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Sekibo Urges Govt., Stakeholders to Prioritise SMEs, Youth Entrepreneurship

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Sekibo Urges Govt., Stakeholders to Prioritise SMEs, Youth Entrepreneurship 

L-R: Preye Ojeme, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Manager, Maitama, Abuja; Daniel Oniko Regional Head Abuja 1; Dr. Bayo Olugbemi, President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Isaiah Ediae, Experience Centre Manager, Algiers Wuse; Dab Okosun, staff of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Efehi Cole, Experience Centre Manager, Garki, during the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” held in Abuja.

L-R: Preye Ojeme, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Manager, Maitama, Abuja; Daniel Oniko Regional Head Abuja 1; Dr. Bayo Olugbemi, President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Isaiah Ediae, Experience Centre Manager, Algiers Wuse; Dab Okosun, staff of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Efehi Cole, Experience Centre Manager, Garki, during the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” held in Abuja.

L-R: Edison Okoro, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Manager, Herbert Macaulay, Abuja; Dr. Uche Olowo; Immediate past President/Chairman of Council, CIBN; Daniel Oniko Regional Head Abuja 1; Isaiah Ediae, Experience Centre Manager, Algiers Wuse and Blessing Eyo, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Associate, during the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” held in Abuja.

L-R: Edison Okoro, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Manager, Herbert Macaulay, Abuja; Dr. Uche Olowo; Immediate past President/Chairman of Council, CIBN; Daniel Oniko Regional Head Abuja 1; Isaiah Ediae, Experience Centre Manager, Algiers Wuse and Blessing Eyo, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Associate, during the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” held in Abuja.

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Bridging the gap to attain sustainable solutions to economic recovery will be the most impactful route to drive lasting and meaningful growth; for this to be achieved, creation of opportunities, conscious inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises and youth entrepreneurship are crucial.

MD/CEO of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo gave this submission on the sidelines of the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance.”

According to him, one of the key areas where government, financial institutions and other stakeholders can move this nation from poverty to prosperity is through conscious creation of viable environment for small businesses and young entrepreneurs to thrive because they are the backbone of local economies around the world – they happen to be the biggest employers, job creators and contributors of the national gross domestic products.

“We cannot talk about moving from poverty to prosperity without taking SMEs very seriously in this country.

“We must support the SMEs sector reform through providing infrastructure, providing loans to farmers and ensuring interest rate loans is single digit,” he affirmed.

Sekibo who was represented at the conference by the Regional Head Abuja-1, Daniel Oniko, stated that giving SMEs and young entrepreneurs leverage to contribute immensely to the development of their host community through engaging the youths and unemployed individuals will bring about and facilitate economic recovery.

He emphasized that the role of SMEs in creating and sustaining national development in relation to job creation has been considered a key tool in modern-day poverty alleviation, economic emancipation, and total well-being.

The MD, however disclosed, “One of Heritage Bank’s major cardinal point as a bank is supporting micro, small and medium scale businesses and our strong desire to see young men and women succeed in any area of their business.

This will help the society and economy to grow, thereby moving the nation from poverty to prosperity, he added.

He noted that Heritage Bank was taking the lead through various initiatives such as its youth entrepreneurship development programmes which were aimed at increasing the contributions of the MSME segment to the economy.

He further explained that the entrepreneur schemes of the bank in the support for business had always focused on dependable job-creating sectors such as the agricultural value chain: fish farming, poultry, snail farming, etc., cottage industry, mining and solid minerals, creative industry: tourism, arts and crafts, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).Speaking earlier, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said emerging challenges require that the banking and finance sector takes on more transformative projects such as housing and renewable energy.

The VP acknowledged that the banking and finance sector has over the years played significant roles in the nation’s economic development.

According to the Vice President, “it is time for the sector to take on some of the transformative big-ticket items that would fundamentally transform our economy. Such matters include consumer finance but housing finance.

“In his goodwill message, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele stated that the banking sector remained well positioned to support the recovery efforts of the monetary and fiscal authorities. “Clearly, Nigeria’s banks have become not only strong and resilient but have also carved a good niche in the world to consolidate on the growth and resilience of the banks in the last decades”, he added.

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UBA Champions Youth Empowerment through Graduate Programme, Employs 398 Across Africa.

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

African’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), held the second edition of its expanded Graduate Management Acceleration Programme (GMAP) class of 2024, where 398 young Africans were inducted into the UBA Tribe after a rigorous six-month hands-on-work and learning experience.

The event, which was held in a grand ceremony in Eko Hotel, Lagos on Thursday, was graced by esteemed guests, the UBA management, faculty members, mentors, and the graduating cla

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), held the second edition of its expanded Graduate Management Acceleration Programme (GMAP) class of 2024, where 398 young Africans were inducted into the UBA Tribe after a rigorous six-month hands-on-work and learning experience.

The event, which was held in a grand ceremony in Eko Hotel, Lagos on Thursday, was graced by esteemed guests, the UBA management, faculty members, mentors, and the graduating class.

The graduands are from six African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.

Addressing the gathering, UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, who congratulated all the graduates, expressed profound pride and admiration for their success having completed the intense capacity-building programme, combining learning with on-the-job training experience, garnered while rotating across several departments and units in the bank.

Elumelu took time to highlight the bank’s passion for youth empowerment in Africa, while bridging the unemployment gap, which according to him, remains one of the greatest challenges of the continent.

“For me these young UBA Graduates are a testament to who we are: a truly pan-African Group, that invests in African talent.This milestone is more than just numbers. It signifies UBA’s commitment to youth empowerment. Unemployment is the greatest challenge we face – a tragic and cruel betrayal of a generation. We know governments alone cannot create all the jobs we need – so it is up to us, the African private sector, to partner our government in improving lives and livelihoods. This is Africapitalism, and it is gratifying to see UBA play its part. UBA is dedicated to creating a positive impact, through the GMAP programme UBA is creating employment, boosting economic growth, and transforming lives across Africa,” Group Chairman said.

Continuing, he said, “At UBA, identifying these young ones, bringing them to the centre, training them, equipping them for the future and the task ahead, not just for a career in UBA, but wherever they end up remains our passion, because this is how we play our role as a Pan-African bank, in helping to empower the next generation, which is the African youth. We are helping to create employment and this for us is our driving force.”

Earlier in his speech, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, commended the graduating class for their unwavering commitment and emphasized the program’s role in cultivating the next generation of UBA leaders.

“Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment have been nothing short of inspiring. Each of you has demonstrated the qualities of a true UBA ambassador, and today, we celebrate not just your achievements but also the collective strength of our UBA family.

While recognizing the invaluable support extended by families and friends, the GMD said, “Let us take a moment to express our deepest appreciation for their steadfast support as the invaluable support of your families and friends throughout this journey. Their love, encouragement, and understanding have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in your success.”

UBA’s Group Head, Human Resources, Modupe Akindele, said the bank remains committed to nurturing talent and leadership within the organisation. She noted that the GMAP programme, which marked its second graduation will be a continuous initiative, as it culminates an intensive journey towards leadership excellence.

“Already, the programme has graduated over 1,100 graduates, that is about 700 in 2023 and now we have 398 graduates. The fact remains that at UBA, we believe in equal opportunity for all, regardless of age, tribe, gender, or background; and so, we will continue to pursue our dream to nurture these young ones to their full potential,” she added.

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-five million customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points, in 20 African countries and across 4 continents.

With presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France and more recently the United Arab Emirates, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services.

Picture 1: l-r: Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi; Group Head, Human Capital Management, Modupe Akindele; Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba; Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu; Group Head, Customer Experience, Michele Nwoga; Executive Directors, Ugo Nwaghodoh and Alex Alozie flanked by graduands of Graduate Management Accelerated Programme(GMAP) of United Bank for Africa(UBA), held in Lagos on Thursday

Picture 2: l-r: Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi; Group Head, Human Capital Management, Modupe Akindele; Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba; Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu; Group Head, Customer Experience, Michele Nwoga; Executive Directors, Ugo Nwaghodoh and Alex Alozie flanked by graduands of Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) of United Bank for Africa(UBA), held in Lagos on Thursday

Picture 3: l-r: Group Treasurer, Stephen Amangbo(1st from Left) ; Executive Director, Alex Alozie(3rd from left); Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi(5th from left); Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu(middle); Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba(9th from left); Executive Directors, Ugo Nwaghodoh(11thfrom left); Group Head, Human Capital Management, Modupe Akindele(12 from left); and Company Secretary, Bili Odum, flanked by graduands of Graduate Management Accelerated Programme(GMAP) of United Bank for Africa(UBA), held in Lagos on Thursday

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Access Bank Advocates for Innovative Financing Models to Realise SDGs

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

At the 2024 Medic West Africa Event, organised by ABCHealth in collaboration with Informa Markets, Access Bank reaffirmed its dedication to fostering positive transformation in healthcare across Africa.

L-R: Mories Atoki, Chief Executive Officer, ABCHealth; Jane Ike-Okoli, Head of Specialised Sectors Business & Commercial Banking, Stanbic IBTC; Ralph Opara, Group Head, Commercial Banking Division (Lagos 2), Access Bank PLC; Odunayo Sanyo, Executive Director, MTN Foundation; Ibironke Akinmade, Group Head, Health Finance, Sterling Bank, and Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation at the 2024 Medic West Africa Event hosted by ABCHealth in partnership with Informa Markets in Lagos…recently.

The event, which served as a platform for stakeholders across industries deliberate on the theme ‘Healthcare Investments in Africa: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Drive Healthcare Investments in Africa,’ aimed to chart a path through which corporates can leverage innovative financing models and strategic partnerships in fostering the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The discussions also explored strategies for strengthening healthcare infrastructure, leveraging technological advancements, as well as enhancing community health initiatives.

Lending his voice to the conversation, Ralph Opara, Group Head, Commercial Banking Division at Access Bank Plc, stressed that, “The government can’t carry the burden of the health sector alone. Hence, it is imperative that the private sector explores and implements innovative financing models and strategic partnerships to bridge the healthcare investment gap.”

Opara noted that collaborative effort between the public and private sectors is not only crucial but essential to driving innovation, improving healthcare accessibility, and ensuring sustainable development across the continent.

Walking the talk on partnerships, Access Bank partnered with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), to launch the Adopt-A-Health Facility Program (ADHFP) with the primary aim of delivering, at least, one global standard Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in each of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria. So far, the initiative has resulted into over 180 PHCs adopted across the country.

Other notable participants at the event include Mories Atoki, CEO, ABCHealth; Jane Ike-Okoli, Head of Specialised Sectors Business & Commercial Banking, Stanbic IBTC; Odunayo Sanyo, Executive Director, MTN Foundation; Ibironke Akinmade, Group Head, Health Finance, Sterling Bank, and Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation.

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Transcorp Hotels Breaks All-time Revenue Record in Q1 2024, Achieves 844% PAT Growth

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Transcorp Hotels Plc, the hospitality subsidiary of one of Africa’s leading, listed conglomerates Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), has sustained its remarkable financial performance as shown in its released Q1 2024 unaudited financial statements, for the period ended March 31, 2024.


The company recorded a 72% increase in revenue to N13.8 billion compared with N8 billion reported in Q1 2023.  


Highlights of Transcorp Hotels Q1 2024 Results
Q1 2024 RevenueN13.8 billion, up 72%, in comparison with N8 billion reported in Q1 2023.


Profit before Tax rose by 568%, amounting to N6 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N911.6 million during the same period last year.


Profit after Tax grew by 844 % year-on-year to N5 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N531 million in the same period last year.


Occupancy grew to 82% in Q1 2024, up from 75% in Q1 2023.


Commenting on the Q1 results, Oluwatobiloba Ojediran, the Chief Financial Officer said, “This outstanding performance highlights the continuous improvement we have recorded in all parts of our business, and how our operational efficiency has given us a competitive edge.

We have continued to break our own revenue records and outperform industry performance on all indices”.  
Transcorp Hotels Plc Managing Director/CEO, Dupe Olusola said, “Our excellent first quarter performance marks the beginning of another great year for our company.

We broke our all-time monthly revenue record in March, a demonstration of our commitment to excellence and superior performance.

We leveraged opportunities across our segments for continuous growth. Demand in our International Business Travel and leisure segments remained strong in Q1 2024, delivering an industry-leading revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 74% and profit growth in excess of 844%”.


“We assure our stakeholders that we will continue to deliver exceptional value and leverage innovative tactics to rapidly expand our business portfolio.”

About Transcorp Hotels Plc 
Transcorp Hotels Plc is the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), one of Africa’s leading, listed companies with strategic investments in the power, hospitality, and energy sectors.

Transcorp Hotels is redefining hospitality standards in Africa through its businesses, including the iconic Transcorp Hilton, Nigeria’s flagship hospitality destination, and digital platform, Aura by Transcorp Hotels. www.transcorphotelsplc.com 

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