By Modupe Gbadeyanka

No fewer than 30 pregnant women at the Mushin Primary Health Centre in Lagos have received maternity kits from Fidelity Bank Plc.

The gesture from the financial institution is part of its efforts to support improved maternal health in the metropolis.

It was gathered that the items were given to the beneficiaries through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP), a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the lender aimed at promoting staff involvement in community development under the Great Minds Inductees Class.

“The project was borne out of the need to support pregnant women by providing them with essential materials for a safe delivery,” the Divisional Head for Brand and Communications Division at Fidelity Bank, Mr Meksley Nwagboh, explained.

“Maternal mortality remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with the country accounting for a substantial proportion of global maternal deaths.

“In fact, a 2023 United Nations report indicate that nearly 28.5% of global maternal deaths occur in Nigeria.

“This is an alarming statistic and as a bank given to improving the welfare of our host communities, we deemed it fit to support initiatives to address this challenge in the Mushin community with this donation,” he stated.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Mary Olusanya, expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the bank’s support.

“I appreciate Fidelity Bank for helping us. Many pregnant women cannot afford these kits, but this donation ensures that we can have safe deliveries and better healthcare,” she said.

The Medical and Health Officer for Mushin Local Government Area, Dr Kayode Odufuwa, said, “This intervention by Fidelity Bank will help reduce maternal mortality and encourage more women from less-privileged backgrounds to register for antenatal care.”

“On behalf of the Chairman of Mushin LGA, Mr Emmanuel Bamgboye, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Fidelity Bank for extending its donation of maternity kits to pregnant women at this centre.

“We appeal for continued collaboration with the Bank to further strengthen healthcare services within the area,” he stated.

On her part, the Apex Nurse and Deputy Director of Nursing Services in Mushin LGA, Mrs Bolanle Odunlami, said, “The donation is a much-needed relief for many mothers who are unable to afford essential delivery kits. Fidelity Bank has truly shown empathy by coming to the aid of our patients, and for that, we are extremely grateful.”

Business Post reports that through the FHHP, employees of the bank identify projects that benefit their immediate community and gather funds to implement them.

The bank’s management then matches this contribution with an equivalent amount and allocates it for the chosen projects.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The management of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc has assured that the boardroom crisis rocking the company would not affect its operations.

Recall that a group of shareholders with 10 per cent equity stake in the financial institution asked for an Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) under section 215 (1) of CAMA for the removal of the chairman of the board, Mr Femi Otedola, and a non-executive/deputy chief executive of Geregu Power Plc, Mr Julius Omodayo-Owotuga.

They argued that Mr Otedola, who owns Geregu Power, was plotting full control of FBN Holdings by planting his loyalists on the board.

The aggrieved shareholders pointed out that the businessman was planning to take charge of the proposed private placement of N360 billion shares of the firm, accusing him of removing those he felt were blocking his way.

To calm nerves, FBN Holdings issued a statement on Thursday, informing its stakeholders that the crisis does not pose a threat to its services.

“This matter does not in any way impact the operations of the company, and all the businesses within the Group continue to provide uninterrupted services to its customers.

“We assure our valued customers, shareholders, investors, other stakeholders and the general public that we are taking all necessary steps to protect the interests of the company and its subsidiaries.

“The Group’s performance continues to improve, resulting in a higher market capitalisation even as we work towards surpassing the regulatory minimum capital well ahead of the deadline.

“In the meantime, the Registrar and Lead Issuing House are collating the returns from all receiving agents in respect of the company’s rights issue which closed on December 30, 2024.

“FBN Holdings and its subsidiaries remain committed to the highest level of corporate governance,” the notice signed by its scribe, Mr Adewale Arogundade, said.

By Dipo Olowookere

A financial technology (fintech) company with operations in Nigeria, Cleva, says it paid out nearly $50,000 in referral bonus to its customers in 2024.

This information was revealed in a note from the company’s co-founder and chief executive, Ms Tolu Alabi.

Cleva is a firm co-founded by Ms Alabi and Mr Philip Abel in 2023. It offers US-based bank accounts to people and companies in Africa.

The company has been the darling of African freelancers as the world tilts towards remote work.

Business Post gathered that in 2024, Cleva started with about 11,000 customers but ended with more than 300,000 customers because of its wide acceptance on the continent, particularly in Nigeria.

“Thank you for trusting us with your salaries and money. Thank you for your feedback to help us improve our product and better serve you. Thank you for your positive reviews on social media. Thank you for sharing Cleva with your friends and family. Thank you for all of it,” Ms Alabi said in the statement.

She expressed the commitment of the organisation to “building the best USD banking platform for Africans,” revealing that in 2025, “We’re taking your Cleva experience to the next level. We’ll provide more ways to receive payments and earn on Cleva.”

She listed these as Naira accounts for NGN top-up, reduction in fees, invoices, improved 2-factor authentication, support for new currencies, USD savings, improvements to USD cards, business accounts, upgrade to all USD accounts and no pending ACH deposits.