Tomorrow is your birthday Madam, kindly permit me to be the first to strike a positive chord and shine a spotlight on you, an exceptional woman, who is helping shape modern finance in Nigeria and indeed the world.

Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, GMD/CEO, Fidelity Bank

You are inspirational, an elegant stallion that radiates beauty in brilliance.

Meet, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, OON, an Amazon and group managing director and chief executive officer, Fidelity Bank Plc who turns 60 in a few hours.

She is a leader who instills in her people a hope for success and a belief in themselves.

Born July 28, 1964 in Lagos, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, is a creative problem solver motivated by obstacles.

The desire to overcome a challenge fuels her to get things accomplished.

She does not take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, joined Fidelity Bank as an executive director in 2015 and was appointed managing director/CEO in January 2021, becoming the first female MD/CEO in the bank’s history.

The birthday lady holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Master of Law from King’s College London.

She has attended executive training programs at various institutions including Harvard Business School, The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, and London Business School.

Additionally, she recently completed a Diploma program in Organizational Leadership at Said Business School, Oxford University, UK.

She holds an honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and is an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2023.

In 1990, she began working in banking as a legal officer for the now-defunct African Continental Bank. She subsequently worked as a treasury officer for the First African Trust Bank.

She later joined Zenith Bank and Standard Chartered Bank respectively.

Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has held leadership positions at Citizens International Bank, Zenith Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank, among others.

She has been instrumental in structuring complex transactions across various sectors including Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, Aviation, Real Estate, and Export.

In 2011, she joined Enterprise Bank as an executive director of the bank’s operations in Lagos and other locations in the South-Western region in Nigeria.

Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe joined the commercial bank Fidelity as an executive director in January, 2015. Fidelity Bank announced Onyeali-Ikpe as its managing director in December 2021.

Under her leadership, Fidelity Bank witnessed significant growth, increasing its Profit Before Tax (PBT) from N25.22bn in FY 2021 to N122bn in FY 2023.

She has led the bank’s expansion into international markets, including the recent approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria to acquire Fidelity Bank UK Limited (formerly Union Bank UK).

Passionate about innovation and technology, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has spearheaded initiatives such as PayGate Plus, an online payment platform, and the Fidelity International Trade & Creative Connect (FITCC) aimed at supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) globally[citation needed]

In recognition of her leadership, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has received several awards including The Banker of the Year 2022 at the 14th Leadership Annual Conference, Best Banking CEO Nigeria 2023 in the 2023 Global Banking & Finance Awards, 2023 Top 25 CEOs in Nigeria at the BusinessDay Awards, and Banker of the Year 2022 at the Champion Newspapers’ Awards of the Year 2022.

She also received acknowledgment from the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for her role in restructuring the former Enterprise Bank. As an Executive Director, she oversaw operations in the Lagos and southwest regions, managing the Retail and SME divisions. Additionally, she played a key role in establishing the Bank’s SME group.

She serves on various Committees and organizations including the Financial Literacy and Public Enlightenment Sub-Committee of the CBN Bankers Committee and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Onyeali-Ikpe is married to Dr. Ken Onyeali Ikpe, PhD, a leader in Marketing, Branding, and Consumer Consulting.

As you celebrate today, may you have all the love your heart can hold, all the happiness a day can bring, and all the blessings a life can unfold.

May the years ahead be greater.

Happy birthday, God Bless!

The proposed 5 percent tax on companies earning over N100 million for community development projects could result in the exits of multinationals from the country, a new report by Afrexim Bank has said.

“Nigeria’s National Assembly is considering a 5 percent levy on big companies to invest in community projects, despite opposition from companies and their supporters.

Critics argue that companies already pay 20-30 percent of their profits in corporate taxes and the plan could prompt international companies to leave the market,” the report titled Monthly Developments in the African Macroeconomic Environment stated.

However, the bill has faced rejection from the organized private sector.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), which sent representatives to the public hearing organized by the parliament, described the proposal as ill-timed and unnecessary.

They argued that CSR should be at the discretion of each organization, emphasizing that it is an internal matter.

Additionally, they expressed concerns about the current multiplicity of taxes and the high operating expenses that manufacturers are already struggling with.

Olumide Osoba, member of the House of Representatives, recently introduced the Corporate Social Responsibility Bill 2023 to set high standards of corporate governance and ensure firms integrate long-term economic, environmental, and social aspects into their business strategies.

The bill includes provisions for establishing a department within the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

This department will be headed by a commissioner appointed by the president based on the budget minister’s recommendation.

The commissioner will coordinate the activities of agencies related to CSR and monitor compliance with the law.

For non-extractive companies with a net worth of N500 million or a net profit of N100 million in a financial year, the bill requires them to form a CSR committee consisting of three or more directors, one of whom must be an independent director. This committee will be responsible for the company’s CSR policy and ensure compliance.

The National Assembly has moved to repeal the 2007 National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Establishment Act and enact a new bill to strengthen the regulatory functions of the commission.

Kayode Adegoke, the Head of Corporate Communications Unit of the NIMC disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

It would be recalled that this is coming as Nigeria’s National Identity Number enrollment surpassed the 107 million mark as of May 2024.

If enacted, the Commission said the new bill will ensure the efficacy and inclusivity of the Identity Management System (IMS).

According to him, the amendment seeks to fortify the foundational framework of the NIMC and its operations by expanding the scope of registrable persons.

“This updated and comprehensive bill embodies several proposed amendments designed to improve the effectiveness and inclusivity of the Nigeria ID System.

“The benefit to the country is a more comprehensive and inclusive identification system, which enhances national security, facilitates efficient service delivery and promotes financial inclusion.

“The bill also aims to streamline the sharing of personal data, incorporating robust data protection measures to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of individuals’ data and foster trust among citizens in the handling of their information.

“It also enhances NIMC’s administrative enforcement Power to ensure timely and accurate compliance with ID registration requirements.

“The NIMC repeal and enactment bill, when passed into law, will lead to a more streamlined registration process, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and enhancing the reliability of the Nigeria ID System”, the commission stated.