.
Atta explained that the choice of King’s College and CMS Grammar School was deliberate, reflecting both institutions’ rich heritage and their capacity to sustain the initiative over time.
“These are iconic institutions with deep historical significance. CMS Grammar School is Nigeria’s oldest secondary school, while King’s College has been shaping leaders for more than a century. We wanted schools where these trees will be nurtured and allowed to flourish for generations to come,” she noted.
The initiative comes at a time when rapid urbanisation has continued to reduce green spaces across many Nigerian cities, highlighting the need for sustained environmental restoration efforts.
“Over the years, development has often taken precedence over environmental preservation, leading to the loss of many trees and green areas. However, there is no better time than now to begin restoring our environment and making a lasting impact,” Atta added.
The exercise forms part of UBA Group’s broader commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.
Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Chief Risk Officer, Awele Ajibola, emphasized the importance of proactive environmental stewardship in addressing climate-related risks.
“At UBA, initiatives like this demonstrate our commitment to the environment and the communities we serve. Climate change presents real and growing risks, and as a responsible financial institution, we recognise our role in driving positive environmental action and sustainable development,” Ajibola stated.
The tree-planting exercise is one of several activities being implemented by the Group to commemorate #WED2026. Other activities include UBA’s inauguration as a member of the Finance Taskforce for Plastic Action in Nigeria, Green Talk sessions with customers across branches, the launch of Sustainability Clubs in participating schools, environmental awareness campaigns across the Bank’s communication platforms, and a month-long Green Challenge designed to encourage environmentally responsible behaviour.
Commending the initiative, Principal of CMS Grammar School, Revd. Jacob Ayokunle Ogunyinka, described the exercise as a practical extension of environmental education.
“Our students learn about the importance of trees and environmental conservation in the classroom. Seeing these principles demonstrated in practice deepens their understanding and inspires greater responsibility towards protecting the environment,” he said.
Similarly, Principal of King’s College, Magaji Zachariah, expressed appreciation to UBA Foundation for selecting the institution as one of the beneficiaries of the programme and for investing in environmental education.
Beyond planting trees, the Foundation engaged students in discussions on environmental stewardship, encouraging responsible practices such as proper waste disposal, water conservation, recycling, and energy efficiency.
Referencing the famous words of Nobel Laureate and environmentalist Wangari Maathai, Atta reminded participants of the importance of immediate action: “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.”
UBA Foundation is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group. The Foundation is committed to the socio-economic development of communities across Africa through strategic interventions focused on education, environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, and special projects.
Determine to enrich the digital experience of its subscribers, Globacom has introduced a new data offer, tagged “More Data More Value only on Glo”. The new offer gives customers as much as 10 percent more data across its bundles as the Nigerian telecom landscape shifts toward a data-led economy.
Globacom explained in a statement that “The new offer is designed to ensure that every Naira spent by a Nigerian consumer yields the highest possible digital return”, thus reinforcing the company’s long-standing reputation for affordability and empowerment.
“More Data More Value” offers a variety of weekly and monthly options planned to balance daytime and night-time usage. The weekly plan includes ₦1,000 option which provides 3.7GB of total data, consisting of 1.7GB main data and 2GB night data, while that of ₦2,000 offers 9GB in total, divided into 6.5GB main data and 2.5GB night data.
The monthly plan also comes with different options including that of ₦1,500 which delivers a total of 5.2GB (2.2GB main data paired with 3GB night data); the ₦2,000 option offering 6.25GB data, a combination of 3.25GB main data and 3GB night data and16.5GB, comprising 14.5GB main data and 2GB night data which goes for N5,000. There is also the ₦10,000 and N15,000 options, with N10,000 providing 42GB total, 38GB main data and 4GB night data, while ₦15,000 offers 64GB in total, consisting of 62GB main data and 2GB night data.
Glo’s enhanced bundles provide the necessary incentive for students, remote workers, and entrepreneurs to browse longer, whether for TikTok trends, Instagram aesthetics, YouTube streaming, or high-stakes gaming and stream without fear, ensuring their professional and social lives remain uninterrupted.
These improved bundles from Globacom give entrepreneurs, remote workers, and students the incentive they need to browse longer, whether for high-stakes gaming, YouTube streaming, Instagram aesthetics, or TikTok trends, and stream on end, while ensuring seamlessness in their social and professional lives.
Beyond individual users, the “More Data More Value” offer also extend its benefits to families and SMEs. With the reliance of small businesses and households on mobile hotspots for their daily operations, Glo has optimized its offerings to serve as the preferred network for high-volume usage.
The offer also serves as a driver of digital transformation through the Glo Café app. Customers are encouraged to utilize the app for seamless bundle subscriptions, as it allows them to manage their “more than 10% extra” data with ease, thus ensuring rewarding user experience.
“More Data More Value” offer underscores Glo’s commitment to providing the best value-for-money which gives Nigerians the benefit of not compromising on their digital lifestyle.
