First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. has won the Financial Institution of the Year Award at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Pan African Business and Development Awards.

Mrs Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FirstBank, said in a statement in Lagos.

She said that the ceremony marked the 30th anniversary of Afreximbank, as it hosted the inaugural Pan-African Business and Development Awards in association with the Business Council for Africa (BCA), in Accra, Ghana on Monday, June 19.

Ani-Mumuney said that the award received was in recognition of the bank as an epitome of the Pan-African spirit through its role in promoting trade and investment across the continent.

She added that the bank’s role had been instrumental to strengthening the economic and multilateral business relationship across nations.

“Amongst its role in facilitating transactions across borders, in 2021, the bank launched its First Global Transfer (FGT) initiative.

“This is specifically designed to ensure safe, timely and improved efficiency in the transfer of funds across the network of FirstBank subsidiaries in Africa.

“The FGT is not restricted to FirstBank Group’s Customers alone but it is also open to every individual resident in the country the funds transfer is originating from,” she said.

The statement also quoted Chief Executive Officer, FirstBank, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, as saying, “We thank the organisers of the event; Afreximbank and BCA for the recognition.

“It reinforces our commitment to promoting trade, finance and investment opportunities across borders which have been instrumental to the continued growth and development of the continent and the world.

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“On behalf of the board and management, this award is dedicated to all employees at the FirstBank Group for their diligence and hardwork as well as to our esteemed customers for their loyalty and patronage in over 129 years of existence,” he said.

Commenting on the award, the President and Chairman of the Board of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, said that the event was in recognition of outstanding leaders and institutions.

“Having joined the bank in 1994, I have been fortunate to have worked with many of them at Afreximbank, contributing to Africa’s development is a lifetime vocation, as I know it is for all those that we have recognised tonight,” he said.

Also, Chairman, BCA, Mr Arnold Ekpe, said that business leaders, often, do not get the praise they deserve.

“Succeeding in business on the continent is not always easy, but it is rewarding.

“More importantly, it is possible to build strong, profitable businesses that are globally competitive. Our winners tonight have demonstrated this.

The Star