Business
World Earth Day: Unity Bank, RESWAYE Clean Lagos Beach, Plant Trees
In commemoration of this year’s World Earth Day, Unity Bank Plc in partnership with 3 non-government organisations – Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment, RESWAYE, MEDIC and KBG – has conducted a beach cleaning exercise as part of its commitments to promoting environmental sustainability.
No fewer than 200 members of staff, as well as over 100 members of RESWAYE thronged the venue of the cleaning exercise – the Lagos Kids Beach Garden within the Oba Elegushi beach environs – where they picked and removed over 100,000 plastic bottles from the beach to make the beach safer and reduce ocean pollution.
The Bank also carried out a tree planting exercise across the country, as the Staff of the Bank across the bank’s branches nationwide planted at least one tree.
Speaking at the event, the Group Head, Risk Management, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Chris Nwambu said that the World Earth Day initiatives are part of the Bank’s corporate social responsibility aimed at leading major collaborative initiatives for climate action.
Citing recent reports on ocean pollution, he decried that “of the over 300 million tons of plastic waste ends up in ocean’s yearly, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic enters our oceans. There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waste estimated to be in our oceans. While 70% of our debris sinks into the ocean’s ecosystem, 15% floats, and 15% lands on our beaches.”
He added that such activity as the collaboration and partnership by organizations would play a vital role in reducing the threats of ocean plastics and thereby reduce the climate risks they pose to the earth.
He reiterated that Unity Bank will continue to be very aggressive in terms of environmental protection and sustainability commitments, adding that “in line with the Bank’s agribusiness strategic focus over the past couple of years, the Bank has granted access to credit to businesses in greenhouse farming and metal recycling to the tune of 3.25 billion naira”.
He said, “But beyond supporting sustainability-related business, the operations of the Bank have adopted sustainable practices in the way we carry out daily activities as a matter of corporate culture. As of today, thirty-one branches of the bank are running on Hybrid Solar Solution while 70% of our 416 ATMs Bank-wide are powered by hybrid solar solutions with a projection to migrate an additional 15% to hybrid solar solutions before the end of 2022.
“The reduction of carbon emissions by the bank since migrating branches and ATMs locations to Hybrid Solar Energy in 2018 now totals 21,631kg of Carbon Dioxide, saved monthly.”
Unity Bank has over time promoted corporate and business philosophy that encourages low paper usage, recycling and adoption of renewable energy through increased investment in solar-powered branches and ATMs.
Business
Naira Gains Against Dollar, Trades at N1,453/$1
The Naira continued its appreciation at the official market on Thursday, March 21, 2024 to close at N1,453.28/$1, according to data from the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM).
This represents an appreciation of N39.33 when compared to the N1,492.61/$1 it closed on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
The intraday high was N1,598/$1, while the intraday low was N1,300/$1, representing a wide spread of N298/$1.
Similarly, the Naira appreciated against the dollar at the parallel window to trade at N1,500/$1, this represents an appreciation of N20.00 as against the N1,520 /$1 it traded the previous day.
The Naira also appreciated slightly against the British Pound to trade at N2,000/£1 as against the previous trading day’s price of N2,020/£1 representing a gain of N20 for the local currency.
The Canadian dollar, however, closed flat against the naira to trade at N1,270/CA$1 same as the N1,270/CA$1 it traded the previous day representing a decline of N20 in the local currency.
The Naira gained N30 against the Euro to trade at N1,670/€1 as against the previous closing price of N1,700/€1.
Business
Global Money Week: MoneyMaster PSB Trains Students on Savings Culture
2024 Global Money Week: MoneyMaster PSB trains students on savings culture
MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank Limited (MMPSB), Nigeria’s leading payment service bank, is poised to train 5,000 students on the need to embrace savings and investment culture in commemoration of the 2024 Global Money Week.
Tagged “Catch them Young” experiential campaign, the programme aims to have the students drawn from schools in Nigeria participating in the week-long financial literacy training in the bank’s coordinating centres across 10 participating states of the Federation.
In the same vein, MMPSB will equally engage teachers and enlighten them on basic knowledge of savings and investment for future purposes.
The 2024 Global Money Week with the theme “Protect your money, secure your future,” is billed for March 18 to 24, 2024.
MMPSB disclosed in a press release that it was committed to the provision of top-notch banking services to its customers at all times, including payment services through wallets, savings, individual and business accounts, as well as provision of a platform for customers to buy airtime/data, pay bills and subscribe to cable television, amongst others.
“As part of the week-long celebration, MoneyMaster PSB will also be releasing thought leadership videos on safety and security on how banking customers can protect themselves. These videos will be shared to its customers via direct email and also on its social media handles for the benefit of the general public,” the bank further said.
Global Money Week is an annual event which creates global awareness-raising campaign on the importance of ensuring that young people, from an early age, are financially aware, and are gradually acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours pivotal to making sound financial decisions and ultimately achieve financial well-being.
This year’s edition is focused on safe money management, and the importance of adopting a responsible and informed approach to personal finance, by being aware of potential risks in the financial sector and protecting one’s hard-earned money.
Business
Fidelity Bank Shares 3000 Food Packs Among Residents of Zamfara Community
Leading Financial Institution, Fidelity Bank Plc has distributed over 3000 food items to vulnerable households and less privileged families in Gusau, Zamfara State.