The Fourth Edition of the Zenith Bank Tech Fair, tagged “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI”, is set to hold on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

The fair will showcase leading technologicalinnovations that cut across Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Compliance, Financial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, and Communication Technologies, among others. The event will also feature a Start-up Pitch Competition – Zecathon – to identify innovative startups, panel discussions, masterclasses and exhibitions.

Among the rich lineup of activities, the event will feature opening remarks by Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank and a welcome address by Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. There will also be a goodwill message to be delivered by the Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Kashim Shettima and the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu. The keynote address, “Banking Transformation in a Digital World “, will be delivered by Robin Speculand, a renowned Strategy & Digital Implementation Specialist. Other prominent IT practitioners who represent top global brands will make presentations. These include; Danillo McGarry, Global Expert in Digital Transformation & AI; JaniaOkwechime, Partner, Africa, AI & Data, Deloitte and Rupert Nicolay, Director, Microsoft Worldwide Financial Services, amongst others.

The panel discussion which has Wole Odeyele, Client Technology Lead for Microsoft Inc. as its host, will feature six discussants including Ada Jabaru, Founder & Director, Nistad Limited; Funke Opeke, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; Guy Futi, Chief Executive Officer, Orda; Dr Auwal Adam Sa’ad, Founder, ZamzamPay; Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Engr. BisoyeCoker-Odusote, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The masterclass will be divided into seven (7) different classes, and facilitated by key industry players that cut across renowned tech giants such as: Microsoft, Oracle, CyberSoc, IBM, Google, Huawei & Amazon Web Services.

To register and participate, visit www.zenithbank.com/techfair. The fair will be live on Zoom and streamed on the bank’s social media pages.

An exceptional affirmation to Moniepoint’s unparalleled contributions to Nigeria’s financial services sector came in the form of two distinguished accolades, at the prestigious 2023 Brandcom Awards. Moniepoint Inc. received critical acclaim as it earned the “Award for the Most Outstanding Fintech Company in Financial Inclusion,” while Moniepoint Microfinance Bank secured the “Award for the Most Outstanding Microfinance Bank in Consumer Engagement.” These accolades signpost the company’s remarkable commitment to enhancing financial inclusion and delivering outstanding services to its customers.

Now in its fifth year, the 2023 Brandcom Awards ceremony, held in a glitzy event at the Civic Centre, Lagos, brought together the crème de la crème of the marketing and communications industry. Brands, agencies, and notable players that have pushed the boundaries of creativity and innovation were recognized for their remarkable achievements with Moniepoint’s double win, a firm and unvarnished testament to the brand’s unwavering dedication to powering dreams for businesses and individuals while creating a society where everyone experiences financial happiness.

As the “Most Outstanding Fintech Company in Financial Inclusion,” Moniepoint Inc. continues to lead the way in making financial services accessible to all, particularly those in underserved and remote areas of Nigeria. It operates the largest distribution network for financial services in Nigeria through its subsidiaries, and has been awarded by the CBN in 2022 as the most inclusive payment platform in the country even as over 33 million people use their cards on Moniepoint’s POS terminals monthly across every local government in Nigeria.

Moniepoint Microfinance Bank’s recognition as the “Most Outstanding Microfinance Bank in Consumer Engagement” underscores the bank’s commitment to delivering exceptional services and ensuring that its customer obsessive culture remains at the core of its operations. By prioritizing consumer engagement and satisfaction, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank has been able to build trust and long-lasting relationships with customers while driving enhanced due diligence and innovative security solutions to engender compliance in the financial services value chain.

Commenting on the awards, Didi Uwemakpan, Vice President, Brands and Communications, Moniepoint Inc., expressed her gratitude and shared her vision for the future. “We are honored to receive these awards, which provide validation for the work that we do every day in providing innovative financial services, fostering inclusion and powering the dreams of millions. This is only the beginning as we will double down on delivering exceptional value to our customers via innovative products and services, leverage technology in more exciting ways to create engaging touchpoints in ways that redefine the banking experience and generally continue making a significant impact in the global financial services landscape.”

According to the convener of Brandcom Awards and publisher of Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi, “This recognition encompasses various aspects of consumer interaction, such as financial education, customer service, digital banking offerings, accessibility, responsiveness to customer needs, and community involvement, among others. Amongst all other nominated Fintech brands, our distinguished panel of assessors made up of experts and seasoned marketing and communications professionals came to the conclusion that Moniepoint stood head above shoulders among others in this category to emerge winner, considering that it has played a pivotal role in advancing financial inclusion by providing innovation and accessible financial solutions to underserved or unbanked individuals and communities in Nigeria. This award reflects Moniepoint’s commitment to addressing the financial needs of marginalized populations, reducing financial inequalities, and fostering economic empowerment. It has been our culture to celebrate and showcase excellence at our awards night each year based on our mantra of Prestige, Integrity, and Credibility”.

Moniepoint MFB, recently received the prestigious Rising Star Family Business Award Pwc/Businessday 2023 Family Business Summit while Moniepoint Inc was listed for the second year running amongst the 100 most promising private fintech companies by CB Insights and the reputable Financial Times named it Africa’s second fastest-growing company.

In furtherance to its leading role in providing innovative financialsolutions in Nigeria, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier financial institution and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the launch of a Humanoid Robot, the firstof its kind in the financial services space in Nigeria. The robot is equipped with Video Banking and Artificial Intelligence (AI), taking on the role of a friendly branch staff.

The Humanoid Robot can engage customers in conversations as well as through a touch screen strapped to his chest. The services performed by the robot include responding to customer enquiries on cash deposits, withdrawals and ATM cards. The robot also aids complaint management as customers can log a complaint via QR with feedback generated within the advised time. 

The Humanoid Robot also keeps customers up to date with happenings about the Bank, including products launch and upgrades designed to strengthen the customer experience and satisfaction. The robot is a one-stop point to keep customers informed about the Bank. It also effectively manages customers’ accounts.

Expressing his delight at the initiative, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, the CEO of FirstBank Group noted that “the addition of the Humanoid Robot to our state-of-the-art Digital Experience Centre represents a purposeful stride towards transforming the banking landscape in the country and further showcases the priority we give to innovation within the Bank. With its advanced capabilities, the robot is designed to elevate the quality of our customers’ lives in today’s rapidly evolving digital world. Our unwavering dedication to delivering unparalleled banking services remains steadfast, as we leave no stone unturned in innovating to fulfil our customers’ needs.” he concluded.

The introduction of the Humanoid Robot is among the phased configuration of the Bank’s state-of-the-art digitally led self-service branch called Digital Experience Centre, launched in December 2021.

Another Humanoid Robot will also be deployed in the Bank’s next and second Digital Experience Centre, soon to be announced in the coming months.