Unity Bank Plc has received the ‘2018 Best Participating Bank in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Development Finance Activities Award’ in Jigawa State, Nigeria.
In a statement, the bank said the recognition came at the Dutse Bankers Forum organised by the CBN, which brought together financial stakeholders in Jigawa State including the CBN, representatives of the Chartered Institute of Bankers North West Zone, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, 16 commercial banks in Jigawa State, the Controller of Prison Service, Jigawa State and Turaki of Dutse, who represented the Emir of Dutse.
Receiving the award, the Regional Manager, Unity Bank, Dutse, Mr Mustapha Baba, commended the CBN for the recognition accorded the bank.
He stated that it was a “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.
“Coming barely two months after the bank won two highly coveted awards; namely, the Central Bank of Nigeria 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, this award confirms the rising profile of Unity Bank Plc as a leader in agricultural financing.”
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Unity Bank Plc, Mrs Tomi Somefun said the awards were strong indications of the success of Unity bank’s business model which underpined the resilience, endurance, robustness and viability of the brand to sustainably deliver exceptional financial services to individuals, groups, and organisations across segments.
Jigawa State Governor, Mohammad Badaru, represented by the state’s Accountant General, Alhaji Haruna Ahmed-Amin, while commending Unity Bank for its focus in driving financial inclusion in the state, called on all banks operating in the state to come up with tangible offers for their customers, by developing financial services’ products that would enable them penetrate the rural population and the farmers, thereby reducing dependence on public sector deposits.