FirstBank restates commitment to Women Empowerment

Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider, First Bank of Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to empowering women across the country.

The Managing Director of FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, in commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrated recently, said the financial institution was committed to ensuring gender parity and enabling women in the workforce to reach their full potential.

He said this over the weekend at the first anniversary celebration of FirstBank’s Women Network/ IWD in Lagos.

The bank CEO said the FirstBank Women Network is one of the initiatives created to ensure equal opportunities for women in the workplace and to help them leverage opportunities presented by enabling them to contribute more if given the necessary strategic support and an intentionally enabling environment.

Adeduntan further explained that: “FirstBank recognises the fact that gender parity is an essential factor for influencing the advancement of institutions, economies and societies hence its commitment to promoting same and equipping women for senior and executive management positions.

“Last year, we launched this Network on the International Women’s Day. This was so because the activities of the network are at par with the essence of the International Women’s Day celebration.

“In different regions around the world, the focus of the celebration includes equality, total respect, appreciation and love towards women for their achievements and invaluable contributions to human growth and development.

“The emphasis for this year’s celebration is on the fact that an equal world is an enabled world – #EachforEqual. Each one of us is therefore charged with the responsibility to promote a gender equal world.”

He further added that FirstBank has its key positions occupied by women. The position of the Board Chairman is one good example, he added.

“Our recent appointments in the last year have seen more women in leadership positions. They are the Group Executive, Corporate Banking Group, Energy & Infrastructure; Group Head, Banking Operations & Services; Group Head, Commercial Banking Group; Chief Technology Officer, FBN Bank Ghana and Congo; Chief Risk Officer, FBN Bank Congo; Head, Procurement and Head, First Academy.

“We will keep promoting an enabling environment for our women to thrive and help them reach their maximum potentials, especially career-wise.

“I therefore urge everyone of us present, male and female, to make a conscious effort to create an enabling world by promoting a gender-equal world”.

Also, the Group Executive, Energy and Infrastructure, Mrs Bashrirat Odumewu and Group Head, Human Capital Management Development Ms. Rosie Ebe-Arthur, “the FirstBank Women Network was created to empower ourselves to be able to achieve more.