Banking
Stanbic IBTC Champions Gender Equality in Nigeria
As part of its commitment to gender equality, Stanbic IBTC, made a bold statement on International Women’s Day marked on March 8 by changing the colour of its logos which are predominantly blue, to magenta on most of its digital platforms. Magenta is the colour of the UN Women HeForShe brand.
This symbolism, according to Mr Yinka Sanni, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, “reconfirms our organization’s commitment to the ideals of the United Nations Women HeForShe initiative which encourages equality in the way and manner people are treated and the opportunities with which they are availed, regardless of gender or race.”
Stanbic IBTC Holdings, he adds, is championing this initiative alongside its parent group, Standard Bank which is the only Africa-headquartered corporate to become a thematic champion of this campaign.
“Achieving gender equity is not only a fundamental human right but a business imperative,” says Standard Bank Group Chief Executive Sim Tshabalala. “Women embody half the world’s talent, skill and energy and more than half its purchasing power.”
He adds that “business leaders, therefore, ought to be committed to achieving gender equity in their organizations and to helping to drive this cause in the societies in which they operate.”
Stanbic IBTC Holdings has always been distinguished by its deliberate and painstaking commitment to gender equality. In its 30 years of existence, it is one of a few publicly quoted Nigerian corporations to have had a female Chief Executive. In addition, women occupy many strategic roles in the Stanbic IBTC Group including functioning as Chief Executives of its subsidiary companies. According to Mr Sanni, “At Stanbic IBTC, we have long recognized that we have a duty to create an enabling environment that thrives on merit and ability, rather than gender, for our people to excel. In the years ahead, we pledge to remain steadfast in this commitment.”
The partnership between Stanbic IBTC’s holding company, Standard Bank Group and the HeForShe initiative was announced on September 26, 2018 at a UN Women’s event that ran parallel with the UN General Assembly in New York.
Standard Bank has since set itself the goals of increasing the representation of women in executive positions to 40 percent by 2021 in its South African operations and 2023 in the entire group.
Standard Bank also aims to enhance the representation of women on its board from 22 percent in 2018 to 33 percent by 2021 while doubling the number of female Chief Executives in its Rest of Africa operations from 10 percent in 2018 to 20 percent by 2021.
Stanbic IBTC, affirms Mr Sanni, “remains very committed to nurturing a great workplace that is founded on merit, a diverse workforce that thrives on equality of opportunity for all, regardless of gender, religion, tribe or race.” Doing so, he says, “enables us live up to our mission to provide end-to-end financial services solutions to our customers and drive the economic and development growth aspirations of the country.”
The organisation, he said supports the development of its women with several initiatives and programmes such as the Stanbic IBTC Blue Women Network, a platform established to, among other things, provide the women in Stanbic IBTC the opportunity to gain new insights that will enhance their professional skills as well as support their all-round growth through information sharing, best practice and mentorship to help develop their leadership skills and advance their career prospects.
By Dipo Olowookere
Tech enthusiasts interested in participating in the Take on Squad Hackathon, organised by Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, can now enter the contest via the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
The programme enters its third edition in 2026, and the theme for this year is Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy, according to a statement issued by the organisers.
The hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors, including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion.
Participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
It is part of the organisation’s commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
“Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve.
“Through Take on Squad Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future.
“Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact.
“This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress,” the Managing Director of HabariPay, Ms Eduofon Japhet, stated.
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
By Dipo Olowookere
Banking services will not be interrupted throughout the Easter public holidays, from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026, for any reason, Ecobank Nigeria has assured its customers.
In a message over the weekend, the member of Africa’s leading pan-African banking group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, said customers would continue to enjoy quality service delivery during the period.
It noted that its secure and robust digital platforms would remain fully operational to support financial activities during the festive period.
All digital channels, including the Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Business App, USSD *326#, Ecobank Online, OmniPlus, Omnilite, EcobankPay, Ecobank Cards, ATMs, PoS terminals, and over 35,000 Ecobank Xpress Point agent locations nationwide, will remain accessible throughout the holiday, the financial institution further said, urging customers to conveniently conduct transactions at any time using this wide range of digital solutions.
Ecobank customers were encouraged to maximise the bank’s alternative channels for transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases, card services, and account management.
They were also advised to stay vigilant by shopping only on trusted websites; avoiding the sharing of PINs, passwords, and one-time passwords (OTPs); refraining from banking on public Wi-Fi networks; being cautious of urgent or emotionally charged messages; and regularly monitoring their account activity.
“Customers will continue to enjoy a full bouquet of services during the holiday, including local and international funds transfers, bill payments, airtime top-ups, merchant payments, balance enquiries, account statements, and cardless cash withdrawals via ATMs,” the Head of Products & Analytics, Consumer & Commercial Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Victor Yalokwu, stated.
“We understand that festive seasons come with increased financial activity, and our priority is to ensure our customers enjoy fast, reliable, and secure banking wherever they are.
“Our digital channels are designed to support uninterrupted transactions, and we have strengthened our systems to guarantee optimal performance throughout the Easter break,” he added.
Mr Yalokwu noted that, “Ecobank remains committed to providing innovative financial solutions and exceptional customer service. We wish all our customers and partners a peaceful and joyful Easter celebration.”
By Dipo Olowookere
Customers may have difficulty accessing the digital platform of Polaris Bank, known as VULTe, during the Easter holidays from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026.
This is because the financial institution is carrying out system maintenance on the platform in its effort to ensure users enjoy a better banking experience.
In a notice over the weekend, the lender said “access to VULTe may be limited,” but it provided an alternative, which is the PolarisXperience.
Polaris Bank, which expressed regret over “any inconvenience” this action may cause its customers, said the “scheduled system maintenance” would happen from 10 pm to 8 am daily, promising that normal service would return after the maintenance.
“In continuation of our commitment to delivering a seamless and improved banking experience, we will be conducting a scheduled system maintenance during the Easter holidays.
“During this period, access to VULTe may be limited. We have provided an alternative channel, PolarisXperience:
“Please go to our website to onboard or use it as an existing user. You can also use this link: (https://elogin.polarisbanklimited.com).
“We regret any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Normal service will resume after the maintenance,” parts of the notice seen by Business Post read.
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