FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has celebrated its female employees in a special event to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023.
The Managing Director and CEO of the bank, Dr Adesola Adeduntan, noted that the women had contributed significantly to the growth trajectory and success story of the organisation in its 129-year history in the country.
He also disclosed that the bank was looking forward to the day it would have its first female CEO and Managing Director.
Dr Adeduntan stated that the bank had dedicated March 2023 to celebrating women and their remarkable achievements, including their leadership roles and pace-setting standards in Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
He added that the bank had a ratio of about 39 per cent to 61 per cent female to male employees, while 32 per cent women were in management, driving a deliberate policy consistent with the WEPs – Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Non-discrimination.
Speaking at the First Women Network (FWN) event organised by the bank, Dr Adeduntan said that as an organisation, they were proud of their female employees, who had done so well and contributed greatly to the success story of the brand.
The FWN was created in 2018 as a platform for female employees in the company to rally and assist one another to be their best, maximise their potentials through mentorship, learning sessions and other engagements, and to address the gender gap and increase the participation of women at all levels within the organisation.
The colourful FWN event, themed “Embrace Equity,” had many creative and interactive engagements, including painting competition, photo booths and others, which got attendees excited and full of commendations.
The event had a guest speaker, Andrew Alli, former President & CEO of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), who shared insights on the dynamic roles of technology as an enabler for the modern world and how women can further leverage evolving opportunities.
Alli noted that women remain under-represented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) space and encouraged them to explore the essentials deeply and embrace more opportunities.
Dr Adeduntan revealed that the bank’s policy of promoting gender diversity had resulted in better outcomes, greater innovation, and improved customer service.
He stressed that women remain actively involved at the very top level of the financial institution and are amply represented across its hierarchy grades, including Executive, General Manager, Deputy General Manager and others.
