A BRAND OF SO MANY FIRSTS

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Great Brands IconFirstBank_Logo.jpgBACKGROUND

Banking has always been one of the most essential and critical services to man’s fulfillment and existence. Knowing where to deposit your hard earned earnings, identifying who you can trust with your assets, who to repose your faith in with your plans and who can run to for support has been a constant need and challenge in the lives of successful and happy people. It is interesting that there is a bank in Nigeria that has these great attributes and has been in operation for over 3 centuries, several epochs and about 3 generations. At each century, from the 19th to the 20th and now the 21st century, First Bank has remained true to its name and its vision of being truly the first when it comes to financial services delivery in Nigeria.

As it turns out, First Bank has always been there for Nigerians and it would appear that for this great Financial behemoth, age does not equate to aging as it keeps re-inventing itself through its constant upgrade of its people, its processes and its service delivery standards. At 120 years of operations and not a single down-time, no bank knows Nigeria better than First Bank…

THE FIRST BANK STORY

Today, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, operates as a leading subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc. First Bank is Nigeria’s leading financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings and one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan African (excluding South Africa). Since its establishment in 1894, the Bank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, risk management and strong capitalization.

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First Bank operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centers/agencies), over 2,464 ATMs and over 9 million customer accounts.

THE FIRST BANK FAMILY

After opening its first international branch in Accra Ghana in 1896, First Bank has continued to transcend borders and make ground breaking achievements. It established the first offshore financial subsidiary of a Nigerian-owned bank in the U.K in 2002. Also, First Bank floated the first ever hybrid capital offering out of Africa and Nigeria’s biggest offer in 2007.

The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services and has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, Banque International de Credit (B.I.C) in the Republic of Congo, International Commercial Bank (ICB) in Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.

FirstBank is the recipient of many awards. The Bank has been named “The Best Bank Brand in Nigeria” three times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013 and Most Innovative Bank in Africa 2014 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group. First Bank’s also bagged BRANDPOWER Award for Distinction in 2012 for its stellar contributions and achievements as a vintage brand in the Nigerian economy.

21-25 Great Brands 1aTHE FIRST BANK COMMITMENT

First Bank recognises the immutable merits of maintaining a “You first” mindset and culture, as a critical component of its business strategy. The First Bank brand has kept evolving over the years, with strengthened brand muscles to match the constantly evolving expectations of discerning customers.

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Since launching in 1894, First Bank has established itself as a brand of strength and dynamism, with the vision to be the leading international banking group in Sub Saharan Africa. The brand is at the heart of the holistic experience managers of the highly successful bank brand seek to deliver to their teeming stakeholders perpetually, which is essential to retaining patronage and the competitive edge that keeps the brand top-of-mind and at the coveted position of the market leader first time, every time.

Today, the First Bank Brand interacts with stakeholders and demonstrates an understanding of their busy modern lives or businesses, to support their aspirations. It therefore evolved over 120 years by respecting and upholding the shared heritage and cherished values relevant not only to today’s modern Nigerians but also today’s modern world.

First Bank affirms that: “We live by our beliefs and consistently strive to Inspire Understanding, Drive Collaboration, and Build a Better Way to unify and strengthen our brand to delight all stakeholders. Consequently, we work daily to implement best practices through our culture and ultimately enable our employees to understand our customers’ lives and be driven to meet their needs appropriately.

Our brand purpose is to always put our stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of our business” even as we are poised to standardise customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brand vision to be the partner of first choice in building your future”.

OUR PROMISE

The First Bank brand purpose is to always put its stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of its business, even as it is poised to standardize customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across Sub Saharan Africa.

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Its brand promise is thus to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. The Brand’s financial services knowledge and practices lead the market in ensuring that it understands its customers and surpasses expectations by seeking for a better way of delivering first class service – The “You First” experience.

This dedication to delivering the gold standard is anchored on First Bank’s inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position “You First” in every respect. Please expect more.

OUR TAKE-AWAY

The main reason we have remained truly the first over the years is because we realize that our stakeholders deserve the best. So, whether we are dealing with our shareholders, customers, regulatory authorities and host government, we remain dedicated to offering quality that is constantly raised to meet and exceed expectations. We are humble enough to know that without you, we cannot be truly the first. So we know that even as we deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence, our ultimate gold standard tomorrow may be even more golden than the gold standard of today because our ultimate aim is to build your vision into reality..

For providing Nigerians and Africans the financial backbone to grow muscles big and tough enough to create big industries realize big personal dreams and serve as a pivot for economic growth and prosperity, First Bank Plc is proudly celebrated as a great brand of Nigeria.