Banking
Access Bank Earmarks N1bn for Loyal Customers in Access Winfest Campaign
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Access Bank has said up to N1 billion in cash and items have been kept aside to reward its loyal customers in the Access Winfest campaign designed to promote a savings culture and efficient banking among Nigerians using alternative channels.
In a statement made available to Business Post, the financial institution disclosed that all the customers need to do is to fund, transact, maintain, and increase their deposits from October 2022 to November 2023.
“To get on board the winning train, simply increase the balance on your account, carry out transactions using our USSD code *901# and the accessMore app to pay bills, send money to loved ones, buy airtime, and make international money transfers, among other things,” the Deputy Managing Director, Retail, North, Access Bank, Mr Victor Etuokwu, said.
Speaking further, he said, “We have a total reward of N1 billion for you, our customers, whether you are a student, a business owner, a salary earner or an entrepreneur.
“Many lucky customers will receive cash rewards from the bank ranging from N5,000 to N5 million; airtime rewards; grocery baskets; Salary4Life; rent for a year; business grants; educational support; and many other types of rewards.”
“Over the past two decades, Access Bank has continued to grow in every dimension, particularly its customer base, due to customers like you whose patronage, advocacy, and loyalty have remained unparalleled.
“At Access Bank, we care most about how happy our customers are, and we hope to find more chances like this one to make their lives and the lives of many other Nigerians better,” Mr Etuokwu noted.
Recall that recently, a Senior Retail Advisor at Access Bank, Mr Rob Giles, told the media at the campaign’s launch in Lagos that the idea behind it is to keep the bank’s promise to reward customers for their loyalty and continued business.
He also emphasised that it is simple to participate in the Fund and Win campaign and be eligible to win cash prizes by saving up to a minimum of N25,000 or more every month in savings or business accounts to earn a chance that qualifies a chance to win N5 million.
“You can also be one of the 1,000 lucky winners of N5,000 monthly. For every N25,000 you save, you get a ticket for the Mega draw and increase your chances of winning the grand prize in the Fund and Win campaign,” he said.
Mr Giles’ words were echoed by the Group Head of Consumer Banking at Access Bank, Ms Adaeze Umeh, who stated that the rewards campaign is just one of the many ways the bank adds value and meets the needs of its most loyal customers.
She also mentioned that Diamond Business Advantage (DBA) customers with outstanding monthly fees are not left out as they can fund with the equivalent of their accrued fees to enjoy a 100 per cent waiver and stand a chance to be among the lucky 1,000 customers to win N5,000 in the monthly draw and qualify to win N5 million.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A collaboration to enable fast money transfers into Nigeria has been entered into between Flutterwave and Xoom, PayPal’s international digital money transfer service.
The partnership allows Xoom transfers to be converted by Flutterwave and settled locally in Naira, enabling quick transfers directly into recipients’ bank accounts at Access Bank, UBA, Zenith Bank, First Bank, GTBank, and additional participating banks across Nigeria.
The deal also enables Xoom’s global network with Flutterwave’s local payout infrastructure, allowing users globally to send funds directly into Nigerian bank accounts with improved speed and efficiency.
Nigeria is the leading remittance recipient in Sub-Saharan Africa, receiving over $20 billion in personal remittances in 2024. Despite this volume, receiving international payments has historically remained complex due to FX constraints and settlement delays. This collaboration helps address those challenges in a market of more than 232 million people, where the ICT sector is projected to contribute 21 per cent of GDP by 2027.
By combining Xoom’s expansive reach with Flutterwave’s local compliance and banking partnerships, the two companies are providing a more accessible financial corridor for the continent.
Xoom, a PayPal service, is a fast and secure international digital money transfer service that enables consumers to send money, pay bills, and reload phones for friends and family in approximately 160 markets globally.
As part of PayPal’s global payments ecosystem, Xoom leverages advanced fraud protection, compliance capabilities, and a trusted global network to help millions of customers move money quickly and securely across borders.
“We’re excited to have been chosen by Xoom for their Nigeria expansion. Millions of Nigerians rely on money from abroad to support everyday needs, whether it’s families receiving help from loved ones, freelancers getting paid for their work, or individuals earning income from the global economy. This helps make it easy and more reliable for people in Nigeria to receive funds and stay connected to opportunities beyond borders,” the chief executive of Flutterwave, Mr Olugbenga GB Agboola, stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative known as Nigeria Lightning Rounds, designed to expand funding opportunities for Nigerian startups and small businesses by connecting founders with local and international investors, has been launched by ProvidusUnity Bank, in partnership with US-based global venture firm and accelerator, gener8tor.
Scheduled to be held on July 15, 2026, Nigeria Lightning Rounds will feature carefully selected startups engaging with targeted investors who have expressed interest in supporting Nigerian innovation.
Participating founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses through focused 15-minute virtual sessions facilitated by gener8tor and ProvidusUnity Bank’s networks.
The program will focus on high-growth sectors including fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, sustainability, and AI, but welcomes SMEs from all industries, with intending participants urged to apply via https://www.gener8tor.com/lightning-rounds/nigeria.
“We recognise that access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Through our partnership with gener8tor, we are creating a platform that connects promising Nigerian founders with investors who can provide the support required to scale their businesses,” the Head of Business Development at ProvidusUnity Bank, Mr Ernest Elue, stated.
“The partnership reinforces ProvidusUnity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovation, enabling access to opportunities, and creating pathways for businesses with high-growth potential,” he added.
Also commenting, the Director of Lightning Rounds at gener8tor, Ms Elizabeth Larios, said, “gener8tor is thrilled to partner with ProvidusUnity Bank to extend the Lightning Rounds model into Nigeria.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to building equitable ecosystems and driving capital to the most promising and underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Lightning Rounds are a signature initiative of gener8tor’s investment platform, which has facilitated thousands of investor-startup meetings globally. The format is optimised to eliminate friction, reduce bias in early-stage fundraising, and help founders secure capital from investors aligned with their mission and stage. gener8tor’s previous Lightning Rounds for Nigerian Founders in 2025 featured 18 participating Investors and led to 50 investment meetings facilitated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of the depositors of the 46 microfinance banks, whose operating licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a week ago, has commenced.
The exercise, aimed at refunding those whose funds were trapped in the small lenders, is being conducted by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said its staff members have been positioned at the offices of the affected banks across the country to attend to depositors.
It was disclosed that depositors of the defunct banks, who had their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) linked to their accounts in the failed banks, will be paid through their alternative accounts in existing banks.
However, depositors whose BVNs were not linked to their accounts in the failed banks have been encouraged to visit the affected banks’ offices with proof of account ownership, a passport photograph, verifiable means of identification (Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, International Passport or National ID Card) and BVN.
NDIC also stated that depositors can alternatively file their claims online through its website: www.ndic.gov.ng, to complete the Pre-Verification Claims Form by clicking on the Search Bar, and typing Pre-Verification Claims Form; opening the Form and filling in their details. They can also do so by clicking the link: https://ndic.gov.ng/ndic-pre-verification-claims-form/ or by visiting any of the NDIC offices closest to them to file their claims.
For further enquiries, the corporation can be reached on any of the following lines: 09037273810, 09038197064, 08104220807, 09064657140.
