Banking
Save and Score Promo: Ecobank Rewards 50 Customers in First Monthly Draws
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No fewer than 50 customers of Ecobank Nigeria Limited have been rewarded in the company’s first draw of its ongoing Save and Score promo.
The campaign was put together to allow 10 customers of the bank to win an all-expense paid trip to watch the final match of the forthcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) slated to commence on January 13, 2024, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
The lender, which is one of the sponsors of the football tournament, commenced the promo in November and will wrap it up on January 6, 2024.
During the period of the campaign, 100 other customers, both existing and new, stand a chance of winning N25,000.
To participants, customers can make a single deposit of N100,000 and above, and maintain a minimum account balance of N100,000 for 30 days.
Prospective customers can open an account on the website (aop.ecobank.com), download the Xpresspoint Application on Google Play Store or visit any of its branches.
Dormant account holders can also reactivate their accounts, get their cards and start transacting. Customers can fund their accounts via any of the digital platforms.
The chief executive of Ecobank Group, Mr Jeremy Awori, while speaking on the bank’s sponsorship of the AFCON, said, “As the pan-African bank, Ecobank is proud to associate with the Confederation of African Football to contribute to the success of TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023, the largest and most-enjoyed football tournament, inspiring passion across Africa.
“Football transcends borders. It brings communities together, fully aligning with Ecobank’s commitment to drive regional integration. It is an honour for Ecobank to play a key role in bringing millions of Africans together to live their passion for football, making sure that loyal customers benefit from this experience.”
“Ecobank carries the pan-African spirit in its DNA, and this partnership with the Confederation of African Football demonstrates its commitment to its pan-African heritage, reinforcing its connection with hundreds of millions of Africans who will be celebrating the magic of football at AFCON 2023.
“Sixteen of the 35 African countries in which Ecobank has a presence are among the 24 that are competing in Côte d’Ivoire,” he added.
Commenting on the first draw, the Head of Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs Korede Demola-Adeniyi, said the bank was impressed with the response of customers to the promo, stressing that the promo was targeted at rewarding loyal and prospective customers of the bank.
She urged customers to continue to fund their accounts to increase their chances of winning, advising those who are yet to open an account with the bank to do so to participate in the promo and begin to enjoy the bank’s digital offerings and bouquet of products and services.
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.
