In furtherance of its long-standing commitment to education and youth development, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has donated a wide range of relief and academic materials to Government Junior Secondary School, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The donation was made possible by the unwavering dedication and generosity of a class of newly inducted staff, known as the Suncrest Inductee Class, under the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP).

Through the FHHP, staff across Fidelity Bank’s business locations identify projects that impact their immediate community and raise funds to execute them. The bank’s management thereafter matches this contribution with an equal amount and disburses it for the selected project.

Speaking about the donation event, Divisional Head, Brand and Communications, Dr Meksley Nwagboh, noted the bank’s dedication to fostering community development and supporting children from underprivileged backgrounds.

“We deliberately chose a public school because we understand the challenges many students face. Our aim is to provide support that not only aids academic performance but also inspires hope for a brighter future,” said Dr Nwagboh.

He highlighted that the Bank’s initiative for school and students has spanned 15 years with numerous schools as beneficiaries nationwide. “At Fidelity Bank, we believe that investing in the next generation is a direct investment in the future of our country. This initiative is deeply rooted in our philosophy of grooming responsible future leaders and promoting social equity, with our members of staff being able to significantly contribute right from their early days in the bank” he affirmed.

In her remarks, the Principal, Government Junior Secondary School, Elekahia, Dr. Ekeh Florence, expressed heartfelt appreciation to Fidelity Bank for its generous gesture.

“We are sincerely grateful that Fidelity Bank remembered the students of our school. The materials they provided – which includes exercise books, biros, socks, footwear, sanitary items such as pads and shaving sticks, and even snacks – will go a long way in boosting the morale and academic readiness of our students,” Dr. Ekeh stated.

The students expressed their joy and appreciation, describing the donation as the first of its kind from any corporate organization. Many pledged to make the best use of the materials to improve their academic performance and personal development.

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

Leadway Group, one of Nigeria’s foremost non-banking financial service group, has announced its sponsorship of the Nigerian Pavilion at the prestigious London Design Biennale, scheduled for June 2025. This sponsorship is a decisive commitment to the global celebration and representation of the next generation of Nigerian creatives through international convergence of Nigerian culture, innovation, and creativity.

From June 5 – 29, 2025, the Nigerian Pavilion, “Hopes and Impediments”, will take center stage at Somerset House, London, the UK’s largest creative community and a global hub for the arts. The Pavilion curated and designed by Myles Igwebuike, founder of Nteje Studios, and produced by Culture Lab Africa and endorsed by the Centre for Black and African Arts & Civilisation (CBAAC) presents a radical reimagining of identity, historical memory, and indigenous knowledge systems through the lens of contemporary design.

Myles’ roots in South-Eastern Nigeria and experiences abroad have uniquely positioned him as a bridge between tradition and transformation; exploring how the South-East of Nigeria is a cultural powerhouse redefining narratives and inspiring a reawakening of national pride.

According to the Group Managing Director, Leadway Holdings, Tunde Hassan-Odukale, “At Leadway, we believe that the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce holds immense power to shape society and inspire progress. Our support of Nigeria’s participation at the London Design Biennale 2025 aligns with our bold affirmation of the global significance of Nigerian artistry and innovation. This initiative is not merely about aesthetics; it’s about preserving heritage, amplifying our stories, and empowering the next generation of creative thinkers. Through this platform, we proudly invest in the limitless imagination of Nigerian youth and the enduring spirit that propels our nation forward.

“As a proudly Nigerian brand, we see this as an extension of our commitment to social investments and economic development through inclusive, future-forward and globally inspired engagements. We are honoured to be part of a movement that celebrates our identity, creativity, and the boundless potential of our people.” He concluded.

Commenting on Nigeria’s participation at this year’s Biennale, Hon. Aisha Adamu Augie, the Director General, Center for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), a proud partner and contributor to the Nigerian National Pavilion stated that, “Nigeria’s participation in this year’s London Biennale is critical to our collective goal of projecting the African heritage on the world stage. This provides a veritable platform for the best of African design and talents to showcase their capabilities and inspire a lot more in the creative sector in the process. Nigeria’s participation at this year’s Biennale will further cement its position as a leader in projecting African Heritage to the world,” she further added.

Leadway’s sponsorship strengthens its broader investment in the Nigerian creative community. The company has previously supported creative initiatives such as Leadway Media Dash, which provides free media exposure for young entrepreneurs and continues to support platforms like the Lagos Leather Fair, a critical initiative to elevate Nigeria’s leather craftsmanship.

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) has presented the Procurement Excellence Standard Certificate to Seplat Energy Plc, the foremost Nigerian independent energy company.

The Global Chief Executive Officer, CIPS, Ben Farrell, made the presentation to Seplat Energy at the company’s office in Ikoyi – Lagos State on June 5^th 2025. Farrell led a delegation from the CIPS to make the presentation to the Seplat Energy team led by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Samson Ezugworie; and the General Manager, Supply Chain Management (SCM), Valentine Agwu.

Seplat Energy’s application to be assessed against the CIPS standards started in February 2023. During the period, CIPS-approved assessors reviewed – amongst other criteria – the company’s processes, policies, ways of working, and so on, against 98 elements and across 5 dimensions (categories) used to assess the operations of a supply chain management organisation.

Seplat Energy’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) held the final assessment with a CIPS Advantage Procurement Excellence Programme Independent Verifier on Monday the 21st of January 2025. Consequently, on Wednesday 22nd January, CIPS announced that Seplat Energy Plc has been issued with the award.

The CIPS Global CEO observed that the award has only been issued to a few organisations who have demonstrated to be aspirational, continuingly obsessed with being better and raising the bar.

Farrell said: “We don’t give these Certificates away, because they are serious, meaningful recognition of that ambition. So, it is designed for hard work and to be rigorous, because we want people to feel at the end of it that they are really proficient, and they are capable of all the things it is designed to do. So, it is a real recognition of your commitment and the team’s commitment. Congratulations to you all.”

The Seplat Energy COO, on behalf of the company and its leadership expressed deep appreciation to the CIPS team for the transformative journey the Seplat SCM had gone through and gave credit to them, particularly for the thoroughness and vigor in the review process.

Ezugworie said: “For us as Seplat Energy management, we made a deliberate decision to go this route, because Supply Chain is the bedrock of our business. It is the channel of our spend and it is very important to get the channel of your spend on a very right foundation, and perhaps with transparency that this whole process brings.”

He thanked the entire SCM Team, led by Valentine Agwu, for making the company proud and further challenged them on a continuous implementation journey towards the Platinum Category of the certificate, such that sustainability becomes the next level of challenge.

Earlier, the GM SCM, Seplat Energy, had noted that in 2021, Seplat Energy set out on a transformation agenda which was built around process, people and systems only. However, the company eventually adopted a CIPS PEP Model upon which to build the transformation.

“It took us two years of rigorous assessment on 5 dimensions including Leadership and Organisation, Processes and System, Strategy and Policy, Performance Management and People. I am proud to announce that we passed in flying colours, which is why we are here today,” Agwu said.

The SCM function of Seplat Energy Plc has undergone a rigorous assessment by the CIPS UK and adjudged to have successfully met the required standard as set out, for having robust and effective governance processes in place for supply assurance and compliance. This outstanding feat is a result of the process, people and ways of working initiatives that were implemented over the years.

It is worthy to note that, by reason of this award, Seplat Energy Plc has set another pace as the first in Nigeria to receive the CIPS Procurement Excellence Standard Award in Nigeria. The company is also the second oil and gas company in Africa to have received the award.