As International Women’s Day (IWD) draws closer, Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank, most innovative and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has announced its 2026 IWD Grand Event, scheduled to hold on March 4th, 2026.

Inspired by the global IWD 2026 theme “Give To Gain”, Wema Bank’s 2026 IWD event is centred on the topic “When Women Gain, We Grow”, spotlighting not only the importance of giving to women but also the impact of each effort towards this cause, with the ultimate goal of promoting a culture of supporting and celebrating women.

Announcing the event, Wema Bank’s MD/CEO, Moruf Oseni, reiterated the Bank’s commitment to continue pulling its weight in the promotion of women inclusion. According to him, “Wema Bank has never been one to pay lip service and when it comes to gender inclusion; we walk the talk with pride. A society where women are left out is one that is crippled, and as a Bank, we have made it a priority to never relent in providing tailored opportunities for women, celebrating their growth and supporting their journey, towards building a society where every woman can thrive. This was the idea behind the launch of our women-focused proposition, SARA by Wema, in 2019 and this is the inspiration behind all we do as a Bank towards promoting the 5th Sustainable Development Goal [SDG], gender equality.

“This year’s IWD theme is quite personal to us because as a Bank that continues to give to women, we have seen firsthand the unique potential that lies within women both personally and professionally. As such, we have decided to dedicate this year’s celebration towards reminding the world of the countless ways we can give to women, and why it is not merely an option but a necessity. This year for us, is about impact—spotlighting, celebrating and encouraging it. Our goal is for every person that joins us for this grand event to be positively transformed in mindset and in action, in the hope that more priority will be given to supporting and giving to women both in the little things we do on a daily basis and in the large-scale efforts; as we collectively bridge the gap in gender equality”, Oseni concluded.

Wema Bank’s 2026 IWD event will convene top women across diverse industries and sectors, as well as “everyday” women still trying to navigate life in the face of prevailing realities, providing a platform for women from all walks of life to network, share valuable insights, access viable opportunities and assess shared versus contrasting realities, all towards showcasing how much impact is generated when individuals, institutions and societies give to women.

Among the highlights of Wema Bank’s upcoming IWD event are the SARA Gives to Empower Her Award which promises grants in support of women who have given and made impact on other women; the employee-focused He For She Award which recognises male employees of the Bank who have given to women beyond financial support; the Wema Knight Gives initiative through which the Bank’s staff will give back to women across Nigeria; and the launch of the Wema Bank Girl Child Journal, a reflective journal that collates real-life insights and words of advice for the girl-child from the perspectives of 80 key contributors across different spheres of life.

The bank encourages interested participants, physically or virtually, to register via wemabank.com/iwd.

Following the recently held Court-Ordered Meeting and subsequent overwhelming endorsement, the merger and business combination between Unity Bank Plc and Providus Bank Limited remains firmly on course.

Analysts appraising the ongoing recapitalisation programme believe that the regulatory backing and shareholders’ support for the merger represent the most important milestones for meeting the recapitalisation requirements within the stipulated timeline.

Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) backed the merger between the two lenders, with a pivotal financial accommodation to support the transaction. The merger also received a further boost with a “no objection” nod from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The regulatory approvals form part of broader efforts to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s banking system, reinforce capital adequacy across the sector, and mitigate potential systemic risks.

The development positions the combined entity among the 21 banks that have satisfied the apex bank’s new capital threshold for national banking operations.

Through the proposed merger, the combined capital base of Unity Bank and Providus Bank exceeds N200 billion, which is the minimum requirement to retain a national banking licence under the CBN’s recapitalisation framework. The transaction marks a significant milestone in strengthening the financial stability and long-term competitiveness of the enlarged institution.

Following the CBN’s approval, shareholders of both banks overwhelmingly endorsed the merger at their respective Extraordinary General Meetings held in September 2025, where the scheme of merger was formally adopted. The transaction has since progressed with additional regulatory clearances from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other relevant authorities. Integration activities between the two institutions are currently underway, with the final court sanction expected to conclude the process.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Unity Bank, Ebenezer Kolawole, described the development as a defining moment for the institution, adding that the complementary strengths and unique advantages of the Unity Bank and Providus Bank merger place the new entity on a strong footing to create and leverage opportunities in the market.

“This milestone underscores our commitment to building a stronger, more resilient bank that can deliver greater value to our customers and stakeholders. The merger with Providus Bank significantly enhances our capital base, operational capacity, and strategic positioning. We are confident that the combined institution will be better equipped to support economic growth and deliver innovative financial solutions across Nigeria.”

The Bank further clarified that, contrary to reports in certain sections of the media suggesting that the merger process had stalled, the transaction remains firmly on track. The necessary regulatory steps have been completed, with a few other steps only a matter of formality.

When completed, the Unity-Providus merger is expected to deliver a stronger, more competitive, and customer-centric financial institution — one with the scale, innovation, and reach to redefine the retail and SME banking landscape in Nigeria.

Zenith Bank Plc has advised members of the public to disregard videos circulating online linking the bank’s Group Chairman, Dr Jim Ovia, as endorsing an investment scheme known as Wealth Bridge.

It said that the videos urged members of the public to engage in a business relationship with the entity alleging that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approved or endorsed the project.

It described the videos and promotional materials as fake and had nothing to do with the bank or its group chairman.

The bank said that the videos which circulated through the `Greece Island’ Facebook handle, made a fake promise of up to two million naira in weekly returns on a contribution of N380, 000 investment.

“The video redirects unsuspecting members of the public to an alleged Arise News webpage with the details of this scheme and an embedded registration portal for signups.

“This claim is entirely false and has no connection whatsoever to the Group Chairman, the Bank or any of its affiliate companies. The general public is hereby advised to disregard these fraudulent communications.

“Anyone who engages with the Greece Island handle, Wealth Bridge, delicious site, AfriQuantumX, Stock market analyst 1 or any other entity on the basis of these fake videos and images published by impostors, does so strictly at his or her own risk,’’ the bank said.

NAN