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Access Bank drives growth with retail operations

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Access Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to helping the economy grow. For some time now, banks have been intensifying their efforts towards financial inclusion and meeting the needs of their retail customers. Daily, there is a new campaign promoting a reward scheme or product – an evidence of a structural shift in business models even as banks are adopting new strategies.

Access Bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Herbert Wigwe said the bank is also helping to lift the economy through its retail operations. He said the bank has changed from being primarily focused on wholesale – where they only had to work majorly with large or medium corporations – to retail banking, ensuring payments are seamless from top to bottom.

According to him, this shift by Access Bank to retail banking operations, has seen the bank increase its credit facilities options. The primary objective of retail banks is to be the one-stop-shop for financial services for its consumers. In line with this, Access Bank offers services such as current accounts, savings accounts, investments, personal loans and so on. Also, all of these services are fast and digitally led.A part of the bank’s strategy is to provide customers with digital services, using certain key strategic levers like automation, connectivity, simplicity and convenience.  In this vein, Access Bank has leveraged technology to create instant and remote solutions to deploying digital services across all its subsidiaries.

The bank’s retail innovation journey has led it to expand its digital loan offerings to other multi-tenured variants to fit the needs of its diverse retail customers. Between 2018 and 2019, Access Bank disbursed over N30 billion in loans to 1.5 million individual requests. This was made possible through the bank’s QuickBucks application, which basically houses all its quick loan products.

Wigwe also shared that the bank disburses an average of N200 million to 4,600 customers daily, having set a target of N400 million daily to at least 20,000 customers. On the QuickBucks application, users have access to PayDay Loan, Salary Advance, Small Ticket Personal Loan, and Device Financing. Outside of the app, customers can access mortgage loans, vehicle financing, Maternal Health Service Support, school fees advance, an auto loan, and creative sector loans.

It would seem quick lending loans are fast becoming the lifesavers in the retail banking sector. Salary earners who have accounts domiciled in Access Bank can access these loans in times of emergency, and simply have the money deducted from their accounts later. Considering the hassle of seeking loans elsewhere, these are no-collateral loans.

Across the industry, banks have become more aggressive with their attempts to maintain relevance in their retail market segment. As signs and research point towards retail banking being the future of the financial services industry globally, many banks are committing resources to research, capacity building, and the development of infrastructure in harnessing its vast consumer banking potential.Access Bank has shown great effort in this regard – a feat that was rewarded as the bank was rated third in terms of customer experience in 2019 by KPMG’s banking Industry customer experience survey.

Prior to its merger with the defunct Diamond Bank, Access Bank had built a solid wholesale business with a strong treasury and was renowned for strong risk management. Diamond Bank had its strengths in micro-Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) and individuals, with a strong digital institution of about 17 million customers.

Following the 2019 Access-Diamond merger, Access Bank became the largest bank in Nigeria by customer base and is continuously upgrading its systems to provide the same high level of service to its over 31 million customers post- merger.

Good for the economy

The growth of the financial sector plays a huge role in economic development. Countries with more developed financial systems grow faster over long periods of time. What this means is that financial development is not simply an outcome of economic growth; it contributes to this growth.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, mobile money has grown by 23 per cent in 2011, and 43 per cent in 2017. Around the world, people are calling the rise of digital banking in Africa within the last decade “the golden age of fintech”. At a time when Nigerians were finding it difficult to save or spend as a result of a recovering economy, Access Bank’s retail operations have proven to be vital in the positive upturn of financial transactions and the economy through its product and service offerings.

Access Bank’s retail offerings promote saving and investment among young Nigerians, as most of these products are digital, they target rural and semi-urban customers that were previously disenfranchised by traditional banking operations. Today, millions of customers conveniently send and receive funds on the bank’s digital platforms.These transactions, one way or another, have helped with the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing access to finance.

Access Bank’s popular Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) code, *901#, has made it possible for people to access financial services using their mobile phone without internet service. Quite a number of these innovations accelerate economic growth by leapfrogging over bottlenecks. In sub-Saharan Africa, this mobile model has proven itself as a useful tool for enabling financial inclusion as a result of its low operating costs and banking fees – in comparison to traditional banking methods. Also, products like the QuickBucks app and AccessAfrica help accelerate financial inclusion, achieving scale across borders and documentation of the economy.

Access Bank’s creative sector loan, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), aims to build capacity and create employment for individuals and businesses. It is available to people in the fashion, information technology, movie production, and movie distribution industries. With this loan, creative entrepreneurs can buy equipment and materials, pay workers, and produce more efficiently.

In a statement, the bnk’s Executive Director, Retail Banking, Victor Etuokwu said: “Acquiring loans in Nigeria has always been known to be limiting – either due to access, collateral issues and the duration of the approval process. With our obligations to our customers, especially during difficult economic periods, we are emphasising Access Bank’s position in offering lifestyle products and services that meet their financial needs.”

Access Bank has been able to establish itself as a reliable bridge between individuals and corporate bodies looking to invest, those who need fast cash for business or personal reasons. By promoting economic growth through capital accumulation and technological progress – increasing the savings rate, producing information about investment, facilitating and encouraging the inflows of foreign capital, as well as optimising the allocation of capital – the bank is moving a step further by using its network, expertise, and experience to pull its weight in growing the economy.

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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”

He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”

Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.

He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.

“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”

The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.

He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”

“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”

Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.

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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency

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The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.

In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.

Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote

Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.

The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded

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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience

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Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.

The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.

In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.

He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”

The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.

Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.

“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”

Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.

“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”

The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.

By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.

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