E-Financial
Sterling Bank Carries Out Environmental Cleaning Exercises in 23 States Across Nigeria.

As part of its commitment to create a cleaner and safer environment for the citizenry and aquatic life under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative known as Sterling Bank Environmental Makeover (STEM), Sterling Bank Plc has recently carried out environmental cleaning exercises in 23 states across Nigeria.

L-R: Executive Director, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Sterling Bank, Mr. Tunde Adeola, Chief Executive Officer, Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, Odenusi Olawale, Digital Marketing Communications Lead, Rite Foods, Chief Olumide Ilumo Oniru, Olopon of Iru Kingdom & the Otunba of Ilashe, General Manager, Corporate and Investment Banking, Sterling Bank, Mrs. Mojisola Bakare during a cleaning exercise at Oniru Beach to mark the World Recycling Day in Lagos recently.
The cleaning up exercises involved cleaning of markets, roads and beaches to commemorate the World Recycling Day, which held recently in every country in the world.
The exercises were simultaneously held in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Ondo, Ekiti, Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Abuja, Delta, Anambra, Edo, Abia, Imo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Katsina and Lagos.
More than 1,000 participated in the clean-up exercises; including staff of Sterling Bank and volunteers. In Lagos, it was executed in partnership with the Oniru Kingdom, Rite Foods, First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company, Bonnie Bio, Sterling One Foundation, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), African Clean Up Initiative and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
Speaking at the beach cleaning exercise at Oniru Beach, Lagos, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, managing director and CEO of Sterling Bank, said the bank embarked on cleaning exercises in 21 states out of the 24 states it is partnering with across the country.
The CEO who was represented by Mr. Tunde Adeola, executive director of Commercial and Institutional Banking at Sterling Bank remarked that, “We have been on this journey for more than 10 years. Every time, this happens, we have a cleaner and healthier environment.”
He said, “Sterling Bank is well positioned to do this,” adding that in the last two years, the bank has received recognition and awards for the initiative. According to him, Sterling Bank is also in the forefront of tourism in Lagos State.
Also speaking, Mrs. Mojisola Bakare, general manager, Corporate and Investment Banking with Sterling Bank said, “Sterling Bank is about impactful banking”, noting they believe that there is no way they will live on this earth without impacting on the environment, adding that for that reason, they have what is called the HEART of Sterling because they have strategically decided that they are going to impact specific areas of growth in the economy.
She said the HEART of Sterling stands for Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation, adding that the head office in Marina, Lagos is being fitted with solar panels and soon it will be sustainably powered by the sun.
“It is very important that we take responsibility for our actions on the environment and preserve its beauty to boost the local economy and attract foreign tourists, and by extension, foreign exchange into the country,” Mrs. Bakare said.
Mrs. Uzamat Yussuf, Commissioner for Ministry of Tourism in Lagos State, said, “We are aware that Lagos is a place of aquatic splendour.” She said, “If we have water that is not well protected and
sustained, it is better we don’t have any of it at all and that is why it is important for us to sensitise the citizens of Lagos on the proper way to dispose wastes properly.
“When we do not dispose wastes properly, it becomes an issue for ourselves and the state at large because when the rain starts and all our drainages are blocked, then we continue to experience flooding. In developed countries, they sell their beaches to tourists and make huge money as well as increase level of employment for their people.”
The commissioner stressed the need for the citizenry to clean the beaches in a bid to encourage tourists to come and see what the state can offer, adding that the purpose of tourism is to create wealth; which ultimately will increase the GDP of the country. She implored all to continue to manage and dispose wastes properly in a bid to sustain the environment.
Abia State Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Godswill Uwanoruo, commended the management and staff of Sterling Bank for the cleaning exercise which started in the state since 2015.
He said, “I started this programme with them in 2015 when I introduced the bank’s team led by the incumbent CEO, Mr. Suleiman, who was the then Executive Director of Finance to the governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.
“I am happy that they continued the programme by making sure that Abia State is clean,” Uwanoruo said.
He advised other banks in the country to emulate the good gesture of Sterling Bank because it is not an easy thing for members of staff of a company to leave their offices and go out to clean markets and roads.
The commissioner also advocated that the exercise be done monthly or quarterly instead of annually.
Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, commissioner of Environment in Bayelsa State, who graced the STEM event in the state noted that, “The state government is here with Sterling Bank to show the world that they are synergising and keeping Bayelsa clean.”
Also, Honourable Muktar Baloni, Chairman of the Kaduna North Local Government Area Council, said he was impressed by the level of consistency in Sterling Bank’s environmental cleaning exercise and would want to emulate the bank by directing officials in the local government to replicate what the bank is doing in the local government.
The World Recycling Day is celebrated across the globe every year on March 18th even as recycling is recognised as an important component of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. It is estimated that the world generates over two billion metric tonnes of municipal solid waste and reusable items annually.
The theme of the year’s event is on the ‘Recycling Fraternity,’ which refers to people who put themselves on the frontline to collect waste and engage in recycling during the multiple lockdowns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
E-Financial
NAICOM, World Bank Explore Opportunities for Collaboration

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the World Bank have collaborated to explore opportunities for the latter’s growth and development.
During a courtesy visit, the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, highlighted the National Insurance Commission’s dual role in regulating the insurance industry and driving growth and development in Nigeria.
Highlighting developments in the sector, the Commissioner emphasised the importance of the New Insurance Consolidated Bill, which has been passed by the Nigerian Senate and awaiting concurrence from the Federal House of Representatives.
He expressed optimism that the bill would receive presidential assent once passed by both chambers. He acknowledged the challenge of changing the public perception of insurance in Nigeria, citing past experiences of non-claim payment.
He introduced the Commission’s new mantra, “find a reason to settle claims,” which has led to increased compliance from industry players.
On penetration and enforcement, the Commissioner discussed the recent collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies on compulsory insurance enforcement, which began on February 1, 2025.
He also highlighted NAICOM’s efforts to educate the public on the benefits of third-party insurance through various media channels.
He also emphasised NAICOM’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a $1 trillion economy.
In his part, the Deputy Commissioner, Technical, Dr Usman Jankara, added that NAICOM aimed to operate on a value proposition, meeting the needs and aspirations of Nigerians through sustainable insurance products.
He unveiled NAICOM’s plan to develop cyber insurance guidelines and engage stakeholders. The Commission identified insufficient actuarial capacity in the Nigerian insurance sector as a major challenge.
Responding, the World Bank delegation leader, Mr. Mehnas S. Safavian, promised to consider NAICOM’s requests for assistance, including capacity building, automation, and capital market development.
The meeting marked a significant step towards fostering collaboration and growth in Nigeria’s insurance sector.
E-Financial
Blockchain Technology Will Aid Market Regulation – SEC

Dr. Emomotimi Agama, director-general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has emphasized that the deployment of blockchain technology will improve efficiency and aid the regulation of the capital market.
Agama stated this during a session with a delegation from Algorand Foundation, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Essentially, blockchain is a decentralized system that enhances trust and security by allowing multiple parties to independently verify and validate transactions without needing a central authority.
Agama said in Africa, where there are significant issues such as financial exclusion, lack of transparency, and inefficiencies in public and private sectors, blockchain presents an opportunity to build a future where the challenges can be addressed as blockchain is a digital ledger technology that securely records and verifies transactions across a network of computers.
Furthermore, the SEC DG said the commission is consistently aligning with international best practices by collaborating with global regulatory bodies such as the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), adding that this ensures that the commission’s regulatory framework remains robust, adaptive, and aligns with global standards, enabling cross-border collaboration and fostering investor confidence.
He disclosed that the SEC has introduced several measures to ensure that these innovations are harnessed responsibly: Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Program (ARIP) and Regulatory Incubation (RI) Program: The ARIP and RI Program were designed to on-board firms operating in the digital asset space and provide a controlled environment to test new models, products, and services.
These programs, he stated, foster innovation while ensuring that robust consumer safeguards are in place adding that the recent approval-in-principle granted to two digital asset exchanges and five firms participating in these programs is a testament to our commitment to enabling innovation.
According to him, in this era of technological innovation, the question is not whether Africa will adopt blockchain, but how it will shape its adoption to maximise its benefits for all the people.
“We want to activate the blockchain in our efficiency; we want to be able to use it to regulate our market. My dream is to have all of the information we need to do our work in a block chain. We want to bring technology into our system for effectiveness where we can work seamlessly and everything that we do will be traceable.
“So wherever there is a toxin in the block chain we will find it and deal with it. We will extend it to the point where review of applications will be done on the block chain so whoever drops the ball will be seen. Each transaction is grouped into a block, and these blocks are linked together in a chronological chain. This structure ensures that once information is added to the blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted, providing a transparent and tamper-proof record.
“We want to leave a legacy that each one of us will be proud of when we leave this Commission. But in getting that to happen, we must all be educated enough to drive that course,” Agama said.
The DG disclosed that the Commission being the apex regulator of the capital market cannot be left out in technological advancement hence the need to engage Algorand Foundation to explore the Commission’s needs and potential application and benefits of blockchain technology.
“It is very interesting that we are having this opportunity to do this for our organization, this is a knowledge-based institution and I am leading from the front. All our staff must begin to retool themselves because as regulators, we have to be on top of our game.
“As we begin our steps in moving the commission forward together, the foundation of everything that we do requires deep knowledge and understanding, without knowledge we cannot get it done. No matter what I say, without you all being part of that train we cannot get the work done. There is no way I can do everyone’s job; we all have to be equipped to regulate this market,” he added.
In his remarks, Mr. Eric Wragge, global head, Business Development, Algorand Foundation, said the team is in Nigeria to democratize technology and assist interested organizations and businesses take advantage of the numerous benefits of implementing blockchain technology in their operations.
“It is an honour to be here. We are here to tell you what block chain is all about and how it can help your work. We are here to democratize the technology, it’s free to use, anybody can use it. Our job is to go round the world, discover where the technology can be used and help people implement,” he stated
E-Financial
Active Bank Accounts Hit 312m as @ 2024

As of December 2024, the number of active bank accounts in Nigeria has reached 311.65 million, marking a significant increase from 202.6 million at the end of 2023.
This represents a growth of approximately 48.89 per cent over the year, with around 102.34 million new accounts activated during this period.
In addition to the rise in active accounts, there has also been an increase in dormant accounts, which reached about 19.7 million, and closed accounts, which totaled 25.49 million by December 2024.
The data reflects ongoing efforts towards enhancing financial inclusion within the country, driven by initiatives from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
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