FirstBank Partners UN Women to Advance Investment, Growth

Nume Ekeghe

In a bid to bolster economic empowerment for women, FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has affirmed its dedication to supporting women in achieving financial success.

Head of Sustainability Media and External Relations at FirstBank Group, Ismail Omamegbe stated this during the Women Empowerment Webinar jointly organised by FirstBank Group and United Nations Women, monitored in Lagos.

Themed, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” the collaborative webinar underscored the pivotal role of empowering women in societal advancement. It emphasized the significance of investing in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities as catalysts for progress, pivotal to fostering economic growth and gender equality.

Omamegbe highlighted that FirstBank’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment extended beyond the provision of financial products. The bank is actively engaged in implementing programs and initiatives geared toward supporting women. He outlined the bank’s six-point diversity and inclusion strategy, comprising business rationale, senior leadership support, effective communication, employee engagement, accountability mechanisms, and progress tracking.

Additionally, Omamegbe emphasized that diversity and inclusion are integral pillars of FirstBank Group’s sustainability strategic focus areas, alongside health, education, sustainable procurement, responsible lending, and climate performance.

He noted that FirstBank, as a signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), has reinforced its commitment to women’s empowerment across its operations and activities, aligning with its business philosophy.

Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Ebonylife Media, Mrs. Mo Abudu, shared insights from her journey to progress, urging women to invest in themselves and leverage available resources to accelerate their advancement. She emphasized the importance of personal branding, stating,

Country Representative to UN Women Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, commended FirstBank for its efforts in promoting gender diversity, particularly in top managerial positions. She emphasized the importance of achieving gender balance in decision-making roles for sustainable development, urging for equitable representation of both men and women.