First Bank of Nigeria has maintained its triple bottom line for over 130 years.
Many recipients think the bank’s corporate social responsibility is well-targeted and effective. In conjunction with the Lagos State Government, it provided a healthcare facility to the more than 2,000 residents of the poor Ijeododo Village in Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos State.
During the Primary Healthcare Centre commissioning, FirstBank Group CEO Dr. Adesola Adeduntan said,
We were honoured to lay the ground for the Ijeododo Community’s first modern primary healthcare centre 22 months ago. I congratulate His Excellency, Mr. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his excellent administration on the project’s prompt completion.”
L-R: Hon. Ayodele Thomas, Vice Chairman, Iba Local Council Development Area; High Chief Jelili Ododo, Baale of Ijeododo land; Mrs Tolani Oshodi, Permanent Secretary, Office of Secretary to the State Government/Cabinet Office; Mrs Folasade Jaji, Secretary to the State Government and representative of the Governor of Lagos State; Mr Seyi Oyefeso representing the CEO of FirstBank; Dr Ibrahim Mustapha, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board at the
He said the project is one of several ways FirstBank supports the Lagos State Government’s “One Community at a Time (OCAAT)” programme, which has garnered international praise.
Supporting OCAAT
He said that FirstBank’s Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategy matches with the OCAAT project, an integrated, inter-sectoral, and community-based programme to better Lagosians’ lives.
FirstBank’s CSR strategy includes Citizenship, Stakeholder Management, and Impact Management, Adeduntan said. He added Citizenship and Stakeholder Management evaluate stakeholder demands while making choices, but Impact Management minimises its negative influence and maximises its beneficial impact on society.
Our community development activities are based on strategic education, health, and welfare.
“As a very empathic brand, we are committed in demonstrating our commitment to the health and welfare of our near and distant communities,” he added.
He said it was heartening to know that after commissioning, inhabitants of this town would no longer have to go far for basic amenities like healthcare.
“This fact is one of the greatest reasons driving our relationship with the Lagos State Government to implement this project, and I congratulate everyone for being part of the life-changing history being created today.
Healthier, richer.
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I urge everyone in the Ijeododo community to use our ever-growing network of branches and FirstBank agents to become healthier and richer. USSD (*894#) and Firstmonie wallet banking simplify financial transactions.
“Beyond subscribing to our services, you may establish your financial independence by registering to become one of our over 200,000 agents in Nigeria supporting financial inclusion by bridging the gap between the banked and underbanked people of the larger communities,” he said.
First Bank has a history of corporate social responsibility. Therefore, Ijeododo was commendable.
Several Nigerians fell into poverty during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown in Lagos, Ogun, and the FCT. The First Bank of Nigeria helped individuals and communities during that period and previously.
FirstBank’s several CSR initiatives
FirstBank donated N1bn to the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to rapidly expand health facilities, especially testing, isolation, treatment, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities crucial to controlling the spread and treating COVID-19 patients during the lockdown.
The Lagos State Ministry of Education suggested that the bank and Roducate migrate one million youngsters to e-learning.
The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration received 20,000 First Bank-donated digital gadgets to support e-learning in Lagos State public schools.
Adeduntan said the bank’s initial donation of 20,000 tools supported the government’s education objective. He vowed the bank would increase the number of devices in the following months.
The bank supports women, youth, and communities via various CSR programmes. FirstGem helps women build wealth and financial freedom.
FirstGem has grown volumes, customers, and beneficiaries. FirstGem is also Nigeria’s market leader for gender-specific goods.
The bank’s programmes have benefitted thousands.
Youth empowerment programmes exist. FirstBank’s Youth Empowerment Series encourages entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth, 35% of its client base.
The yearly event began in 2017 to reposition the company in the eyes of the Nigerian young and deepen relationships.
The 2019 Youth Empowerment Series (YES) 3.0 focuses on entrepreneurship in music, fashion, media, and photography.
FirstBank’s First Trader Solution supported traders countrywide in 2019. FirstBank’s FirstEdu loan helped schools buy assets and bridge the “no-income” gap between terms.
FirstBank will establish lending facilities to help health finance, fashion, and local government in 2020 and beyond to show its commitment to SMEs.
FutureFirst, another bank empowerment programme, encourages youth financial literacy, career counselling, and entrepreneurship.
Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), a non-profit that empowers young entrepreneurs, helped the Group create FutureFirst. JAN’s curriculum supports FutureFirst’s goal, and children across have benefitted.
Senior high school students get real business experience in financial literacy, employment preparedness, and entrepreneurship via JAN.
FutureFirst has helped 85,000 secondary school students nationwide. Staff volunteered nearly 40,000 hours for the programme. The Group celebrated the 20th anniversary of young entrepreneurship in January 2019.
FutureFirst gives students business and economics experience. It teaches critical thinking, speaking, leadership, the benefits of free enterprise, career counselling, and workforce preparedness.
FirstBank has taught merchants and tailors about accounting, responsibility, and company management.
Start Random Kindness (SPARK)
The bank’s CSR programme SPARK visits orphanages, homes for the less fortunate, and internally displaced people camps and provides vision exams and cheap eyeglasses for low-income women.
The bank partners with 22 charity homes and foundations through SPARK, including the Down Syndrome Foundation, Sickle Cell Foundation, National Association of the Blind, Nigeria Red Cross Society, Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, International Women’s Society, and UN Global Compact.
SPARK promotes random acts of kindness via values. The effort extends beyond providing for people experiencing poverty to foster compassion, understanding, and love. It includes employee volunteerism.
Employee Giving and Volunteering encourages workers to volunteer. The programme has two parts:
Giving: Employees donate money and goods to the needy. Crowdfunding drives this project.
Volunteering: Employees donate time and expertise to humanitarian causes. It lets them learn new skills and collaborate with bankers and others to broaden their horizons.
The CSR strategy’s four pillars—education, health and welfare, economic empowerment, and the environment—guide all volunteerism.
LEAP Africa, the Down Syndrome Foundation, Junior Achievement Nigeria, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation execute the programme.
2019 staff volunteers participated in Global Money Week, World Savings Day, and the Youth Empowerment Series.
