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Heritage Bank’s 8 years journey of entrenching business of banking in Nigeria

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4 years ago

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Today marks a worthy milestone in the life of one of the fastest growing financial service provider, Heritage Bank Plc as it celebrates eight (8) years of entrenching seamless service delivery in the business of banking in Nigeria.

This is a journey that began eight (8) years ago, premised on passion, commitment, doggedness, culture and hard work amongst others, stands today as a reputable financial organisation in the Nigeria banking space.

The story began in 2012; a story of hard work and determination when Heritage Bank Plc emerged from a business combination of Heritage Banking Company Limited (HBCL) and Enterprise Bank Limited (EBL) after the acquisition of SocieteGenerale of Nigeria’s (SGBN) license by IEI Investment Ltd from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) having met all requirements by Nigeria’s apex bank.

 

Heritage Bank returned 100% of existing SGBN account holders’ funds which were frozen at the closure of the SGBN. This move brought a lot of smiles to the faces of former account holders and inspired many of them to open new accounts with Heritage Bank. In October 2014, Heritage Banking Company Ltd successfully met the requirements of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the CBN toward owning 100% shares in Enterprise Bank Ltd., after a highly competitive bid process. This development firmly anchors the Heritage Bank in a rich legacy of technology and innovation in the banking industry. SGBN, which was incorporated in December 1976 and commenced full banking operations in August 1977, pioneered the introduction of e-banking services including its flagship, the 24/7 Cashpoint through the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in 1990.

 

With a management focused on innovation through technology and a unique philosophy to create, preserve and transfer wealth to its customers, Heritage Bank found itself in a fiercely competitive banking environment but it remained guided by passion, resilience, innovation and a brand architecture that exuded quality service, performance and sheer excellence.

Still, as big a move as it was, it remained just one of the many strategic moves to change the banking industry and Heritage Bank has made a lot of them and attains giant strides in reshaping the economy since it began operations in 2013 to drive improved investment outcome and job creation.

Success stories of entrenching business of banking in Nigeria:

 

As a catalytic financial institution, Heritage Bank, through its strategic partnerships with government and private organisations, has continued to make efforts to transforming the nation’s economy through championing entrepreneurial schemes for businesses and the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector was not left out, which have always focused on dependable job-creating sectors, such as education, agricultural value chain (fish farming, poultry, snail farming), cottage industry, mining and solid minerals, creative industry (tourism, arts and crafts), and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

 

In recent times, the bank’s response to dealing with the global economic challenge occasioned by COVID-19, which highly impacted SMEs, Heritage Bank PLC has continued to deepen its support to young entrepreneurs in Nigeria to grow their businesses either as start-ups or prospective business owners.

 

One of such is the last Season of the reality TV show The Next Titan, themed “The Unstoppable” that was designed to search for business ideas that are immune to any pandemic, innovations that break boundaries and technologies that can survive any lockdown. This programme produced a young vibrant entrepreneur, graduate of the Federal University of Technology Owerri with a Bachelor Degree in Environmental Science who is the Chief Executive Officer of Josult Oil Processing Company, a palm oil processing company in Akwa Ibom State, Joshua Joseph Idiong, as he finally emerged the winner of the Next Titan Season-7, going home with a whooping sum of N10million. Furthermore, Heritage Bank PLC in partnership with Honourable Fatima Mohammed (FAMO) Foundation also provided succor to over 300 affected private school teachers and small medium enterprises (SMEs).

 

Heritage Bank has continued to blaze the trial on the SME’s space to empower young entrepreneurs in such schemes as the HB Innovation Lab Accelerator programme (HB-LAB), Ynspyre Account, Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YIEDP), Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) on Young Entrepreneurship Business Training Programme (YEBTP), Young Entrepreneurs and Students (YES) Grant and Nigerian Youth Professional Forum (NYPF), Big Brother Nigeria, Lagos Comic Con, among others.

Last year witnessed the Launch of the Nationwide Dukia-Heritage Bank Gold & Precious Metals which stands to create new opportunities for Nigeria to grow its potential reserves of 200 million ounces of gold.

 

The Nationwide Dukia-Heritage Bank Gold & Precious Metals Buying Centre will fast-track 10per cent contribution of mining sector to GDP by 2026. Referring to this giant strides, Prof. YemiOsinbajo remarked that the launch of this project between Heritage Bank and ‘Dukia Gold SPV’ would enable Nigeria to mine reserves properly, trade responsibly, refine locally and boost the nation’s foreign reserves.

 

Heritage Bank has continued to support Nigeria’s aspiration and roadmap to become a leading Information Communication Technology (ICT) Hub in Africa, The Bank doled out the sum of $40, 000 grants to winners of the maiden edition of HB Innovative Lab.

The bank’s commitment is to create enabling environment, resources and support required to innovate and accelerate impactful solutions with the potential to radically improve financial inclusion/intermediation, health, automobile, agriculture, and other related problems affecting critical sectors of the economy.

 

For the bank’s giant stride of support to tourism, Federal Government commended Heritage Bank for its commitment to the development and growth of the creative industry.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the commendation at a two-day Creative Nigeria Summit.

The bank, aimed at boosting Nigeria’s tourism via creative arts industry supported the sponsorship of exhibition at the National Museum Benin, at the Exhibition Gallery of National Museum Benin by the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), in collaboration with the Edo State Government, and the Smithsonian Institute, United States of America.

 

Also, efforts are being taken by Heritage Bank Plc and the River State government during the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) to make art and culture a unifying factor and major earner to the contribution of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

Heritage Bank Plc partnered with the organizers of the International Festival of Contemporary Dance (IFCOD) to host the second edition of One Language, a musical production of intrigue, dance and drama.

 

 

Most prominent of its partnership and supports is the annual Calabar Carnival and festival, tagged “Africa’s Biggest Street Party,” was created as part of the vision of making Cross River State the number one tourist destination for Nigerians and other tourists across the world.

Heritage Bank is not done yet. The bank went further to prove its trend setting profile by driving seat of the agricultural financing revolution.

 

In a bid to support the real sector and unlock food potentials, Heritage Bank Plc provided over N5billion long term facility under the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) to Triton Aqua Africa Ltd (TAAL).

TAAL known as Triton Farm accessed the CACS through Heritage Bank, which was used to set up aquaculture businesses; nursery/hatchery to produce fingerlings and brood stock in Ikeja and earthen ponds for catfish and Tilapia in Asejire, Iwo and Gambari towns in Oyo State.

Under the arrangement, TAAL will also help small-scale farms increase their fish production by making fingerlings available to them.

In the short term, the loan is expected to help Triton double its current production capacity of 25,000 metric tonnes with a projection to scale it up to 100,000 metric tonnes in five years.

The bank also has thrown its weight behind Globus Resources Limited, a subsidiary of Triton Group, to flag off the second phase of afforestation programme in Oyo state.

Nigeria’s demand capacity for fish was estimated at 2.7million metric tons and the country currently produces 800,000 metric tons.

Triton is now producing over 25,000 metric tons and with them on board, over 25,000 metric tons capacity will be added to our current production, the company’s projection is to exceed 100,000 metric tons in 5years.

 

In the state level, Heritage Bank entered into partnership with the Oyo State government in a multi-billion-naira project to give agriculture a boost.

Under the initiative, the bank supported the Oyo State Agricultural Initiative, OYSAI, a programme designed to revive agriculture, boost agro-allied businesses and massive empowerment programme for both youth and women across the state through the creation of thousands of jobs in the sector.

This huge, albeit laudable, project that is spread across 3,000 hectares of land in 28 of the 33 Local Government Areas of Oyo State is in three stages: food crop cultivation, cash crop/horticulture, and food processing.

 

Heritage Bank is supporting agro investors involved in this initiative with funds and advisory services and indications are that the programme has already led to more than 30 per cent increase in food production in the state.

The Bank also supported thousands of small holder farms in Kaduna and Zamfara states to benefit from the bank’s financial support for rice and soya beans production under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).

 

Further on job creation, Heritage Bank through its establishment of a full-fledged learning and development institute accredited by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), dubbed “The Refinery” successfully trained and employed about 300 new intakes.

 

In the midst of the bank’s audacity to dare and succeed, industry watchers have continued to ask; how are they doing it? The answers may not be far from the fact that this is one bank whose leadership team continues to exude the charisma of the Midas touch. With Heritage Bank, the MD/CEO, IfieSekibo has proven over and over again that whatever he touches, turns into gold.

 

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Adeleke swears in new Osun LG chairs, urges good governance

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9 hours ago

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February 23, 2025

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Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Sunday, inaugurated the newly elected local government chairmen and councillors in the Saturday poll.

Adeleke urged them to focus on good governance while warning against any attempt to forcibly occupy council secretariats.

He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for resisting attempts by some forces to destabilise Osun State.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony in Osogbo, the governor described the occasion as a major milestone in the state’s democratic process, emphasising that the election was conducted in line with due process.

“We are here to conclude a democratic process for which we all laboured so hard to achieve,” Adeleke said.

Before proceeding with his address, the governor called for a minute of silence in honour of those who lost their lives during the “illegal APC takeover of local government secretariats.”

The governor recounted the journey leading to the local government election, stating that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission had duly followed all legal procedures.

“The state electoral body had issued due notice of election a year ago. I know the commission had complied with all extant rules and procedures which led to the emergence of new local government chairmen and councillors,” he stated.

While acknowledging the legal controversies surrounding the election, Adeleke affirmed that his administration acted within the ambit of the law.

“It is, however, a thing of joy that the facts are out in the public domain, and we are satisfied that we are on the side of the law within the context of the rule of law and the constitution,” he added.

Call for Good Governance….

Addressing the newly sworn-in officials, Adeleke charged them to be “agents of change, community developers, and deliverers of the dividends of democracy.”

“You have the mandate to deliver on good governance in your respective local governments.

“I charge you to develop plans of action within the manifesto of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“As our government is transforming the state for the better, I call on you to be agents of change,” he said.

The governor also appreciated the people of Osun for their steadfast support, assuring them that his administration would remain committed to their welfare.

“Osun people demonstrated courage and passion to exercise their voting rights, and they did so by massively supporting our party despite all the constraints. We will not fail you. People’s welfare will continue to be our watchword,” he promised.

Adeleke commended OSIEC, security agencies, and state officials for ensuring the success of the election.

Appreciation to Tinubu

In a significant moment, the governor expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for resisting attempts by some forces to destabilise Osun State.

“I should not end this address without acknowledging the contributions of Mr. President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“I am most grateful to Mr. President for rejecting efforts by some forces to plunge Osun into chaos,” Adeleke stated.

He reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the rule of law and the constitution in governance and conflict resolution.

Warning Against Forced Takeover
The governor strongly advised the newly elected chairmen and councillors to avoid confrontation at local government secretariats, citing an ongoing legal process to resolve the leadership crisis.

“I urge you and your councillors to please stay away from the council secretariats to avoid any clash with those whom the police had aided to forcefully occupy the local government secretariats,” Adeleke cautioned.

He referenced an Osun State High Court ruling that had affirmed vacancies in both chairmanship and councillorship positions before the election on February 22, 2025, assuring that his administration would rely on the judiciary to remove those illegally occupying the secretariats.

“Please be patient and always abide by the rule of law,” he advised.

With that, Adeleke formally declared the swearing-in of the elected local government officials.

“It is on this note that I, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun State, hereby effect the swearing-in of elected local government chairmen across Osun State. Congratulations and God bless you,” he concluded.

 

 

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Alcohol, tobacco record highest inflation rate

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9 hours ago

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February 23, 2025

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The National Bureau of Statistics has disclosed that alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics recorded the highest inflation rate at 14.80 per cent, according to its latest rebased Consumer Price Index for January 2025.

In a graphical illustration presented in its CPI report, the NBS noted that the alcohol and tobacco item division was followed by restaurants and accommodation services, which had an inflation rate of 14.14 per cent, while transport and clothing and footwear recorded 12.77 per cent and 12.73 per cent, respectively.

The report, which rebased Nigeria’s CPI to 2024 as the new base year, revealed that headline inflation stood at 24.48 per cent in January 2025, meaning that the general price level of goods and services rose significantly compared to the same period in 2024.

The report by the NBS read, “The rebased All Items index in January 2025 was 110.68, while the headline inflation rate on a year-on-year basis stood at 24.48 per cent in January 2025.

“This means that the general prices of goods and services in Nigeria increased by 24.48 per cent compared to January 2024.”

The CPI rebasing was necessary to reflect current economic realities and consumption patterns in Nigeria.

The rebased CPI structure covers 934 product varieties, classified under 13 divisions based on the 2018 Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose.

The divisions include food and non-alcoholic beverages, clothing and footwear, transport, housing and utilities, furnishings, health, communication, and education, among others.

The weighting structure was adjusted to account for changes in consumer spending, with food and non-alcoholic beverages maintaining the highest weight at 40 per cent, although it declined from 51.8 per cent in the previous base year of 2009.

According to the report, inflationary pressures varied across different categories, with food and beverages inflation at 10.64 per cent, reflecting the continued rise in staple food prices.

The personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services division recorded 12.04 per cent inflation, while furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance saw an inflation rate of 11.48 per cent.

The health sector recorded 9.42 per cent inflation, while housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels increased by 7.61 per cent.

The education sector and insurance and financial services recorded the lowest inflation rates, standing at 4.88 per cent and 4.65 per cent, respectively. Information and communication, which was newly assigned a higher weight in the rebased CPI, had an inflation rate of 7.54 per cent.

The recreation, sport, and culture category recorded 6.85 per cent, highlighting moderate price increases in these services.

The NBS report highlighted the divergence in inflation trends between urban and rural areas, with urban inflation at 26.09 per cent, while rural inflation stood at 22.15 per cent.

This suggests that price pressures were more severe in urban areas, particularly in sectors such as housing, transportation, and restaurant services, where cost increments were more pronounced.

The rebasing exercise introduced new methodologies to enhance the accuracy of inflation tracking.

Data collection was fully digitised, replacing paper-based surveys with computer-assisted personal interviewing devices, which allowed real-time transmission and verification of price data.

The high inflation rate for alcoholic beverages and tobacco is linked to multiple factors, including excise duties, exchange rate volatility, production costs, and supply chain disruptions.

We further observed that Imo State emerged as the most expensive state to reside in Nigeria following the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index by the NBS.

The development marked a significant shift in Nigeria’s inflation rankings, as Bauchi, which held the top spot for seven consecutive months, was dethroned.

The change comes after the NBS updated its methodology, adjusting the base year from 2009 to 2024, revising the weighting structure, and expanding the consumer basket to better reflect household spending patterns.

Earlier, the Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive of the NBS, Prince Semiu Adeyemi, said, “Rebasing our GDP and CPI allows us to align with these transformations, providing a more precise and relevant picture of Nigeria’s economic landscape.

“This process is foundational to informed policymaking, strategic planning, and effective governance; hence, it is one exercise that the NBS is conducting with significant importance and professionalism.”

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News and Report

Fire guts MTN booster station in Oyo

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9 hours ago

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February 23, 2025

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An MTN booster station located on the premises of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, was gutted by fire on Saturday.

Our Investigations revealed that the fire, which broke out at the booster station within the Faculty of Nursing, was caused by an electrical surge.

One of the witnesses told our correspondent that “the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday around 4 am.”

Another source said, “The incident affected the Mikano electrical generator, board, and other telecommunications gadgets in the booster station.”

When contacted in Ibadan, the state capital, the Special Adviser on Fire Services Reform to Governor Seyi Makinde and Chairman of the State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident.

He said the booster station belonged to the MTN.

He said, “The state Fire Service’s prompt response doused the fire at the MTN booster station beside the Faculty of Nursing, University of Ibadan.

“The fire incident was reported exactly at 04:00 hrs on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

“The fire personnel, led by ACFS Olubunmi, were promptly deployed to the scene and arrived on time.

“On arrival, we met the Mikano electrical generator and board on fire. We quickly joined hands with the university’s fire marshals, and the fire was extinguished completely. The fire was caused by an electrical surge”, he explained.

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