Fidelity Bank Trains 1,276 Women in Digital and AI Skills

Fidelity Bank Trains 1,276 Women in Digital and AI Skills

As part of its commitment to empower women with relevant entrepreneurship skills, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, partnered with ImpactHER to host another round of free digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills training for businesswomen. The training, organized by ImpactHER, was held from Monday, August 19 to Friday, August 23, 2024, and successfully trained 1,276 women entrepreneurs in digital and AI.

Situating the importance of the training within Fidelity Bank’s strategy, Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development at Fidelity Bank Plc said, “Available data points to the fact that women-led small businesses account for over 40% of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. This underscores the critical role female entrepreneurs play in driving economic growth.”

“At Fidelity Bank, we believe that empowering female entrepreneurs with the relevant skills to run successful businesses would go a long way in helping individuals to grow, businesses to thrive and economies to prosper in line with our mandate.”

The online training, delivered by ImpactHER, covered various topics related to leveraging technology for successful businesses. These included “Getting Started with Email Marketing,” “How to Harness AI for Content Creation as a Small Business Owner,” and “Branding and Positioning.”

Efe Ukala, Founder of ImpactHER, explained the importance of providing free training: “Statistically, women and girls are 25% less likely to leverage digital technology for basic purposes, 4 times less likely to know how to program computers, and 13 times less likely to file for technology patents. This highlights the importance of equipping African women with digital skills that can be leveraged to scale their businesses. Data shows that Africa can add 180 billion dollars to its GDP by 2025 if we close the e-commerce digital gap. By offering this training at no cost and collaborating with supporters like Fidelity Bank to reach more women, we’re working to make these vital skills accessible to women entrepreneurs who can drive this economic growth.”

This collaboration demonstrates Fidelity Bank and ImpactHER’s commitment to providing free, high-quality training to women entrepreneurs. By combining ImpactHER’s expertise and Fidelity Bank’s network and support for small businesses, the program aims to create lasting impact in the business community.

Participants praised the free program’s practical approach and the immediate applicability of the skills learned. The success of this initiative paves the way for future collaborations aimed at empowering more women entrepreneurs across Nigeria through free, accessible training programs. The August 2024 cohort brings the number of women entrepreneurs trained under the partnership to 5,719.

Ranked as one of the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank with over 8.3 million customers serviced across its 251 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom as well as on digital banking channels.

The bank has won multiple local and international awards including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards; Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023; and Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.

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Fidelity Bank Affirms Commitment to Data Protection and Strong Corporate Governance

Fidelity Bank Affirms Commitment to Data Protection and Strong Corporate  Governance

Leading financial institution in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc, has assured its customers of unwavering commitment to upholding the highest level of ethical standards in all dealings with customer data.

The assurance comes amid allegations by the Nigerian Data Protection Agency (NDPA) against the bank relating to data breach.

While reiterating its commitment to strong corporate governance, Fidelity Bank, in a statement signed by its Divisional Head, Brand & Communications, Dr Meksley Nwagboh, maintained that it has conducted its services with highest ethical standards by ensuring full compliance with extant laws on data protection.

Giving a breakdown of its dealings with the NDPC since it received a letter of the alleged data breach, the bank stated that “on April 30th, 2023, we received a notice of investigation from the Nigerian Data Protection Agency (NDPA), now the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC). The investigation was in respect of a complaint from [name has been withheld to protect the identity of the complainant] who claimed that [name withheld] details were used to open an account in the bank without [name withheld] consent.

“Based on this notice, we conducted an internal investigation into the circumstances around the claim and discovered as follows:

“An account opening request was received online in the name of [name withheld], and an email was sent to the email address attached to the request informing them about this.

“In compliance with our Data Protection policy, accounts created online without full documentation are not allowed to be operational and are closed after 30 days if the outstanding documents are not provided to authenticate the identity of the person seeking to open the account.

“In compliance with our data protection laws, the account was not allowed to be operational as the passport photograph and BVN were not provided.

“The account was immediately placed on “Post No Debit” status as the applicant was expected to complete the account opening process by providing the outstanding documents for verification within 30 days. This was not done, and the account was eventually closed.

“On May 2nd, 2023, we responded to the NDPC that the bank did not violate any law because there was no data breach and that the account opening process was not completed. On our part, we carried out due diligence by immediately blocking the account and subsequently closing the account when we did not receive the outstanding documents.

“At no point in the process was the account ever operational.

“On July 7th, 2023, we were invited for a Pre-Action meeting with NDPC. During the meeting, we restated our position as earlier communicated to them in our letter dated May 2nd.

“However, despite our explanation and evidence provided to support our claim, the agency informed us that they had reached a conclusion to impose a penalty on the bank.

“On 5th December of 2023, we got a letter from NDPC demanding we pay a ‘remedial fee’ of N250 million within 21 days.

“We immediately commenced another round of engagements with the Commission as we were convinced. We had not breached any extant law or regulation.

“While discussions were still ongoing with the NDPC, we received another letter on the 20th of August demanding that we now pay N555.8m naira.

“As a responsible financial organization with a history of strong corporate governance standards, we remain committed to the due process of the law, and we wish to assure all our customers of our unwavering commitment to upholding the highest level of ethical standards in all our dealings with customer data.

“Our commitment to strong corporate governance has earned us local and international recognition, including the prestigious CG+ award. This is the highest rank under the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), which evaluates listed companies against established best practices and standards.

“As a bank, we remain in discussions with the NDPC over an amicable resolution to this matter.”

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STOP ASSOCIATING IPOB & ESN TO THE AUTOPILOT CRIMINALS; IPOB WARNS ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT

STOP ASSOCIATING IPOB & ESN TO THE AUTOPILOT CRIMINALS; IPOB WARNS ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT

The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by the great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu wish to debunk the fabricated and fallacious news peddled by the Enugu State Governor's media office where they claim that the Nigerian Police neutralized 27 kidnapping gangs of ESN members loyal to the Finland based buffoon at various locations in Enugu State. The claim is not only false but also a cheap propaganda against IPOB and ESN. 

According to the report in the Sahara Report and other media houses in the zoo, the Enugu State Governor's Media office claimed that the Nigerian Police neutralised 27 criminals and kidnappers within two weeks at various locations in the State. 

The Nigerian Police and Enugu Government said that some of the neutralized criminals are pro-Biafra agitators loyal to the Finland based double agent. 

Then why did they turn around and associate these  criminals with  the noble IPOB family? 

In the usual malicious intent of the Nigerian governmental bodies ways, the police claimed that the so-called neutralized criminals were ESN Operatives loyal to Autopilot IPOB. For a long time, IPOB has maintained that there is nothing like Autopilot in IPOB.

Moreso, the criminal gang leader in Finland has no relationship with ESN from the formation of ESN to date or with IPOB. The criminals and kidnappers have nothing in common with IPOB, ESN, and the Biafra struggle. The Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mba and the Nigeria Police in Enugu State should stop being maliciously mischievous. They should stop the unnecessary blackmail against IPOB and call the criminals by their name. Already, the criminals captured said where they belong, and it is not with the IPOB's Eastern Security Network (ESN).

We are warning the Enugu State Governor's Media office to desist from linking ESN and IPOB to the self acclaimed Autopilot leader, a double agent in Finland, and his criminals in Enugu, and anywhere else in Biafra Land. All ESN Operatives are under the command of the Directorate of States (DOS) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). There are no ESN operatives loyal to the Nigerian government's double agent in Finland. 

IPOB has no faction nor any affiliates. If not IPOB, it's not IPOB.

The group by themselves have stated that they do not belong to IPOB and ESN, why is the Nigerian government and her murderous Security Forces forcing them on IPOB and keep associating them with IPOB and ESN.

ESN Operatives don't get involved in any criminal activities. They are disciplined vigilantees who are strictly focused on their mandate of dislodging the Fulani terrorists nicknamed herdsmen from destroying our farmers and farmlands. Biafrans can testify that ever since the ESN was formed, ESN Operatives have never been involved in  crimes, nor have they threatened the peace and security of Biafrans that they vowed to protect. 

The Nigeria government and her murderous Security Agencies should stop blackmailing IPOB and ESN by associating our hallowed ESN with the autopilot gang and their leader. 

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1,500 Osun Residents Benefit from Fidelity Food Bank Outreach

1,500 Osun Residents Benefit from Fidelity Food Bank Outreach

Over 1,500 residents made up of women, children, widows, and the elderly have benefited from the one-day feeding program organized by Fidelity Bank in Osun State.

The food bank project was held at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Osogbo, Osun State under the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative created to reach out to vulnerable persons and reduce the effect of hunger in the society.

Speaking at the distribution event, the Divisional Head, Brand and Communication, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh, described the Food Bank Initiative as the bank’s contribution towards helping the less privileged in the society.

Highlighting the bank's commitment to supporting the underserved communities in its outreach efforts in the Osogbo and environs, he noted that, “Food security is a pressing challenge, and as a socially responsible organization, we are committed to tackling this issue. We collaborate with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to identify communities in dire need and provide much-needed food support.

According to Nwagboh, “There is always a significant turnout of people during our Food Bank outreaches. This program holds every month, and the distribution of the food packs takes place simultaneously across all regions of the country. Today, we brought over 1,500 packs of food items to be distributed to the people and plan to continue to do more in communities across the country to help those in need.”

Applauding the initiative by Fidelity Bank, Reverend Father Michael Domingo of St. Benedict Catholic Church, Osogbo stated that, “It is surprising and commendable that a bank in Nigeria is giving back to the community.  We are aware that banks are known for taking, but Fidelity Bank is giving back to the people.

“The Fidelity Food Bank initiative is worthy of emulation which is why the Catholic Church has a working relationship with the Bank. We recognize its uniqueness and appreciate how it helps the community."

On his part. Reverend Father Joseph Komolafe, the host priest, encouraged affluent individuals to follow Fidelity Bank's example in combating hunger adding that, "You don't have to wait until you have plenty before you give out. Share what you have, no matter how little, for the progress and development of society," he stated.

The Fidelity Food Bank Initiative continues to make a significant impact, providing vital support to those in need and reinforcing the bank's commitment to social responsibility.

Ranked as one of the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank with over 8.3 million customers serviced across its 251 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom as well as on digital banking channels.

The bank has won multiple local and international awards including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 Business day Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards; Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023; and Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.

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Fidelity Bank Partners Lagos State to Plant 20,000 Trees

Fidelity Bank Partners Lagos State to Plant 20,000 Trees

As part of initiatives under its Environment Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillar, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has partnered with the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) to launch a tree planting drive.

 

Through the collaboration, Fidelity Bank will support LASPARK to plant 20,000 trees in the state by July 2025 as part of its strategy to combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13. 

 

Speaking at a tree planting exercise put together to launch the partnership in Alausa, Ikeja recently, the Divisional Head, Brand and Communications at Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh noted that, “Environmental preservation is a key driver of our CSR focus at Fidelity Bank, and partnering with LASPARK aligns with our sustainability objectives. 

 

“We believe that protecting the earth is a shared responsibility, and LASPARK’s commitment to this cause makes them an ideal partner for this project. This initiative is not a one-time event, it is a continuation of our ongoing efforts to drive sustainable and best practices. We are committed to ensuring that our environment is protected in the long-term”. 

 

Expressing her gratitude for the newly birthed partnership with Fidelity Bank, the General Manager, LASPARK, Adetoun Popoola, noted that “Fidelity Bank has been a committed partner over the years, and the agency’s dual mandate is to beautify Lagos and combat the effects of climate change through tree planting.

 

“We are grateful as this is not just a one-off collaboration, but a continuous relationship that we will continue to nurture. Tree planting plays a critical role in the state’s climate action and resilience plan and our target for this year is to plant 20,000 trees by July 14, 2025.

 

"This initiative with Fidelity Bank contributes to that goal, and we are dedicated to planting trees until we meet and exceed this target. The broader objectives of the Lagos State Government is to combat the negative effects of climate change, and tree planting is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to do that.

 

Besides the tree planting exercise, Fidelity Bank actively supports environmental conservation through several initiatives across the country. These include the maintenance and beautification of gardens, parks and roundabouts; donation of recycling bins to secondary schools and solar and inverter systems to institutions. The bank is also a key partner of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). 

 

“The partnership between Fidelity Bank and LASPARK represents a shared vision for a greener, more sustainable Lagos and it is a testament to the power of collaboration in the fight against climate change and the preservation of the environment for future generations,” added Popoola. 

 

Ranked as one of the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank with over 8.3 million customers serviced across its 251 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom as well as on digital banking channels.

 

The bank has won multiple local and international awards including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards; Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023; and Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.

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