First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. has produced additional 500 Pan-African graduate trainees from Nigeria and six other countries in the continent at its sales academy to drive current global banking innovations.
By Grace Alegba
First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. has produced additional 500 Pan-African graduate trainees from Nigeria and six other countries in the continent at its sales academy to drive current global banking innovations.
The bank held a close-out party on Friday night in Iganmu, Lagos for the graduate trainees from Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Senegal.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegates went through three months intensive, multi-disciplinary training, designed to equip talented individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the fast evolving banking space.
The sales academy graduated its inaugural 365 delegates in Nov. 2024, after which it enrolled additional 600 trainees for the Pan-African Graduate Trainee programme.
The Pan-African Graduate Trainee close-out party which coincided with Valentines Day celebration, featured games, couple dance competitions, interactive sessions, award presentations and other fun activities.
Ms Tolulope Uwadia, Head of First Academy, FirstBank, in her remarks, said that the event was organised to thank the delegates groomed to start working on the job.
Uwadia, while giving the different cohorts the opportunity to share their experiences, said that beyond the classroom they had more to learn on the job to deliver value to customers.
Speaking with journalists on the sideline of the event, she said that the training aligned with the First Bank’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Uwadia said that the inaugural training in 2024 targeted delegates with one year work experience, adding that the Pan-African training programme was for fresh graduates.
She said that the three-month training was to give the beneficial the skills and competencies required to become sales managers in the bank.
She said the First Academy planned to train 7,000 in its subsidiaries alongside new entrants in 2025.
“Our vision is to build the required skills and competencies for staff to deliver on their mandate to support the bank’s goals and aspirations,” she said.
Alao, Mr Muyiwa Olulaja, Group Head, Human Capital Management and Development, FirstBank, urged the new intakes to be focused, embrace banking and confidently resume to set new records.
He congratulated the graduates and explained strict criteria for thier emergence from their various countries.
He said that this was the first time the bank was graduating a large number of people in excess of 500 at a go.
Olulaja promised to distribute appointment letters within a week or two in addition to payment of relocation allowances to delegates deployed outside their zones to any of the 588 branches nationwide.
NAN reports that awards were presented to best trainees in strategy thinking, financial statement analysis, class governor, credit service and dressing.
Mr Osazua Gilbert won the overall best graduating student award tagged the MD/CEO Award while Mr Alabi Moghid clinched the Credit Service Award in the Group Head Award category.
Earlier, Mr Peter Daniel, who won the best dressed in the male category, shared his experience on how he overcame learning challenges during the training.
Also, Chioma Osuesu who emerged the Best Class Governor, told journalists how she was able to combine team management with rigorous academic demands during the training.
Various cohorts representatives also shared insights on how they will drive First Bank’s “Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Innovation and Customer – Centricity (EPIC)” vision. (NAN)
