GTBank Dominates CBN E-Payments Awards, Wins 8 out of 12 Banking Honours

Segun Agbaje, MD/CEO GTBank 

Guaranty Trust Bank plc continued its dominance of Nigeria's most qualitative digital financial service awards for the fourth year in a row, winning eight of the twelve honours available to Banks in the 2019 edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme (EPIS) Efficiency Awards.

The foremost African financial institution, renowned for its innovative products and services, won awards for efficiency and excellent service delivery in virtually every E-payment channel.

The CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards is organized to celebrate financial institutions, merchants and other stakeholders at the forefront of driving electronic payment in Nigeria. Now in its fourth year, the awards are based on objective analysis of all E-payments data collated by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) over a full calendar year. With eight awards, GTBank took home two more honours than the six awards the Bank won the previous year and the highest number of awards presented to financial institutions, Fin-techs, merchants and other stakeholders in the Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme.

The eight awards won by GTBank include:

·         Best Customer Experience Award: for having the highest level of overall customer satisfaction rating in the delivery of electronic payment services to customers in2018.



·         Real-Time PaymentsTransaction Efficiency: for achieving the lowest failure rate in the processing of InstantPayments transactions in 2018.



·         Cashless Driver, USSD Channel Champion: for achieving the highest number of instant Payments transactions via the USSD channel in2018.



·         Cashless Driver, Point of Sale (POS)Transactions: for achieving the highest transaction count on Point of Sale(POS) Terminals in 2018.



·         Cashless Driver, Card Usageon Point of Sales (POS) Terminals: for authorizing the highest card transaction count on thePoint of Sale (POS) Central Terminal Management System in2018.



·         Direct Debit Driver Award: for processing the highest volume of successful debit mandates across all Payment Service Provider platforms in 2018.



·         E-Reference Operations Efficiency: for the Bank's outstanding performance
in the processing of customers references received from other Banks for account opening purposes on the industry E-reference Platform in 2018.



·         ID Services Driver: for achieving the highest volume in the use of the BVN, e-Passport and NIN customer verification platforms in 2018.


Commenting on the Bank’s EPIS awards, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said; “We are proud to be recognised by the CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards for our efforts in driving excellence in electronic payments and providing customers with a superior banking experience across all digital touchpoints. These awards serve as extra motivation for us and we continue to find new and exciting ways to reduce our customers’ pain points and offer them benefits beyond banking.

He further stated that; “At GTBank we are passionate about building the bank of the future that connects our customers directly to all the everyday things that matter to them. That is why we are constantly leveraging the best of technology to, not only make financial services cheaper, more personal and readily accessible, but also to create amazing digital experiences in a way that adds real value to our customers’ lives.”

Guaranty Trust Bank plc is a foremost African Financial Institution with Total Assets of ₦3.287trillion and Shareholders’ Funds of ₦575.6Billion. With banking operations across 10 African countries and the United Kingdom, GTBank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions in the countries in which it operates and serves as a role model in Africa’s financial service industry due to its bias for world-class corporate governance standards, excellent service delivery, and innovation.

ECOBANK VS HONEYWELL. THE REAL FACTS OF THE MATTER. WHAT DOES A BANK THAT HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL STILL WANT?

Obafoluke Otudeko

There's been plenty of sensationalism concerning this case between the 2 institutions mentioned above that is- Honeywell vs ECOBANK, without people knowing the whole truth of the matter as it were. And because one of the sides was making so much noise and the other was quiet as a matter of in house policy, it was like the other side was guilty for being quiet!

Just because one of the parties had adopted to be quiet and allow the matter take the proper course (follow the proper laid down law procedures for solving matters/issues), without making noise doesn't make them guilty or that they didn't know what to do too.

So what we have done here, is to bring out the the facts of the matter as it were and all that was done before things went askance and got to where it is now.

The summary of the fact is that, Honeywell Group as a business entity and in the individual capacities of those that own the brand and subsidiaries, does not owe ECOBANK a dime, Kobo in any form at all. And that's because all that was owed the bank in any form, totalling ₦3.5 billion Naira after the agreement made with the bank's authorities with evidence was paid. That is, liquidated and settled and therefore, Honeywell Group meaning with all the subsidiaries owes ECOBANK no money, no amount whatsoever.

Honeywell Group commenced discussions with Ecobank in May 2012, with a view to agree a full and final settlement of the indebtedness of three of its operating companies (including HFMP) to Ecobank. All three facilities were originally consummated with the then Oceanic Bank Plc.

Several meetings were held between the parties with a view to achieving a settlement of Honeywell’s indebtedness to the Bank. A settlement was finally reached at the meeting of the 22nd July, 2013 involving the Chairman, Dr. Oba Otudeko CFR, and Ecobank’s Managing Director, Mr. Jibril Aku to the effect that Honeywell should pay the sum of N3.5 billion in full and final settlement of its indebtedness to the Bank

Following the meeting, Honeywell immediately paid the sum of N500 million and wrote to the Bank confirming the terms of the agreement. The Bank responded via its letter dated 22nd July, 2013 confirming the payment agreement, and stating that the balance of N3 billion should be paid before the exit of CBN examiners from the Bank.

Although the Bank stated that the balance be paid before the exit of the CBN examiners, no specific dates were mentioned and Honeywell was not informed of the date of the eventual exit of the CBN examiners even though they kept engaging the Bank in discussions.

After several attempts by Honeywell to discuss the payment of the balance, the Parties held a meeting on the 12th of December, 2013 at Honeywell’s offices involving their Chairman, Dr. Oba Otudeko CFR, the Bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Jibril Aku, the Bank’s Company Secretary, Mrs. Denike Laoye and other senior executives of both organizations. At this meeting, the payment agreement was reiterated by the Parties. There was no mention that the settlement amount had changed or that the agreement had lapsed. The said Bank executives who were in attendance have the authority to bind the Bank statutorily.

Following the 12th of December 2013 meeting, Honeywell completed the payment of the agreed N3.5 billion on the 9th of January, 2014. Honeywell thereafter wrote to Ecobank referring to the meeting of
December 12, 2013 and the agreement reached while also confirming that the payments had been completed as agreed. Honeywell also requested for: (1) a letter of discharge, (2) the release of the securities held against the facilities and (3) an update of the Group’s accounts on the CBN CRMS portal.

More after the break.

AMINU BABANGIDA IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF UNITY BANK!

IBB'S LAST BOY AMINU BECOMES UNITY BANK CHAIRMAN.

Aminu Babangida

Aminu Babangida is the younger sibling of the Polo loving Mohammed Babangida, who is the former military despot IBB's heir apparent.

He is known to be very quiet and one who avoids any type of unnecessary attention whatsoever. Even at going towards 40, he has remained single and therefore a most eligible Nigerian bachelor. Many single ladies of all colouration and physique have done their best to make him their big catch, but till date none has been lucky enough to capture him for keeps.

The well read somewhat recluse of a dude, who part manages a few of his dad's vast investments and is the Co-Founder of Phoenix Energy Abuja, has just become the Executive Chairman of one of Nigeria's financial institutions, Unity Bank PLC. This elevation was recently approved by the Apex Bank and announced.

Many have speculated over the years that the Babangida's like Chief Obasanjo have substantial interest in Unity Bank, where a known associate of the Babangida's in the person of Hajia Bola Shagaya was also a member of the Board of Directors at a time. At a point the elder Mohammed Babangida was also a Director of the same bank, but he might have relinquished the position for his much younger brother Aminu.

Why the well read Aminu- (he holds an BA in International Business, an MA in International Business Management, from Regents Business School London, and also from Westminster Business School London), has not taken a dashing young lady down the aisle has become very baffling. Maybe he is scared of the kind of experiences his elder ones, likes of Mohammed and Aisha have had to undergo with that institution in the past. Both Mohammed and Aisha have had some very unpalatable experiences in the past that might have scared their brother from making commitment with a very lucky damsel.

But even if marriage has not entered yet into the book of Aminu, it hasn't in anyway affected taking major strides in business. One of those major strides is this his new appointment as the Executive Chairman of one of Nigeria's Banks.

So congratulations to the new executive Chairman of Unity Bank PLC.

AISHAH AHMAD NEW CBN DEPUTY GOVERNOR DESIGNATE- A ROUND PEG IN A ROUND HOLE

All things being equal, the apex Nigerian bank known as the "Central Bank of Nigeria" has a new vibrant energy coming in who is being seen by all as the future of the CBN and it's none other than the young and brilliant banker by name "Aishah Ahmad", 40., CBN deputy governor designate.

Her appointment is being viewed by most, especially in the industry as an appointment well thought about and very well received too.

At 40, the Niger State indigene is described by those who should know her as "brilliant, vibrant, seasoned, well experienced and vivacious" all in one, in fact she's addressed as beauty with brain.

Imagine that she's already had more than "20 years experience" in "retail, consumer banking and wealth management". Infact she's garnered very valuable experience over the years at such institutions like NAL Bank, Stanbic IBTC & Zenith Bank just to mention a few and she's currently an "Executive Director, Head of Consumer & Privilege Banking at Diamond Bank PLC".

Aishah has an intimidating portfolio, managing over ₦500 billion and helping to maintain performance at 250 branch locations across the country.

She joined Diamond Bank in 2014 as a DGM before now becoming an ED. While at Stanbic IBTC she was head, High Networth Individuals and Head, Private Client Services.
Mrs. Ahmad holds a B.Sc in Account from the University of Abuja. An MBA in finance from the UNILAG, MSc Finance and Management, Cranfield School of Management (UK). She's a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst 'CFA' designation.

She's the current Chairperson of "WIMBIZ", which is "Women in Management, Business and Public Service". By her appointment by the FG which is still subject to confirmation by the Senate, she's replacing Mrs. Sarah Alade from Kwara State who resigned in March of 2017.

Aishah Ahmad was born October 26, 1976 so would be clocking 41 in a few weeks. She's married with 2 kids to Bri. Gen. Abdallah A. Ahmad. 

FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR OF THE CBN ON THE WAY?

FAITH TUEDOR-MATTHEWS

AIGBOJE AIG-IMOKHUEDE

CHIEF ATEDO PETERSIDE

All things being equal there are indications that the Central Bank of Nigeria might be having the first overall female boss soon. At least that's the speculation now. From the vibes that most are getting the very brilliant current CBN Governor in the person of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, might be handing over to the current MD of the Mainstreet Bank Limited, Ms Faith Tuedor-Matthews.

Unconfirmed reports had speculated for several months now that the outgoing MD of Access Bank, in the person of Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede was very interested also in taking over from the Prince of Kano. But with what is gradually becoming a bit clearer by the day, that unconfirmed ambition to take charge of the apex Nigerian bank might not come to fruition. One of the things analysts have said might have counted against Mr. Imokhuede is the fact that he is an operator & also a shareholder of Access Bank.

CONCLUDING PART AFTER THE BREAK. PLS CLICK ON READ MORE BELOW