By Dipo Olowookere
Unity Bank Plc has received the ‘2018 Best Participating Bank in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Development Finance activities award’ in Jigawa State.
This is coming barely two months after the financial institution won two highly coveted award; namely, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) 2018 sustainable banking award for ‘Sustainable Transaction of the Year in Agriculture’ and Presidential Award in recognition of the Bank’s participation under the Anchor Borrowers Programme.
It was gathered that Unity Bank won the latest award at the Dutse Bankers Forum organized by the CBN bringing together financial stakeholders in the state, including CBN, representative of Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) North West Zone, NIRSAL, 16 Commercial Banks in Jigawa State, the Controller of Prison Service, Jigawa State and Turaki of Dutse who represented the Emir of Dutse.
This award confirms the rising profile of Unity Bank Plc as a leader in agricultural financing.
Picking the award, Unity Bank’s Regional Manager, Dutse, Mr Mustapha Idris Baba, commended the CBN for the recognition accorded the bank which is “testament to the bank’s growing franchise as a retail bank of choice as well as its deep rooted financial inclusion strategy in Jigawa State.”
Commenting on the development and other exceptional achievements recorded by the Bank in the recent past, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Unity Bank Plc, Mrs Tomi Somefun, said the awards are strong indications of the success of Unity Bank’s business model which underpins the resilience, endurance, robustness and viability of the brand to sustainably deliver exceptional financial services to individuals, groups, and organizations across segments.
According to her, “the bank is committed to financial inclusion by deploying technological edge to enhance electronic convenience for all its customers”.
Governor of Jigawa State, Mr Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, represented by the state’s Accountant General, Mr Haruna Ahmed-Amin, while commending Unity Bank for its focus in driving financial inclusion in the state, used the occasion to call on all Banks operating in the state to come up with tangible offers for their teeming customers by developing financial services products that will enable them penetrate the rural population and the farmers, thereby reducing dependence on public sector deposits.
At the Annual Dutse Bankers Forum, Unity Bank was also recognized for emerging winner of the 2018 Dutse Bankers Forum football competition held as part of the activities marking the event.
Unity Bank Plc has over the years distinguished itself in providing Agricultural development finance solutions, and has leverage comprehensive suite of product propositions to activate viable participation in most government intervention schemes and support for key policy initiatives aimed at accelerating growth and transformation of Nigeria’s agricultural economy.
The lender has leveraged its extensive rural branch network, e-channels and technology to facilitate on lending schemes to several thousands of un-banked smallholder farmers in rural Nigeria to provide access to finance for staple crops and livestock production, under Central Bank of Nigeria funded Anchor Borrowers Scheme.
