Banking
Diamond Bank Shocks South-South Customers With SUV, N25m
By Dipo Olowookere
Winners have emerged in the Diamond Bank SavingsXtra promotion draw for south-south customers and prizes given to respective beneficiaries.
At the draws held recently in Port-Harcourt at the Odual road branch of the bank, a brand new SUV was won as well as N25 million.
The SavingsXtra draw is part of Diamond Bank’s way of promoting a savings culture and satisfying its customers.
The ceremony, which attracted industry stakeholders, relevant regulatory bodies, customers, shareholders, journalists and management staff of the bank, saw Mr Imariagbe Austin of the Sapele Road branch, Benin City emerge as the winner of the star prize of a brand new SUV.
At the draws, 10 lucky customers went home with N1million each and a further 31 customers won N500,000 each.
The draws were conducted through an electronic process certified by the top audit firm KPMG who had a representative present to monitor the event.
Mr Osita Ede, Head of Mass Market Segment, Diamond Bank Plc, in his opening speech, informed that the Diamond SavingsXtra account was created to promote a savings culture and enhance financial inclusion among Nigerians.
He stated that the reward scheme was just one of the ways in which the bank sought to appreciate customers for their loyalty to the bank.
Mr Edeh pointed out that coming up in the no-too-distant future is Diamond Bank’s nationwide monthly draw in which thirteen people will be awarded the sum of N1m each, two people the sum of N2 million each and one lucky person will win the salary-for-life which sees the winner earn a salary from Diamond Bank plc every month for a period of 20 years.
To qualify for the monthly draw, Mr Osita Edeh informed the gathering that all a customer needs to do is maintain a minimum monthly balance of N5,000.00 while additional deposits would count as multiple entries thereby increasing the customer’s chances of winning.
Present at the occasion were past winners from draws within the region.
Mr Duru Chukwuebuka Francis, a salary-for-life winner who emerged from the Eket branch of Diamond Bank plc, said he didn’t believe he had won until he got the first credit alert from the bank.
Mr Duru, a trader in building materials, went further to state that representatives from the bank have continuously proffered invaluable advice on investment opportunities making him a better business manager.
Mrs lawal Fatima, who won N1m in February, on her part, declared that she resigned from her job at the end of January and in February she was told she had won in the SavingsXtra promotion.
She informed the gathering that she made judicious use of the money, investing in a profitable venture which she is using to take care of herself.
In her words, “I can say that Diamond Bank is one of the most SME-friendly banks because I believe the essence of this money is to help people earn a living and so I appreciate Diamond bank for assisting people in establishing themselves.”
Head of Retail performance, Southern Directorate of Diamond Bank Plc, Mrs Tonye Ukpong, declared that the Savingsxtra Reward scheme was here to stay.
She informed all present that the Bank has paid out over N4 billion over eight years and N600 million has been earmarked for winners this year.
She encouraged customers to cultivate the savings culture because that is what the Diamond SavingsXtra account seeks to promote, stating that Diamond Bank Plc would not relent in its efforts to create mutually beneficial relationships between the bank and customers through its services and offerings.
The winners were selected in a poll drawn from all the states within the bank’s south-south directorate.
Some winners from the day included, Aliyu Mahammed Salifu, Ladi Anne Yougha netimah, Eyo Ekpenyong, Tunji Adetayo Owoseni, Ngozi stella Omolafe, Emwanmwan lucky Agbonrierien, Felicia Olachi Onyegbula, Mrs Osuoha Ifeoma Vivian, Goka John Osaro, Alh Saleh Danlami Sulaiman.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The creative industry in Nigeria may have nothing to worry about with the likes of Stanbic IBTC Bank around the corner.
The financial institution, which has not hidden its love for the sector, has promised to continue with its strategic investment in the country’s designers and artists.
Speaking at an event, An Evening of Fashion, Art & Lifestyle, the Executive Director for Personal and Private Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Olu Delano, represented by the Head of its Private Banking Segment, Ms Layo Ilori-Olaogun, said the company was proud to be associated with the programme, which it also sponsored.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we recognise Nigeria’s creative sector as a vital driver of economic diversification, employment, and global cultural influence.
“We are proud to support the individuals behind these platforms that elevate African excellence and provide visionary talents the visibility that they deserve.
“Nights like this reaffirm our commitment to continued strategic investment in our artists and designers,” he stated.
The invitation-only ceremony, which was held at The Garden, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, hosted by Africa’s leading luxury fashion house, 2207bytbally, in collaboration with the acclaimed art collective Torrista, brought together high-net-worth individuals, art collectors, designers, media personalities, and luxury brand executives for an unparalleled showcase of creativity and sophistication.
The evening opened with a breathtaking runway presentation featuring three signature segments from the Evolve collection by 2207bytbally: Denim, Ethnic, and 2207 Prints. Each piece exemplified the meticulous craftsmanship, bold innovation, and cultural storytelling that has established the brand as a standard-bearer in African luxury fashion.
Complementing the couture was a curated exhibition by Torrista, transforming the venue into an immersive gallery. Commissioned artworks exploring themes of culture, femininity, and evolution created a robust visual dialogue with the collections, demonstrating the seamless harmony that can result when fashion and fine art converge.
“This evening was about more than clothes or canvases; it was about showing the world that African creativity is limitless. When fashion and art share the same space, magic happens, and tonight, Lagos felt that magic,” the Creative Director of 2207bytbally, Tolu Bally, stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The six edition of the Hackaholics of Wema Bank Plc has produced 20 top finalists shared equally between two streams, Ideathon and Hackathon.
The Hackathon finalists are Rapid DEV, Secure IT, Neurafeed, Trust Lock Babcock, Pulse Track, IlluminiTrust, Trust Lock FUTA, Fix Fraud AI, KASH Flow and VOC AI.
The Ideathon finalists include PLOY, Fertitude, VarsityScape, Mama ALERT, StockMed, Chao, All Arbitrate, FarmSlate, Sane AI and Cycle X.
They emerged after a two-day pre-pitch held on December 16 and 17, 2025, for the grand finale slated for Friday, December 19, 2025.
They grand finale of Hackaholics 6.0 will convene the top players in Africa’s tech and innovation ecosystem, creating an avenue for these finalists to not only put their creativity to the ultimate test but also give their solutions visibility to potential investors for additional funding opportunities beyond the prizes to be won.
The prizes to be won for the Ideathon include N25 million for the winner, N20 million for the first runner-up, N15 million for the second runner-up and N5 million each for two women-led teams.
In the Hackathon category, the first to fourth-place winners will receive N20 million, N15 million, N10 million and N5 million, respectively.
The pre-pitch saw the top 43 contenders battle in a game of innovation and problem solving, presenting compelling pitches for a chance to make it to top 10 in their respective streams.
After a rigorous stretch of pitches and presentations, the top 20 emerged, securing their spot in the grand finale of Hackaholics 6.0.
“Hackaholics started off as a hackathon and morphed into an ideation. For Hackaholics 6.0, the sixth edition, we decided to give both the builders of new solutions and the refiners of existing ones, an opportunity to make meaningful impact.
“For us at Wema Bank, we understand that innovation isn’t just building from scratch. Sometimes, it’s looking at what exists and developing new ways to optimise that and create more efficiency. This is the idea behind our two-stream Ideathon-Hackathon structure.
“Every year, Hackaholics shows us just how eager and motivated Nigerian youth are when it comes to exploring creativity and innovation, and we are honoured to be the institution that provides them with the platform and resources to put this drive to good use.
“We toured seven cities, indulged 1,460 participants and discovered hundreds of remarkable ideas; some of which needed some refining and some of which deserved to move to the next stage.
“For those who needed to go back to the drawing board, we provided useful guidance and for the top contenders, we were able to shortlist to the top 43, who proceeded to the pre-pitch. To every participant, Wema Bank is proud of you. This is just the beginning,” the chief executive of Wema Bank, Mr Moruf Oseni, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it will enforce penalties against designated banks that delay the remittance of customs revenue, in a move aimed at strengthening transparency and safeguarding government earnings.
This was disclosed in a statement on the NCS official account on X, formerly known as Twitter and signed by its spokesman, Mr Abdullahi Maiwada, who said the delays undermine the efficiency, transparency, and integrity of government revenue administration.
“The Nigeria Customs Service has noted instances of delayed remittance of customs revenue by some designated banks following reconciliation of collections processed through the B’odogwu platform,” the statement read.
“Such delays constitute a breach of remittance obligations and negatively impact the efficiency, transparency, and integrity of government revenue administration.
“In line with the provisions of the Service Level Agreement executed between the Nigeria Customs Service and designated banks, the Service hereby notifies stakeholders of the commencement of enforcement actions against banks found to be in default of agreed remittance timelines.”
Mr Maiwada disclosed that any bank that fails to remit collected Customs revenue within the prescribed timeline will be liable to penalty interest calculated at three per cent above the prevailing Nigerian Interbank Offered Rate for the period of the delay.
He added that affected banks would be formally notified of the delayed amounts, the applicable penalty, and the deadline for settlement.
“Accordingly, any designated bank that fails to remit collected Customs revenue within the prescribed period shall be liable to penalty interest calculated at three per cent above the prevailing Nigerian Interbank Offered Rate for the duration of the delay.
“Affected banks will receive formal notifications indicating the delayed amount, applicable penalty, and the timeline for settlement,” the statement read.
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