Business
Polaris Bank, Eventful Lift 3 Firms with Business Expansion Grants at The Fashion Souk
…CEO hinges business success on entrepreneurial spirit
Polaris Bank and Eventful Limited have reinforced their support for Nigeria’s Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector with three firms empowered at the just-concluded 5th Lagos Fashion Souk to further grow their businesses.
While handing the cheques to the winners, who were successful in a business pitch, Polaris Bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Innocent C. Ike, disclosed that the most important factor required by existing and budding entrepreneurs to get investors interested in their businesses is the entrepreneurial spirit.
Aside the business pitch winners, special prizes were also given to the Most Original Store and Best Decorated Store at the Fashion Souk. The winners were given equipment grants by Polaris Bank to further expand their businesses.
The overall winner of the pitch, Mrs. Oluwatosin Ogunbanjo, who runs a leather bag and shoes company, Avenue 7, got N750,000 and first runner-up, Victoria Udoh, a painting on Fabric Company, Vudoh was given N500,000 while the second runner-up, Tunde Issa, a Tailor and Founder of male clothing line company, RoyalKlassicKoutoure, went home with N250,000.
The hugely attended one-day Fashion Souk/business fair which held at the prestigious Harbour Point facility in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Sunday, provided a platform for more than 150 SMEs in Nigeria’s fashion industry to showcase their creativity, product lines, and economic potentials. Some of the SMEs categories at the fair included: manufacturers, retailers, leather and jewelry/accessories.
The objective of sponsoring the Fashion Souk according to Polaris Bank, was a reinforcement of its support to SMEs as the catalyst for propelling the growth of the Nigerian economy.
Shedding more light on how fundamental entrepreneurial spirit is for a business success, the Polaris Bank CEO said he has a habit of telling entrepreneurs that what makes the difference, “Is the creative idea that an entrepreneur has and the ability to sit down and put it together diligently in a well-articulated manner.”
He added that “Creative ideas are the only way to attract funding from banks and individuals who will like to invest in the idea because they will see clearly that it is viable. He said the only way an entrepreneur can achieve that is by sitting down and putting his thoughts together and by making sure he crosses all the T’s and dots all the I’s.”
According the Polaris Bank CEO, “When such a business proposal is presented to any investor Bank, it will be very convincing and such an entrepreneur will not get a ‘no’ for an answer.”
Earlier in her address too, Chairman of Eventful/Convener of the Event, Mrs. Yewande Zaccheus, appreciated Polaris Bank for consistently supporting SMEs in the country over the years, remarking that the Bank is not only talking but actually putting its money where its mouth is and urged the Bank to sustain the Partnership for a sustainable Fashion Souk.
Highlight of the Fashion Souk was the product launch that SMEs could leverage the Bank’s loan products like: Polaris Business Loan, Invoice Discounting facility and LPO financing among others were pitched with the participating SMEs.
The Bank has developed SME-friendly products to cater to the needs of SMEs based on sector/industry-specific, ranging from SMEs in the Health sector, Education, Manufacturing, General business, Agriculture, Export, Creative Industry, etc.”
Polaris Bank also provides business advisory at no cost while SMEs are encouraged to send in their business proposal for review via- smebusiness@polarisbanklimited.com
Aside Polaris Bank, the fashion fair also featured product launches by other top participating Fashion companies like Arami, Tara, Mobos and Zaron; as well as runways by Clatural, Aaboux/Cornocupia, Woora and Dyelab, among others.
Nigeria’s fashion sub-sector has huge and untapped potentials capable of reducing the rate of unemployment in the country. According to statistics by the Fashion Association Designers of Nigeria (FADAN), Nigeria’s fashion industry is valued at $10 billion. Africa Development Bank (AfDB) also projects the global fashion industry worth to be over $2.5 trillion with Africa’s share estimated at less than 1% of that value in 2020, putting Africa’s entire textile/clothing market at more than $31 billion.
Business
Zenith Bank Says It Now Has best IT infrastructure After Successful Upgrade, Commends Customers
Zenith Bank Says It Now Has best IT infrastructure After Successful Upgrade, Commends Customers
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Zenith Bank Plc has announced that it now boasts the best technology infrastructure in the banking industry, positioning itself to provide an exceptional customer experience and superior service delivery moving forward.
This upgrade follows a recent comprehensive technology enhancement.
The bank expressed its heartfelt gratitude to customers for their support and patience throughout the upgrade process, while also extending apologies for any inconveniences experienced during this time.
This announcement was made in a social media post on Wednesday, signed by Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, the Group Managing Director/CEO.
In her message, the GMD/CEO emphasized the bank’s commitment to delivering an unparalleled service experience, stating, “We undertook this upgrade to ensure we can offer our customers the best possible service.”
Umeoji pledged that Zenith Bank will continue to innovate, ensuring that customer needs are met swiftly, safely, and conveniently.
The post read in part: “On behalf of the Board, Management, and Staff of Zenith Bank PLC, I would like to thank you for your patience and support during our IT infrastructure migration to a new and more robust operating system.
“We are truly grateful for the trust and confidence you have placed in us. The primary reason for undertaking this extensive endeavor was to better position Zenith Bank PLC for improved service delivery to all our valued customers and to create memorable banking experiences at all our touchpoints.
“While I regret the inconveniences and challenges you faced during and immediately after our migration, I am pleased to inform you that Zenith Bank PLC now has the best technology infrastructure in the industry. We are committed to ensuring you experience superior service delivery going forward.
“Rest assured, you remain our top priority, and Zenith Bank will continue to innovate and offer value-added products and services to meet all your banking needs quickly, safely, and conveniently.”
Business
Polaris Bank Clinches “Best Mobile App” Award at Digital Jurist Awards 2024
Polaris Bank Clinches “Best Mobile App” Award at Digital Jurist Awards 2024
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Polaris Bank’s commitment to digital innovation and excellence has once again been recognized, as the Bank was awarded the prestigious “Best Mobile App” award for its renowned digital banking platform, VULTe, at the Digital Jurist Awards held October 31 at Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
This honor comes less than a week after Polaris Bank was named Nigeria’s Digital Bank of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, further solidifying its status as a leader in Nigeria’s digital banking landscape.
At the event, attended by representatives from all nominated companies, Polaris Bank’s VULTe app stood out among its peers, winning the hearts of users and the recognition of industry experts.
The Digital Jurist Awards Committee had nominated Polaris Bank in three categories: Best Website, Best Web Portal, and Best Mobile App.
The Bank’s innovative approach and customer-centric digital solutions have made it a formidable contender in each category, with VULTe’s win affirming the Bank’s continued drive to redefine digital banking in Nigeria.
Commenting on the the award, Polaris Bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Kayode Lawal expressed gratitude for the recognition and reiterated the Bank’s commitment to providing seamless, reliable, and secure digital solutions.
“This award continuously shows our dedication to delivering the best digital experiences to our customers. We will continue to push the boundaries of innovation to ensure that our platforms remain intuitive, accessible, and impactful,” he said.
Polaris Bank’s VULTe app has gained widespread acclaim for its user-friendly design, robust security features, and diverse functionalities, enabling customers to manage their banking needs from the comfort of their devices.
Winning the “Best Mobile App” award is yet another milestone in the Bank’s digital journey, reinforcing its position as a digital pioneer in Nigeria’s banking sector.
The Bank extends its gratitude to the Digital Jurist Awards Committee and its loyal customers for their continued trust and support.
Polaris Bank is committed to advancing digital banking in Nigeria, creating convenient, modern, and secure solutions that cater to the evolving needs of its customers.
Polaris Bank was adjudged Nigeria’s Digital Bank of the Year in 2024,2023, 2022 and 2021 and MSME Bank of the Year 2022, 2023 and 2024 in Business Day’s Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
Business
Access Bank Wins Best Digital, Best Website at 2024 Digital Jurist Awards
Access Bank Wins Best Digital, Best Website at 2024 Digital Jurist Awards
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Access Bank PLC has been named the 2024 Best Digital Award Winner in the Commercial Banks Category at the Digital Jurist Awards, organized by Phillips Consulting (pcl.).
L-R: Adebowale Shonekan, Head, Network Communications (Group & Subsidiaries), Access Bank Plc; Chukwudi Amadi, Team Lead, Digital Communications, Access Holdings Plc; Ezinne Nwene, Team Member, Digital Communications, Access Holdings Plc, receiving the Best Digital Commercial Bank award from Abbas Babagana, Chief Technical Officer, Federal Ministry of Communications & Digital Economy at the Digital Jurist Awards held in Lagos… recently.
In addition to this top honour, the Bank also secured the Best Website Award, achieving an impressive score of 201 points for its engaging and user-friendly digital experience. Access Bank’s cumulative score of 380 points reflects its excellence across digital touchpoints, including its website, web portal, mobile app, and social media.Commenting on the recognition, Amaechi Okobi, Chief Communications Officer of Access Holdings PLC, said, “We are honoured to receive the Best Digital and Best Website Awards at this year’s Digital Jurist Awards.
At Access, our focus on digital innovation is driven by our commitment to deliver seamless, secure, and customer-centric solutions across all touchpoints.
This recognition validates our ongoing efforts to enhance our digital platforms, making financial services more accessible and efficient for our customers.
We thank Phillips Consulting for recognising our efforts and will continue to raise the bar in digital excellence.”Phillips Consulting has long served as a development partner to Nigerian financial institutions and other organisations with an online presence.
Leveraging its proprietary Digital Jurist platform, the firm has conducted assessments of digital touchpoints in various sectors, from financial services and insurance to telecommunications and government agencies, over the past 17 years.
Originally established as Web Jurist®, the platform was reimagined as Digital Jurist to assess new and diversified digital channels in the evolving digital economy. Digital Jurist’s evaluation framework examines a range of factors, including user experience, accessibility, performance, functionality, security, customer service, support, marketing, and content engagement across digital platforms.
These awards reinforce Access Bank’s leadership in digital banking, adding to recent accolades including 2024 Best Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App by World Finance, Best Mobile Banking App and Best Digital Bank by The Digital Banker Awards, and Best Digital Banking Initiative at the Global Retail Banking Innovation Awards 2024.
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