Banking
Unity Bank Webinar: Stakeholders Seek Urgent Action on Plastic Pollution
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The need for urgent and coordinated action to tackle Nigeria’s growing plastic pollution crisis has been called by environmental activists and climate change advocates.
This demand was made at a webinar hosted by the Sustainability Team of Unity Bank Plc in commemoration of this year’s World Environment Day themed Ending Plastic Pollution.
Stakeholders at the event described the country’s plastic pollution challenges as one of the greatest environmental threats.
The webinar, put together to fashion out innovative strategies to curb plastic pollution in Nigeria, had in attendance leading waste management entrepreneurs and environmental activists such as the co-founder/CEO of PETsPoint Recycling Nigeria, Mr Sunday Kolawole Sholanke; and the co-founder/CEO of Street Waste Company Limited, Omoh Alokwe.
The programme offered a platform for robust dialogue around sustainable actions and innovative solutions that can mitigate the escalating threat of plastic pollution and promote environmental protection.
In his presentation, Mr Sholanke decried the alarming volume of plastic waste in Nigeria, putting estimates on the country’s waste generation to about 596 million metric tonnes annually, with 88 per cent of it neither reclaimed nor recycled.
“Nigeria ranks as the 9th highest contributor to global plastic pollution. Much of Nigeria’s plastic waste ends up in landfills, drainage systems, and water bodies, causing extensive environmental damage and posing serious health risks,” he explained.
He also shared startling global statistics: “Over one million plastic bottles and 10 million plastic bags are produced every minute.
“In 2020 alone, eight million tons of plastic bottles were produced globally, with less than 30 per cent collected and under 10 per cent recycled. The rest is dumped, burned, or abandoned in the environment, worsening risks of flooding, climate disruption, and disease.”
He identified poor waste management culture, low public awareness, and lack of community collection infrastructure as major factors aggravating the Nigeria’s plastic waste crisis.
Calling on the financial services sector to be more proactive, Mr Sholanke urged banks to invest in green financing by increasing access to affordable credit for green businesses and eco-friendly initiatives.
Also speaking, Omoh Alokwe emphasized the role of regulators in strengthening enforcement and updating policy frameworks to reduce harmful practices that fuel the global plastic crisis.
Echoing this view was the Head of Strategy and Innovation at Unity Bank, Mr Ibukun Coker, who emphasized the bank’s commitment to sustainable practices and environmental protection, highlighting the role of the financial sector in driving meaningful change.
“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue, it is an economic and public health crisis,” said Mr. Coker. “At Unity Bank, we believe that sustainability should be more than a policy; it must be embedded in how we operate, the projects we finance, and the partnerships we build.”
Also, the Executive Director for Risk Management at Unity Bank, Mr Usman Abdulkadir, reaffirmed the lender’s commitment to sustainability, adding that issues like plastic pollution carry deep risk implications for businesses and communities.
“Environmental degradation is increasingly a business risk, not just a corporate social concern,” Mr. Abdulkadir stated. “We must all begin to view environmental stewardship as a duty that cuts across sectors – finance, government, industry, and civil society. Unity Bank remains committed to integrating ESG principles into its risk frameworks and sustainability agenda.”
Unity Bank has consistently championed environmental causes, including its annual Earth Day partnerships with non-profits such as RESWAYE to clean the Royal Beach in Elegushi, Lagos, part of its mission to protect marine ecosystems.
In its most recent Earth Day campaign, the company challenged every staff member across 32 states to plant a tree in their locality, driving a grassroots reforestation movement and reinforcing environmental awareness.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Customers of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Limited in need of quick airtime on their phones for payment later can now do so at an interest rate of 2.95 per cent.
The flagship banking franchise of GTCO Plc, in a statement, said this innovative digital solution gives customers instant access to airtime when they run out of call credit and have limited funds in their bank accounts, ensuring they can stay connected when it matters most.
The service known as the Quick Airtime Loan highlights GTCO’s evolution as a fully diversified financial services group.
Leveraging HabariPay’s Squad, the solution reinforces the group’s ecosystem proposition by bringing together banking, payment technology, and digital channels to deliver intuitive, one-stop experiences for customers.
The Quick Airtime Loan service was created to help customers address missed opportunities, disrupted plans, and lost connections, often at the very moment when funds are tight and options are limited.
The product offers users instant access to airtime on credit, directly from their bank.
With Quick Airtime Loan, eligible GTBank customers can access from N100 and up to N10,000 by dialling *737*90#. Available across all major mobile networks in Nigeria, the service will soon expand to include data loans, further strengthening its proposition as a reliable on-demand platform.
For years, the airtime credit market has been dominated by Telcos, where charges for this service are at 15 per cent, but GTBank is now changing the narrative by offering a customer-centric, bank-led digital alternative priced at 2.95 per cent.
Built on transparency, convenience and affordability, Quick Airtime Loan has the potential to broaden access to airtime, deliver meaningful cost savings for millions of Nigerians, and redefine how financial services show up in everyday life, not just in banking moments.
“Quick Airtime Loan reflects GTBank’s continued focus on delivering digital solutions that are relevant, accessible, and built around real customer needs.
“The solution underscores the power of a connected financial ecosystem, combining GTBank’s digital reach and lending expertise with the capabilities of HabariPay to deliver a smooth, end-to-end experience.
“By leveraging unique strengths across the Group, we can accelerate innovation, strengthen execution, and deliver a more integrated customer experience across all our service channels,” the Managing Director of GTBank, Ms Miriam Olusanya, commented.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has introduced a diaspora platform designed to connect global Africans with investment and wealth opportunities.
This platform, according to the lender’s Head of Diaspora Banking, Mr Anant Rao, would be used to tap into the $100 billion diaspora remittance flows to Africa annually.
Mr Rao stated that the objective is to provide a platform that brings together offerings across the numerous needs of the global African, including banking and payments, investments, securities services, asset management, insurance, pensions, and real estate.
“Diaspora capital is not just a flow of funds — it is a strategic growth partner for Africa.
“Our role is to provide a trusted platform that converts capital into structured investment and shared prosperity across the continent,” he stated at the unveiling of this platform in Lagos recently.
Business Post gathered that this diaspora banking and investment platform will serve Africans living and working across the world and within the continent.
It was launched in collaboration with leading ecosystem partners, including United Capital, Africa Prudential, UBA Pensions, Afriland Properties, Heirs Insurance Group, and Avon Healthcare Limited.
“For decades, Africa’s engagement with its diaspora has focused largely on remittances. Today, we are moving beyond that. This platform represents a transition from simple money transfers to a financial ecosystem where Africans globally can bank, make payments, invest, protect their families, and build long-term wealth seamlessly,” Mr Rao further said.
It was learned that through this coordinated ecosystem, diaspora customers can access financial solutions across multiple sectors through a single trusted platform, enabling them to manage their financial lives and family commitments across borders with ease and transparency.
Also speaking, the Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications for UBA, Ms Alero Ladipo, noted that, “The modern African is a global citizen, mobile, ambitious, and deeply connected to home. Whether living in Africa, Europe, the Americas, or the Middle East, there must be a structured and secure financial connection back home. This platform ensures that Africans everywhere can remain economically connected to the continent with confidence and transparency.”
Partners within the ecosystem highlighted growing demand among diaspora Africans for structured investment opportunities, secure property ownership, insurance protection, and long-term financial planning.
United Capital showcased globally accessible investment products designed to deliver professionally managed and transparent wealth creation opportunities.
Afriland Properties emphasised structured and well-governed real estate investment pathways for diaspora clients.
Heirs Insurance highlighted protection solutions for life and assets, while Avon Healthcare Limited demonstrated healthcare access and insurance solutions for families across borders.
Africa Prudential and UBA Pension reinforced digital investment management and long-term pension savings solutions designed to support diaspora participation in African capital markets.
They all underscored a shared commitment to providing diaspora Africans with credible, transparent, and professionally managed financial pathways.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A new Gift Card feature has been added to the digital lifestyle platform of Polaris Bank Limited, known as VULTe.
The gift card catalogue includes leading brands and platforms such as Amazon, SureGift, Visa and MasterCard Prepaid Cards, iTunes and Apple, Google Play, Steam, Razer Gold, Netflix, Spotify, Starbucks, and PaySafeCard, covering everything from physical goods and digital content to subscriptions, gaming, and everyday essentials.
This feature allows for a faster and smarter way for users to send love, appreciation, and rewards across borders, enabling customers to deliver global brand gift cards to family and friends anywhere in the world in seconds.
Designed for speed, security, and everyday relevance, the feature allows users to choose from a wide range of international and local brands spanning groceries, beauty and wellness, fashion, electronics, entertainment, gaming, and lifestyle services, all seamlessly accessible on VULTe.
Whether it is paying for a Netflix subscription in London, sending Spotify Premium to a friend in Accra, gifting a Starbucks coffee in New York, or helping a loved one shop at Amazon or Shoprite, VULTe’s Gift Card feature transforms digital transfers into meaningful real-world experiences, powered by Polaris Bank’s secure digital infrastructure.
Users log in to VULTe, select Lifestyle, choose Gift Card, pick a preferred brand, enter the amount and recipient’s email, confirm the transaction, and authorise with their PIN. The gift card is delivered instantly, removing shipping delays, currency barriers, and geographic limitations.
With this feature on VULTe, Polaris Bank reinforces its commitment to digital innovation and lifestyle banking, positioning VULTe as a bridge between financial services and everyday global experiences, enabling customers to turn simple moments into meaningful connections delivered instantly, securely, and without borders.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn