Business
FirstBank Offers Financial Solutions to Lafarge Cement Distributors in SouthWest
In its bid to lessen the challenges confronting the business industry in the country, First Bank of Nigeria Limited and Lafarge Africa have offered financial solutions to key cement distributors in the Southwest.
The Group Head, Transaction Banking, FirstBank, Mobolade Ojeahere, said the customers’ forum was an opportunity to assist cement distributors in the region, to sustain their businesses and to have an assurance of availability of cement in the Nigerian building industry.
Ojeahere said the forum held at Park Inn in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, over the weekend, would help the distributors to improve their businesses and equally help them in identifying various challenges confronting their businesses.
“The purpose of this event is to bring our customers who are distributors closer together in a forum where we will engage, discuss some of the challenges we are seeing in the macro-environment in general, how we can work closer with them to identify products and proffer solutions that will enable value creation for their businesses.
“FirstBank will provide the support that will help grow their sales more efficiently in a cost-effective approach, this will enable a trickledown effect and also create value further down the ecosystem and distributive chain.
“The value achieved is when we come together with our large clients like Lafarge to help them drive their sales and growth through their distributors, is that it engenders the spirit of collaboration and engagement, We ensure that we leverage our capacity as Trusted financial advisers to harness the data from their ecosystem and take advantage of innovative technology to solve some of the challenges we see in the economy and to create opportunities both for Lafarge and for these distributors,” Ojeahere said.
In her remarks, the Head, Value Chain Management at First Bank, Bolatito Akiboye, advised the customers to utilise the TOD facility offered them for the purpose they were given. She noted that one of the financial solutions is a loan facility named Temporary OverDraft (TOD).
She noted that the bank, among other things, offers low interest rates with zero collateral to cement distributors. While the Customer Relations Manager at Lafarge, Augustina Sobola, asserted that the customers are banking with the most experienced and well-doing financial institution.
She assured that the company would keep supporting cement distributors to help them stay afloat in their businesses.
Sobola noted that the industry has been through difficult times, and that “it is the time that customer-centric organisation would be supporting its customers.
“The industry has gone through so much in recent times and we will leave no stone unturned in supporting our businesses. there has been three price increments this year, so this is the best time for us to support our distributors”.
The meeting tagged, “Key Distributors’ Forum” was attended by major cement distributors from the six States of the SouthWest region.
Culled from Tribune
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.
