Although she’s not a professional musician, Prophetess Adetutu Jakande is one of the industrious women shaping the music business. The CEO of Angel Global Promotions’ tentacles are spread from Africa to Europe. While musicians take the centerstage, women entrepreneurs shape the music industry from backstage, bringing established music talents to world’s audiences and making emerging talents to find their voice. In this interview, the UK based society lady speaks about her success in the music promotion business, the challenges of making a name, her kind of personality, and more.

 With over 4.6 trillion–naira loans to customers in Q3 2023, FirstBank is committed to economic growth and transformation. 

At the dawn of the new year, it is natural for the Nigerian banking sector operators to anticipate dynamic shifts in regulations, increased digital innovations, and a focused approach toward sustainable growth and financial inclusion, while both the government and private sector eagerly anticipate the banking industry’s pivotal role in driving economic resilience, fostering innovation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and spearheading inclusive financial initiatives to bolster national development.

As a mark of readiness for the 2024 journey, the Group Managing Director of FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, the premier bank in Africa, Dr. Sola Adeduntan, in this interview with Festus Akanbi speaks on wide-ranging issues including how to insulate the Nigerian economy from the fallouts of the current hostilities at the international scene, the prevailing operating environment in Nigeria and the First Bank’s blueprint for optimum performance in 2024.

The global community is yet to recover from the hostilities in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and the wars do not look as if they will end soon.  How can Nigeria, a leading producer of oil, take advantage of the attendant disruptions to world order to reposition its economy instead of continuing to count the losses of the wars?

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, global uncertainties have been on the rise; manifesting either as geo-political trade tensions or full-blown wars such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and more recently, the Israeli-Hamas hostilities in Gaza. Despite concerted global efforts to resolve the conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war seems on track to mark its second anniversary in a few weeks from now. This has also led to significant disruptions to the global supply chain, especially in the commodities and energy space.

As a leading oil producer, one way Nigeria can take advantage of the disruptions caused by the wars is by positioning herself to fill the vacuums created by the breakdown in relationships among established trading partners and regions, e.g. the Russia – Europe gas supply deals. However, to do this, the right infrastructural enablers must be in place as well as a significant rise in volumes of daily crude oil outputs beyond current levels. Nigeria must position itself as a more reliable source of gas supply to Europe in the short to medium term.

On the flip side, Nigeria can take additional steps to further insulate her economy from external shocks by strengthening local manufacturing capabilities and improving agricultural production to reduce the Nation’s import dependency.

However, due to growing global interconnectedness, it is becoming more difficult for any nation to fully protect its economy from volatility on the global scene. Nonetheless, this period calls for a heightened sense of awareness among Nigerian policymakers to ensure minimal distortions to the Nation’s economic conditions.

Nigeria’s crude oil production benchmark in the 2024 budget has been pegged at 1.78 million bpd, whereas OPEC is proposing a cut that will leave Nigeria with 1.5 million bpd. How can Nigeria remedy this in a way that will not significantly jeopardise the implementation of the 2024 budget?

Traditionally, Nigeria has struggled to meet its OPEC output quota over the last couple of years. Although the Nation is currently recording some improvements in daily output volumes (largely due to the improving security situations), the country’s production volumes as of November 2023 stood at 1.25mbpd (excluding condensates), according to available official figures. This represents about 3 million barrels cumulative monthly reduction when compared with the average daily production output of 1.35mbpd recorded in October 2023.

In preparing the 2024 budget, the government has made some key assumptions around crude oil production outputs and price, that is, 1.78mbpd and $77.96/barrel respectively. Given the expectation that security around crude exploration will keep improving and crude oil theft will progressively reduce, these assumptions do not seem overly aggressive. Also, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources recently expressed strong optimism about the country’s ability to achieve its crude oil production budget benchmark.

However, recent moves by OPEC to cut crude oil export to buoy global crude oil prices should not immediately be a challenge for the Nation seeing that our national daily crude production levels are still a bit far off from OPEC’s quota. Rather, we should focus on entrenching the improvements in crude oil production levels to make them sustainable. Where OPEC’s production cuts become inimical to economic growth, it is also possible to engage OPEC for exemptions from the production cuts given our current difficult economic situation. Nevertheless, the Nation also stands to benefit from the upsides of a higher crude oil price if OPEC’s production cuts are effective. This should offset the envisaged reduction in production volumes.

I would also like to note that the Nigerian authorities should enhance the ability of the non-oil sector of the economy to generate sizeable revenues to support the government’s expenditure. This will help to reduce the perennial over-reliance on crude oil revenues.

The Federal Government borrowing in the 2024 budget is to increase from N6.3 trillion in 2023 to N7.8 trillion in 2024, with much of it coming from Nigerian banks. How will you allay the fear of a possible crowding out of the private sector from banks in the coming year?

Given the government’s current preference for local borrowings, I can understand where the fear of a possible crowding out of the private sector is emanating from. However, this does not necessarily have to be the case.

Over the years, Nigerian banks have sufficiently demonstrated their commitment to supporting the real sector of the economy. For example, as of H1 2023, the value of loans disbursed to customers by just seven Nigerian banks stood at almost NGN23 trillion. As of September 2023, FirstBank alone has grown its loan book to customers by over N1 trillion over the December 2022 closing position. This is a clear testament to FirstBank’s ongoing commitment to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

As bankers, we fully understand and have embraced our catalytic role as agents of economic transformation. In addition, banks deliberately pursue a diversified earning asset portfolio strategy. As such, lending to the real sector will continue to offer much-needed diversification for banks’ overall portfolio health.

In summary, I do not think the private sector has any need to worry as we will continue to support all sectors of the economy (including government) to realize their objectives.

With the inflation rate trending at 26.72%, and its attendant strain on the economy, how realistic is the dream of the private sector for an affordable lending rate in 2024?

Interest rate remains inextricably linked to the inflation rate. To narrow the margin of negative returns (which usually happens when the inflation rate far exceeds the interest rate in an economy), monetary authorities like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) move to restore the attractiveness of investments by raising interest rates to tame inflationary pressures.

The rise in interest rate also affects customers differently depending on which side of the divide they fall. For depositors, a rise in interest rate means they will earn more returns on their savings or investments, while borrowing customers may have to take on a higher lending rate as banks also try to adjust for the higher funding costs.

Nevertheless, it has also been proven that an unusually high-interest rate burden exerts considerable pressure on borrowers’ ability to repay their loans. Therefore, it is in the best interest of both the banks and their customers to collaborate in arriving at a lending rate that works for both parties. I do not believe that any bank will unreasonably raise its lending rate above its justifiable cost profile, given the elevated competition that exists in Nigeria’s financial services industry.

The current administration plans to grow the GDP to $1 trillion in 2026. Although the Central Bank Governor has directed banks to gear up for recapitalisation to enable them to adequately lend to the economy, do you believe the nation’s capital market, largely dominated by local investors, is liquid enough to generate the needed capital for banks?

The Government’s aspiration for a $1 trillion economy in the next 8 years from 2023 seems well-anchored given the significant fiscal changes that have been implemented since the new administration came on board. If successfully implemented, these actions hold immense potential to unlock new growth opportunities within the economy.

As of 18th December 2023, the Nigerian Exchange All Share Index (NGX ASI) has grown by almost 45% from its closing position in December 2022. This suggests significant activity in the capital market within that period. Also, as the inflation rate tapers in advanced economies, we will begin to see normalization of interest rates in these jurisdictions. Given this trend, we expect to see a growing volume of Foreign Portfolio Investments (FPIs) into the Nation’s capital market as investors seek high-return jurisdictions and portfolios.

Therefore, given these tailwinds and other factors, I remain confident that the Nation’s capital market will be sufficiently liquid to support the potential recapitalisation of banks.

The Bank recently took its culture of impressive performance higher with a 79 per cent increase in its gross earnings on a year-on-year basis as it declared N922.2 billion in its nine-month result for 2023. In terms of profitability, what should the Bank’s shareholders be expecting at the end of the 2023 financial year?

At FirstBank, we understand our responsibilities to all our various stakeholders, including customers, regulators, employees, and shareholders, and we remain fully aligned on discharging our obligations to all categories of stakeholders.

The Bank’s Q3 2023 financial performance underscores how dearly we strive to uphold our obligations to all our stakeholders: we supported our customers with additional loans by growing the loan book by 34% to N4.6 trillion; we guaranteed our staff’s employment by remaining profitable in the face of the harsh operating environment; the Bank maximized its shareholders’ wealth with a commendable growth in profitability.

Our stakeholders should expect to see a Bank that is future-proof and ready to provide best-in-class products and services that will meet and surpass their needs across all our channels and jurisdictions of operations.

FirstBank remains dependably dynamic and will ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met:

What is the current NPL ratio of FirstBank? What strategies have you adopted to significantly bring it to its current level?

As of Q3 2023, the Bank’s NPL ratio remains within the Central Bank of Nigeria’s regulatory threshold of 5%. It is also our expectation that the ratio will be maintained within the regulatory threshold by the end of FY2023.

FirstBank has built an enduring risk culture and governance system, strengthened the risk infrastructure through specialized training, digitization of credit processes, and imbibed a disciplined and pro-active portfolio management approach thereby ensuring strict regulatory compliance as well as maintaining the NPL ratio with the acceptable threshold.

In what ways will the planned recapitalisation of banks affect the economy given our experience of 2005?

The planned recapitalization of Nigerian banks should have several positive effects on the economy given the intermediation role that banks play. Some of them include:

Investment Stimulation: since banks may leverage the capital market to raise additional capital, the investing public will have more outlets for profitable investments. Given the relatively profitable nature of most banks, I expect that the appetite for the banking sector stocks will remain impressive, and this should significantly drive volumes on the Nigerian Exchange

Enhanced Underwriting Capacity: For banks, additional capital will mean improved capacity to underwrite bigger transaction tickets that can further unlock economic growth and support the Nation’s aspirations for the real sector.

Higher Employment Rate: As banks become better capitalized and able to support the real sector on a bigger scale, this should translate to more employment opportunities as companies employ more people to support their expansion programmes. A higher employment rate will also result in a lower poverty rate for the country.

How true is the fear that the current state of the economy may not guarantee the raising of the needed funds from the capital market at the same time, unlike what was obtained in the last banking sector recapitalisation?  What are the options available to banks seeking to shore up their capital?

As I mentioned earlier, though we are in a high inflation era and investible funds for households and corporates might be repressed, given the anticipated tailwinds from interest rate normalization in advanced economies, I am of the view that the capital market will be adequately liquid to support the recapitalization exercise.

I would like to note that, investors will always seek decent returns even in a repressed economy. Nigerian banks have remained quite profitable, and most investors would like to invest in profitable entities. Similarly, equities of Nigerian banks might offer some good growth prospects in the near to medium term, thus offering significant capital appreciation opportunities for discerning investors.

Nevertheless, where there is a need for some augmentation, there are several other capital-raising options available to banks. For example, banks can issue subordinated debt instruments or other forms of convertible bonds either locally or offshore.

Overall, depending on the eventual level of recapitalization mandated by the CBN, banks will pursue any or a combination of several options to meet the required capital base.

With the headline inflation rate at 26.72 per cent in September and the interest rate at 18.75 %, and with the removal of subsidy and the attendant high cost of living, running businesses in Nigeria is becoming a big risk. How will Nigerian banks assist operators of small and medium-scale enterprises which form the bulk of businesses in Nigeria?

SMEs remain the bedrock of any economy as they account for about 80% of employment on the continent. As such, it is extremely important to put measures in place to keep them thriving. In my view, the measures to make SMEs thrive in Nigeria can be broadly classified into two categories. These are fiscal and financing measures.

The fiscal measures relate to issues around ease of doing business, improving security for lives and property, tax efficiency, adequate power generation, and enforcement of law and order, amongst other things. I am sure you will agree with me that these matters largely fall on the part of the government across all levels.

On the financing part, although there is still a lot more room for improvement, banks have done quite well. For example, at FirstBank, through our SMEConnect hub, we offer much more than just financing to our SME clients. Through the platform, the Bank offers specialized business training to raise the skills level of our SME business owners, thereby equipping them to make better business decisions that will guarantee the success of their businesses. The platform also offers crucial networking and marketing opportunities for all our SME clients to exchange business ideas and contacts.

FirstBank also offers several lending products dedicated to SME clients operating in diverse economic sectors such as FirstEdu loan for those in the educational sector, First Traders Solution for those engaged in fast-moving consumer goods, Health Finance Facility for those operating in the health sector, and many more. The Bank also continually reviews the terms and conditions of these facilities to ensure that they remain market-relevant and reflect the current realities of SME clients.

FirstBank’s SME clients can continue to count on us to listen to them through this rough economic patch and offer necessary cushions that are within our control as a Bank. As a Bank that is woven into the fabric of society, we have no other option than this.

Given the naira devaluation this year, what is the fate of the largely US dollar-denominated nature of FirstBank’s lending to the oil and gas sectors?

As the foremost financial institution in Nigeria, FirstBank’s support for the Oil and gas sector is in tandem with our long-term views for the Nigerian market and our commitments to our clients.

Also, learning from previous experience, the current client composition of our Oil & Gas portfolio is quite healthy which is why there has been no material adverse effect on our operations as reflected in our most recent financial performance, despite the significant naira devaluations. In addition, some of these clients also have receivables in United States dollars which easily offsets their foreign currency-denominated obligations.

As a Bank, we remain committed to the highest standards of risk asset quality, and we will continue to work with our clients to ensure this is always achieved.

FirstBank was recently adjudged as the Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria by Euromoney. With the concentration of your bank’s lending activities in the energy and mining sectors. How do you measure the gains from the bank’s exposure to oil and gas which is put at 31% of net loans in 2022?

FirstBank’s emergence as the Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria by Euromoney represents a very significant external validation of the strides the Bank has made on the Nigerian corporate banking landscape. The goal for our Corporate Banking business has always been to be a “Trusted Advisor” to our clients and we are quite pleased that the market is beginning to acknowledge our impact in this area.

Also, beyond Oil and gas, the Bank is very supportive of other sectors of the Nigerian economy (such as Manufacturing, Services, Telecommunications, Construction, etc), and FirstBank’s emergence as the Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria by Euromoney represents a very significant external validation of the strides the Bank has made on the Nigerian corporate banking landscape. The goal for our Corporate Banking business has always been to be a “Trusted Advisor” to our clients and we are quite pleased that the market is beginning to acknowledge our impact in this area.

Also, beyond Oil and gas, the Bank is very supportive of other sectors of the Nigerian economy (such as Manufacturing, Services, Telecommunications, Construction, etc) and is also actively deploying its balance sheet to facilitate growth and development across these sectors.

As I mentioned earlier, our exposure to the Oil and gas sector reflects our strong commitment to building local content and capabilities required for sustainable national progress. In addition, the portfolio remains healthy with decent returns, and we expect this to continue.

As the foremost Bank in Nigeria, to what extent has FirstBank taken advantage of the gains of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which is designed to create the largest free trade area in the world measured by the number of countries participating?        

According to the World Bank, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has the potential to boost Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035 and lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty. As a pan-African bank with a vision to be “Africa’s Bank of First Choice”, AfCFTA presents a very important vehicle for us to serve the broader African market.

Therefore, the Bank has taken several measures to optimally exploit opportunities around AfCFTA. First, as a Bank, we have engaged in extensive export requirements and capabilities trainings for our customers to distill the significant export opportunities around the AfCFTA and help them identify suitable markets for their produce. These training programs will remain a recurring feature in the short to medium term.

Secondly, we have created and positioned a strong payments/remittance proposition (known as First Global Transfer) to support and facilitate payments for intra-African trade among both existing and prospective customers, while keeping in close step with developments around AfCFTA’s Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) for seamless integration.

Finally, in line with our vision, the Bank will ensure a strategic presence in critical trading corridors on the African continent to support the trade facilitation and other requirements of our clients, thereby giving them an unparalleled competitive advantage.

What are your plans to sustain the bank’s robust customer service network and digital banking architecture in 2024?

At FirstBank, our “You First” brand promise to our customers is not just a cliché. It encapsulates our firm commitment to making banking seamless, more accessible, and rewarding for our teeming customers. As an institution, we will continue to leverage both physical and digital channels to serve our customers effectively.

With almost 700 operational business locations, no other bank comes close in the branch network. This has enabled FirstBank to deliver banking services within proximity to our customers’ homes and offices. We have also supported our extensive branch network with a best-in-class agent banking network with over 220,000 FirstMonie Agents strategically located across the length and breadth of the country. These agents, in no small measure, have been critical to extending financial inclusion levels in their immediate localities.

With over 3,000 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), FirstBank has one of the highest ATM spreads in the Nigerian financial services space which enables us to serve our customers round-the-clock. Also, the Bank’s digital and mobile channels (*894#, FirstMobile, FirstOnline & Lit App) have been very successful with our clients, enabling them to conclude both banking and non-banking transactions from the comfort of their homes and offices.

To cater to the needs of our wholesale clients, the Bank has positioned a robust transaction banking platform (FirstDirect) that enables us to service the transaction banking needs of our customers.

In a bid to improve overall customer experience, the Bank has also ensured that its service delivery channels have in-built complaint-handling and issue resolution mechanisms to give customers extra confidence to transact on any of these channels. This is in addition to our always-on, 24/7 interactive, and intelligent contact center, known as FirstContact.

At FirstBank, we remain committed to seeking innovative ways to serve our clients and we will leave no stone unturned to continue to deliver a wholesome customer experience.

As the first Nigerian bank to surpass 200,000 agent banking locations as an exceptional financial inclusion pioneer, what are the plans being put in place to maintain your dominance of agent banking in the coming year?

FirstBank’s feat in the Nation’s agent banking landscape is in tandem with our established pioneering status in Nigeria and the sense of partnership with which the bank operates towards achieving critical national developmental objectives. With over 220,000 agents on our FirstMonie Agent Network, FirstBank is a major partner in pushing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) financial inclusion agenda.

The Bank’s FirstMonie Agent Network has processed over 1.4 billion unique transactions worth well over NGN32 trillion and has empowered numerous localities around the Nation’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) with basic financial services that facilitate economic activities in these communities. This is in addition to the millions of direct and indirect employment opportunities that our agent banking network has created for local communities.

The Bank is constantly strengthening its value propositions to the FirstMonie agents in several ways. For example, through our Agent Credit product, the Bank supports agents to bridge intra-day liquidity shortfalls, thus enabling them to better serve their clients. Also, beyond basic offerings (such as cash-in-cash-out, transfers, and bill payments), the bank has empowered its agents to render more financial services such as account opening for customers. We are also continuously fine-tuning our agents’ support structure to ensure our agents obtain prompt resolution for any service hitch experienced.

As a Bank, we view our FirstMonie Agents as partners and we remain committed to making the necessary investments to make the partnership a win-win for all parties involved.

Another game-changer in the story of the transformation of FirstBank was the conscious attempt of the board and management to make the bank a transaction-led institution. How does the bank intend to continue from this threshold as a way of drawing from the gains of its investment in Technology Academy in Nigeria?

One of the Bank’s strategic priorities in the current strategic cycle is to build a world-class (customer-first) service organization. As such, as an institution, we no longer view Technology as a business enabler but as a business.

Also, when you consider that over 90% of the Bank’s customer-induced transactions now happen on digital platforms, it becomes clearer why we have made (and will continue to make) sizeable investments to overhaul our Information Technology (IT) architecture and infrastructures to guarantee IT platform availability and security to support the overall business aspirations.

The FirstBank Technology Academy is one of the Bank’s creative solutions to addressing the emerging shortage of skilled IT talents in the country in the wake of the increasing migration rate (commonly known as Japa). It is a one-of-a-kind intervention where the Bank engages available graduates with a STEM background and offers them bespoke IT training in line with our business needs. This is FirstBank’s way of growing its IT talents and boosting the national supply of critical IT talents as we cannot afford to use a shortage of talents as an excuse for not meeting up to the high standards to which our customers hold us. The program has also proven to be highly successful, and we will intensify our efforts in this regard.

As a foremost financial institution in Nigeria and on the continent, we are keenly aware of the role technology will continue to play in our ability to serve our clients, and we are poised to make necessary investments at the right scale and on an ongoing basis to guarantee the security, availability, and relevance of our digital assets.

Is acquisition one of the plans being put in place by FirstBank in preparation for the new threshold of capital base to be announced soon by the Central Bank of Nigeria?

We note that the bank already has a capital base of N1.287 trillion.

As you also noted, FirstBank has been very intentional in ensuring that it maintains a strong capital base given the scope of the Bank’s operations and in line with regulatory requirements. This has informed the deliberate measures the Bank has taken to shore up its capital base over the past few years.

Depending on where the pendulum finally settles when the CBN unveils the new minimum capital requirements for banks, as a compliant and socially responsible institution, we will explore all options available to us to ensure full compliance and maintain our competitive advantage over other players in our industry.

At FirstBank, we leverage both organic and inorganic growth strategies to achieve scale and deliver improved shareholder value.

FirstBank’s plan to rejuvenate its workforce was recently underscored by the employment of more than 700 fresh graduates. Can you start to count the gains of this decision?

The Bank’s Graduate Trainees programme is a highly competitive process through which the Bank identifies and selects young and dynamic individuals for proper grooming to occupy future leadership roles within the organization. Aside from this, FirstBank has several other talent development initiatives such as the FirstBank Management Associate Programme (FMAP), Leadership Acceleration Programme(LAP), and Senior Management Development Programme(SMDP) which are targeted at employees at different strata within the workforce to build a sustainable pipeline of dependable leaders for the institution.

I am glad to note that as an equal-opportunity employer, we offer very compelling employee value propositions that set us apart in the industry. This is in line with our belief that our employees are not just our greatest asset, but they represent the greatest source of strategic advantage for the Bank’s long-term success.

In 2015, FirstBank initiated a development plan that allows most vacancies in the bank to be filled internally. What is the update on this employee-friendly policy of the bank?

At FirstBank, we maintain an end-to-end view of the employee lifecycle which ensures that we focus on offering every employee a fair chance of having meaningful work experience with us. This approach ensures continuous improvements across every stage of the employee experience from recruitment to development and deployment on an ongoing basis.

Since implementing the policy on internal recruitment for vacant roles, the Bank has witnessed a significant uptick in the employees’ mobility index as most vacancies now get filled from existing employee pools. To achieve this, several initiatives such as the FirstBank Job Shadow Programme and the FirstBank Mentoring Programme enable current employees to acquire new skills even while still in their current roles. This makes them ready to take on future opportunities within the Bank.

Secondly, the Bank has acquired a world-class people management system that supports seamless management of job vacancies, competency assessments, and the entire employee lifecycle management process. This provides the necessary visibility into various aspects of our employee management process.

While the Bank still conducts some external recruitments to infuse external perspectives into some functions, the proportion of external recruitments in the overall recruitments has reduced over the last few years.

The bank recently pioneered the deployment of humanoid robots in three of its branches as a demonstration of its commitment to fully adopt technology-led banking services. What is the initial feedback from customers and what are the implications of the adoption of technology on the employees’ job security?

FirstBank’s Digital Xperience Centre (DXC)is Nigeria’s first ever fully digitized bank branch employing the latest technologies such as humanoid robots and artificial intelligence to enable customers to perform self-service banking transactions. The DXCs reflect the Bank’s views on the near-future possibilities in financial services delivery, given recent technological advancements. It also underscores the central role modern technology now plays in the Bank’s operations and overall service delivery strategy.

The DXC is a fully automated interactive digital branch that was first launched in Lagos in 2021 and has since then, redefined customers’ banking experience through a world of digitised self-service. We have thereafter rolled out the DXC at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, and more recently, at our branch in WuseAbuja. Since these rollouts, the Bank has received commendable feedback from customers (especially customers in the retail segments) which has validated our investments in these modern technologies. There are already plans in place for more rollouts of the DXCs across all our operating jurisdictions.

I would like to note that the DXC is not a trade-off for our employees, but an enabler to free up our staff’s productive time to take on more complex and rewarding tasks within the Bank. Also, given our several laudable employee initiatives (some of which I had earlier mentioned), we are well-equipped to empower our employees to take on any other role they may desire within the larger FirstBank Group.

Sir, can you give further explanation on the recently announced phased corporate name change for FirstBank’s subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa?

The Bank’s decision to adopt a monolithic brand name across all operating jurisdictions is borne out of the need to ensure we leverage the rich heritage behind the FirstBank name, and the goodwill garnered in almost 130 years of operations across all the markets where we operate.

Also, as we follow our clients across geographies, it becomes increasingly important to maintain consistency in the brand name to improve overall client affinity and guarantee similar standards in service delivery across all operating jurisdictions. In addition, the name change across all our subsidiaries will enable us to take advantage of available synergistic opportunities in both our marketing efforts and budgets.

Finally, a uniform brand name (across our market) helps the Bank to avoid needless identity crises and is best aligned with our vision of becoming “Africa’s Bank of First Choice”

FirstBank has consistently been recognized as a market leader in the sustainability/ESG space in Nigeria and Africa. This recognition has come from different organisations such as Global Banking and Finance, International Business Magazine, Euromoney Market, Great Place to Work, etc. And these mostly happened under your leadership. Congratulations sir.

Please what is FirstBank doing in the ESG and the broader sustainable development space to achieve these recognitions and how do you intend to ensure this is strengthened to enhance your market leadership considering that ESG/sustainability space is very dynamic, fluid, and always evolving?

At FirstBank, we value our relationships with all our stakeholders, especially the communities where our businesses operate. Therefore, we are very deliberate in how we engage our host communities to guarantee shared prosperity and the long-term sustainability of the environment. The Bank also ensures its Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) approach is well aligned with both local and international best practices as advised by the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBPs), International Finance Corporation Performance Standards (IFC PS), and the Equator Principles (EPs).

To this end, FirstBank’s CR&S Framework is hinged on three strategic pillars, namely: Education, Health & Welfare; Diversity & Inclusion; and Responsible Lending, Procurement & Climate Initiatives.

Each pillar is operationalized through the implementation of well-coordinated programmes and initiatives that enable the Bank to fulfill its sustainability agenda and priorities. For example, some of the initiatives include:

SPARK: SPARK (an acronym for Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness) is a values-based initiative designed to continuously reignite the Bank’s cherished moral values of compassion, civility, and charity. Since its inception, the SPARK initiative has impacted over 150,000 people and 100 charities / NGOs across 8 countries where FirstBank currently operates.

FutureFirst Programme: In partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), this programme is FirstBank’s vehicle for promoting the triple benefits of financial literacy, career counseling, and entrepreneurship among the younger generation. Over 1 million people across Nigeria have benefitted from this financial advocacy effort.

Partnership with Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF): Through the Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) Initiative, the Bank aims to plant 50,000 trees in 2024 towards the reduction of carbon dioxide gas emissions.

In addition, the Bank has fully embedded an Environmental, Social, and Governance Risk Management System (ESGMS) into its credit decision processes as well as adopted sustainability reporting to measure progress on its sustainability journey. The Bank is also committed to decarbonizing its operations, including those of its value chain, in a bid to accelerate its transition to a net-zero carbon emission status. This is being done in line with the standards of the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and other international agencies such as the British International Investment (BII) and Proparco.

Finally, to ensure issues about sustainability are continuously given the highest visibility and consideration in all our business pursuits, FirstBank has constituted a Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Committee that is chaired by our Executive Director / Chief Risk Officer, thereby guaranteeing the right “tone at the top” in the execution of our broad ESG agenda.

Culled from ThisDay

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, in this interview with THISDAY reviewed the performance of the global economy in 2022 and advised businesses and their bankers to approach 2023 with a partnership mindset to ensure that a win-win outcome is achieved despite the anticipated macroeconomic challenges. Excerpts:

What are your forecasts and anticipations for the global economy in 2023?

I would like to start by noting that 2022 was indeed a turbulent year for the global economy. In 2022, the global economy witnessed record high inflation rates with the attendant high cost of living across several economies. The elevated inflationary rates were attributed to the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the Russian-Ukraine crisis. In its last World Economic Outlook report, the IMF projected a 2.7 per cent global growth rate in 2023, lower than the 3.2 per cent in 2022. The 2023 projection will be the weakest global growth profile since 2001 except for the global financial crisis year and the acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. In my view, in 2023, we will likely witness slower growth across several global economies due to lingering trade tensions as the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis will still weigh heavily on global trade flows. However, we may witness a decline in commodity prices as more import-dependent countries explore alternative sourcing options for these commodities. Inflationary pressures will however reduce as the impact of rising monetary policy rates continues to yield expected outcomes. The removal of COVID-19 restrictions in China should lead to a boost in global economic output. Oil prices are expected to remain largely elevated as tensions between Russia and Ukraine lingers, so energy prices will remain high. The transition to other sustainable forms of energy may also be accelerated by the prolonged crisis.

Given the tepid growth associated with the global economy in 2022, developing countries have been having difficulties in refinancing their foreign debt, do you see a gloomy impact on the economies of the developing countries in 2023 as a result?

With slowing growth and elevated inflation rates, the sustainability of foreign debts, especially for developing nations, is likely to call for a re-evaluation by lenders given the increased likelihood of default. When this is juxtaposed with the higher interest rate environment at which these debts are likely to be refinanced, you will observe a scenario where further strain is exerted on the debt repayment capacity of these economies. However, this situation does not necessarily translate to an automatic economic doom for developing nations. The actual impact on each developing economy will depend on the economy’s level of fiscal discipline and revenue generating capacity. Developing nations who are able, in the short term, to increase revenues either from taxes or sale/refinancing of idle/sub-optimal assets will be able to negotiate reasonable refinancing terms from lenders and prevent further economic turmoil. Nonetheless, all concerned nations need to take the issue of debt sustainability more seriously by limiting fiscal wastages, reducing inefficiencies, growing revenues, and aggressively working down unsustainable debt-to-GDP levels that may worsen the impacts of external shocks.

Do you think that the corporate default and NPL would increase in 2023 due to the current economic headwinds?

Expectedly, rising cost of debt and contracting demand will exacerbate the challenges that businesses will face in 2023, particularly for players operating in small-margins sectors of the economy. Locally, the surging inflation rate is sure to reduce disposable income of most consumers and demand for non-essential goods and services may dip. To prevent rising non-performing loans (NPLs), businesses and their bankers will have to collaborate more and ensure timely flow of information to prevent surprises. Banks on their part will have to improve monitoring of their loan portfolio to quickly identify early warning signals for attention before a full-scale loan deterioration. Overall, businesses and their bankers must approach 2023 with a partnership mindset to ensure that a win-win outcome is achieved despite the anticipated macroeconomic challenges.

With the tightening financial conditions which has partly led to slow global economic growth, what opportunities do you think exist in 2023 for players in the financial services industry?

Despite the expected macroeconomic challenges in 2023, there are also emerging business and revenue opportunities that can be exploited by discerning players in the financial services industry.  Specifically, the following areas will provide significant opportunity to players in the financial services industry:

Payments: The Central Bank of Nigeria’s renewed drive on cashless policy has provided an opportunity for players in the financial services industry to enhance existing digital product offerings and create more attractive product offerings that will further reduce frictions in the payment process. This will help to reduce the financial exclusion gap, increase fees and commissions revenues, and improve overall viability and stability of the financial system.

Digital Security: Increasing adoption of digital payments platforms will necessitate increased requirement for the security of payment channels. Thus, opportunities exist for players in the financial services industry to leverage robotics and artificial intelligence to improve security protocols on digital payment channels.

M & A Opportunities: with the anticipated pressures on earnings, opportunities exist for big and liquid players to gain additional scale and market share through outright acquisition of fringe players with the right strategic fit. There is also an opportunity for two or more small and/or medium size players to merge their operations/businesses to obtain scale advantage.

Partnerships across Segments: The growing number of Fintechs and licensed Payment Service Banks also presents an opportunity for improved partnerships across various categories of players in the financial services industry for both mutual and industry-wide benefits.

Consumer Lending: Tightening financial conditions of the average household will create opportunities for consumer loans in several variants such as buy-now-pay-later (BNPL), salary advance, consumer asset finance, etc. The industry is already witnessing a rising trend in the creation of digital consumer loan product offerings. This is likely to intensify in 2023.

What are the key events that will shape 2023 domestic economic outlook and how strategically positioned is FirstBank to manage the challenges and opportunities?

Three key events will shape the 2023 macroeconomic outlook of Nigeria: The outcome of the 2023 general elections and peaceful political power transition; government’s ability to curb crude oil theft and increase production to meet OPEC quota; and successful removal of petrol subsidy. For us at FirstBank, we are strategically positioned to take advantage of and harness the opportunities that the three key events will bring as well as successfully ride the waves of any challenges that may arise. For over 128 years, FirstBank has built the capabilities and competencies required to succeed and thrive in any macroeconomic situation. As a Bank, our belief and commitment to the domestic economy is unwavering – FirstBank is truly woven into the fabric of the society.

How will you define the trends we saw in the banking sector landscape in 2022?

2022 was quite an eventful year and some visible trends emerged. I would like to classify the trends as follows:

Financial System Trends: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the monetary policy rate and the cash reserve ratio, cumulatively, by 500 basis points to 16.5 per cent and 32.5 per cent, respectively as a way of enforcing liquidity tightening measures to curb rising inflation. In the same vein, the interest rate on savings accounts was restored to the pre-pandemic levels of 30% of MPR within the year thereby increasing the interest expense profile of banks. In addition, the paucity of foreign exchange exerted considerable pressure on banks’ foreign currency (FCY) trade lines in the course of the year, forcing banks to explore alternative ways to meet customers’ foreign currency needs, including deliberate focus on supporting and promoting non-oil export businesses and transactions.

Technological Trends: The banking sector witnessed an increase in technological innovations, as the industry strived to meet the ever-evolving customer needs. In Nigeria, FirstBank was at the forefront of the technological trend, as we successfully launched a Digital Experience Center, a fully automated branch to meet our customer needs, while providing a unique and wholesome experience. FirstBank also launched robotics process automation initiative, FirstRobotics, that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to handle high volume transactions The industry also witnessed increasing collaboration of banks and fintechs in 2022; enhanced digital product offerings, especially the rise in digital loans and advances; and an overall increase in acceptance of digital product offerings by banks and other financial services players.

Customer Trends: In 2022, we witnessed an increasing shift in emphasis from consumer banking to lifestyle banking in a bid to capture more of the customers’ journey. This shift has been hugely supported by technology as customer trends can now be easily identified, and new product offerings developed to meet customer needs. The emigration trend witnessed in the past year also led to a boost in the industry’s diaspora customer base, leading to increased focus on meeting the needs of this peculiar customer segment.

Employee Trends: The banking industry, probably like any other industry in Nigeria, has seen significant attrition in the number of employees due to increased relocation to other countries (popularly known as Japa) in 2022. This has impacted the industry’s skill base and execution capabilities especially in critical areas of the industry. While this may be a national challenge, more creative ways must be explored to retain scarce talents for national development.

The Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government have set a target of 95 per cent financial inclusion by 2024, how realistic is this target and what role will First Bank be playing to support the government achieve this target?

Financial inclusion is usually seen as the gateway to economic prosperity as it signals the first step in the journey to financial freedom. In 2012, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had unveiled its National Financial Inclusion Strategy with the principal goal of reducing the nation’s financial exclusion rate to 20 per cent of the adult population by 2020. Although this goal was not achieved (as financial exclusion rate stood at 35.9 per cent at the end of that period), the nation had nonetheless made giant strides in raising financial inclusion levels from that take-off point. As such, while the CBN’s revised target of 95 per cent financial inclusion rate by 2024 may be audacious, it is achievable given the level of financial awareness that has already been created in previous years which has raised financial literacy among the average citizenry. In addition, in view of the additional investments and infrastructural base that is available in the country, more mileage can be made now than ever before. It should also be noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria has been deliberate in pursuing its financial inclusion agenda through the licensing of several players/operators in the financial services industry, including fintechs, mobile money operators, Payment Service Banks (PSBs), Microfinance Banks/institutions, new deposit money banks (DMBs), etc. As such, several players are making various attempts at solving the same problem which will significantly increase the likelihood of success. As the foremost financial institution in Nigeria, FirstBank has always collaborated with the Central Bank and the Nigerian government to push several national initiatives, particularly as it relates to the financial services industry. Specifically, FirstBank’s Firstmonie Agent Network is fully aligned with improving financial inclusion in Nigeria. With over 196,000 agents spread across 772 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria and many of the agents operating from 512 LGAs without a FirstBank branch, the Bank has been a clear partner to the Central Bank of Nigeria in improving financial inclusion in the country. FirstBank’s USSD (*894#) product, which is demographically positioned for the unbanked, has over 14 million users with more than 261 million unique transactions, worth over NGN1.1 trillion processed on the platform. FirstBank has been at the forefront of increasing financial inclusion in Nigeria and will continue to play its part until every adult in Nigeria is adequately banked.

What is your take on two recent policies of the CBN – the naira redesign and the cash withdrawal limits?

The CBN as the apex regulator of the financial services industry has overall responsibility to ensure the soundness of the nation’s financial systems. In discharging this responsibility, it develops policies that are meant to strengthen the monetary environment and stimulate further economic development of the country – the recent naira redesign and cash withdrawal limits policies are part of its core mandate. As noted by the CBN, the naira redesign will improve both the integrity of the local legal tender and the efficiency of its supply, thus addressing a situation where 80 per cent of currency in circulation is outside the banking system. To aid its implementation, the CBN has also suspended charges on cash deposits to encourage everyone to deposit old naira notes in the Banks. The new N200, N500 & N1000 notes which came into circulation on 15th December 2022 will co-exist with the old notes until 31st January 2023 when the old notes will cease to be legal tender in Nigeria.

Similarly, the cash withdrawal policy which will limit weekly cash withdrawals by individuals and companies to N500,000.00 and N5,000,000.00 respectively, is expected to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a digital economy. The policy which comes into effect from January 9, 2023, will present the added advantage of bringing more people into the banking system thus improving financial inclusion. At FirstBank, we view both policies as business enablers with bright prospects and we are poised to take maximum advantage of the opportunities they bring to improve our service offerings and the overall experience of our customers.

FirstBank has a lot of Firstmonie agents scattered around the country, how will the cash withdrawal limit affect their operations?

As at November 2022, FirstBank has over 196,000 Firstmonie agents spread across 772 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria. These agents have also processed over 1.16 billion transactions valued at N26.52 trillion. About 45 per cent of our Firstmonie Agent network are in rural areas, 18 per cent located in semi-urban areas and only 37 per cent are in urban areas. Beyond Cash-in-Cash-Out (CICO) transactions, these agents also render other services such as account opening, airtime purchase, bill payment, government-revenue collection, transfer and disbursement, mobile-money (wallet creations, deposits, withdrawals), bank verification number (BVN) enrollment and other non-bank ecosystem value-added support services, in line with CBN’s guideline for Mobile Money and Agent Banking businesses. These services have helped to bring banking services closer to local communities thereby empowering them and facilitating their economic development. Through Firstmonie, FirstBank provides convenient low-cost financial access for millions of Nigerians in rural areas. Therefore, given the spread of our agent banking network and the scope of services they offer, the cash withdrawal limit is not likely to have an adverse effect on their operations.  In reality, we see it as an enabler that will bring more people into the banking system. The new cash withdrawal limit will help to drive the penetration and uptake of digital/mobile wallet offerings in the industry.

FBN Holdings doubled its Q3 2022 profit to N105 billion and the performance by the bank was the major contributor, can you take us through the drivers of the impressive Q3 result?

FirstBank’s Q3 2022 results reflect the robustness of our business model and go-to market approach even in a challenging business and operating environment. The impressive profitability performance was driven by the resilient execution of our strategy and transformation program. Specifically, FirstBank delivered a 42.4 per cent year-on-year (yoy) increase in interest income on the back of yield optimisation on existing assets and addition of about N700 billion to the risk asset portfolio. Also, the bank recorded a decent 6.8 per cent growth in fees and commission within the period driven by significant improvements in LC commissions, account maintenance charges etc. The bank also recorded over 47 per cent y-o-y increase in other operating income within the same period. Overall, I would say that the results are a clear outcome of the collective efforts and resilience of the entire staff and the Board of Directors of the FirstBank Group in deliberately executing on our transformation agenda.  We remain confident that our growth trajectory is sustainable, and we are focused on delivering on our 2020 – 2024 strategic ambition of accelerated growth in profitability through customer-led innovation and disciplined execution.

What is the level of non-performing loans and what has the bank been doing to reduce it?

FirstBank Group has achieved great strides in reducing its NPL from double-digit in 2016 to below regulatory benchmark of five per cent in Q3 2022, which attest to the fact that the bank is strong and resilient.  FirstBank has, in the recent years, built an enduring risk culture and governance systems, as well as strengthened its risk management infrastructure through technology, process automation and specialised training.

Few years ago, FirstBank embarked on a business expansion drive within the continent, can you take us through the performance of your subsidiaries in the continent?

FirstBank embarked on its African expansion in 2011. Today, the Bank is present in six other African markets namely: Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Guinea. As part the 2020 – 2024 strategic plan, FirstBank refreshed its vision to be “Africa’s Bank of First Choice” to serve as an anchor for its renewed African expansion drive. As such, the Bank is exploring entry into additional high-impact African markets. While the growth journey of each African subsidiary is different, we are extremely proud of the investments that we have made in these markets and the positive contributions we are beginning to see from each subsidiary. Overall, I would like to note that all our African subsidiaries are making positive contributions to the Group in terms of profitability.

How is the bank positioning to take advantage of the AfCFTA?

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement has created the largest free trade area in the world (measured by the number of participating countries) as it involves most of the 55-member countries of the African Union with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $3.4 trillion and connects 1.3 billion people across the continent.  According to the World Bank, the AfCFTA has the potentials to lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty and raise the incomes of 68 million others who live on less than $5.50 per day. It also has the potentials to drive $292 billion in income gains for participating members. FirstBank is already actively playing in seven African countries with plans to enter additional high-impact African markets in the short to medium term. The bank has also institutionalised a collaboration framework across all operating jurisdictions to ensure clients operating in multiple African jurisdictions can be effectively served across the network. The bank has developed special products (known as First Global Transfer) to facilitate regional payments for our pan-African clients in addition to our online and digital platforms. On the part of the customers, FirstBank has conducted several non-oil export seminars to raise awareness levels on the opportunities presented by AfCFTA and equip our clients with the right knowledge to exploit these opportunities. As a bank, we view AfCFTA as an enabler of our corporate vision and we will continue to ensure the right investments are made to capture the opportunities it presents.

Your UK subsidiary recently marked its 40th anniversary, what was the journey like in that 40 years and looking ahead, what should customers be expecting from FirstBank in UK?

FirstBank’s foray into the United Kingdom (UK) forty years ago is a clear demonstration of uncommon foresight by the leadership of the Bank. Given the burgeoning trade relations between Nigeria and the then European Union (which included the UK) and the growing status of London as a leading global financial center, the decision to establish a subsidiary of FirstBank in the UK could not have been better made. Since commencement of operations in the UK, FBNBank UK has provided a bridge for Nigerian firms with interests in the UK to achieve their financial goals and meet their banking needs. FBNBank UK has provided trade and correspondent banking relationships that have facilitated the achievements of several Nigerian and indeed other African entities’ trade objectives. This is in addition to offering other services such as advisory, mortgage and investment products to its clientele base. FBNBank UK has also provided access to foreign capital markets to African firms and countries to raise much-needed capital that have contributed to the economic transformation of the African continent. As we look to the future, customers of FBNBank UK can be assured of the same excellent services they have become accustomed to with more innovative products that will help them solve their emerging needs.

We saw the licencing of a few banks in 2022 and the industry becoming more competitive, why should your customers continue to bank with FirstBank?

Indeed, the industry has changed and will continue to evolve at a faster pace with the competitive landscape becoming more challenging because of the inter-play of several actors – new banks, fintechs, etc. However, customers will continue to gravitate towards institutions that provide the best digital banking services that address their changing needs for convenience, speed, and security. With over 128 years’ experience in this market, we believe that FirstBank is well positioned to continue to delivery excellent customer experience and thrive. Our customers can bank on our commitment to continuously re-invent our processes and products to meet both their present and future financial needs. The bank will intensify ongoing efforts to simplify banking for every customer segment leveraging cutting-edge digital capabilities and platforms that make banking more seamless. Combining our deep local knowledge of this market with our unmatched physical presence, FirstBank customers will always have an edge over their competitors. Our rich bouquet of products and service offerings also guarantees there will always be the right product for every customer, with each customer interaction constantly made better through data-driven insights. Our “You First” brand promise to our customers is a commitment that will always keep us on our toes until every customer’s financial needs are excellently satisfied. Overall, to the customers, we commit to provide the best value proposition and deliver exceptional customer experience.

FirstBank has made good progress in positively impacting the communities where it operates. Can you speak about some of these?

At FirstBank, we are committed to nation-building and have been driving sustainable social, economic and environmental growth for over 128 years of our existence. Our community development initiatives are anchored on our strategic Education, Health and Welfare pillars. Our engagement in sustainable business practices is based on our promise of enhancing social and economic development as well as contributing to environmental sustainability for the present and future generation.

Our key programmes include Infrastructure Development programme; Endowment programme; Future First (Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship and Career Counseling); E-Learning Initiative; SPARK (Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness) and CRS Week.  First Bank Infrastructural Development programme is aimed at promoting infrastructure development under its identified areas of support. This includes providing infrastructure facilities in schools, hospitals and environmental infrastructure projects. This is in recognition of the importance of these facilities in improving the quality of life. We have built over 16 infrastructure projects which include universities and secondary and primary schools. The FutureFirst programme in partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria has impacted Over 1,000,000 people across the regions of the country including Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja with knowledge of financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Over 175,000 students have benefitted from the E-learning initiative thus far. This include 20,000 indigent students that have received free low-end devices preloaded with accredited content. SPARK which was introduced in the maiden edition of the Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability (CR&S) week in 2017 espouses reigniting our values which appear to be eroding fast.

The initiative focuses on creating and reinforcing an attitude of going beyond just meeting the material needs of people who are unable to help themselves to showing compassion, empathy, affection. In 2022, over 8 million people were impacted including students underprivileged including widows in 8 countries including United Kingdom, Ghana, DRC, Guinea, Sierra Lone, Senegal & Nigeria.  We had partnerships with over 100 Charities / NGOs including LEAP Africa; International Women Society; UNGC; UN Women; Junior Achievement Nigeria. In addition, one of our long-term approaches to sustainability includes minimising the bank’s direct and indirect impact on the environment. So, beyond our education and health interventions, the bank has been employing international best practices tools to manage risks in the lending process in accordance with our subsisting Environmental Social and Governance Management System. Over N6.2 trillion worth of transactions were screened for ESG risks. We are partnering at the moment with the National Conservation Foundation on the Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN), as part of the Bank’s climate initiative which includes driving afforestation and reforestation.