Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

Social Achievements

• Expended N13.38 million on various CSR commitments covering Education/Capacity Building, Trade Promotions, Value Reorientation, Professional Developments, Community Interventions, Sports and Health.

Governance Achievements

• Complied with the Central Bank of Nigeria Code of Corporate Governance.
• Established electronic and manual whistle-blowing mechanisms.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Economic recovery challenges persisted in 2018 with sluggish growth, lackluster recovery, fiscal deficit, and budget delays.
• Heightened global trade uncertainty, rising interest rates, pre-election jitters, and weak emerging market sentiment depleted investor value.
• Political and electioneering activities affected customer deposits.
• Capital constraints and slow economic recovery limited asset growth.

Mitigation Strategies

• Posted a profit after tax of N1.27 billion after posting a N14 billion loss in 2017.
• Reduced overheads by N4.2 billion.
• Significantly increased market share in agribusiness by onboarding over 500,000 farmers and input suppliers and disbursing an additional N31 billion facility.
• Focused on sustaining growth at profitable prices and initiating prudent business deals.
• Strengthened strategic partnerships with international and local experts.
• Restructured Retail and E-Business functions to increase market share in the youth segment and reduce financial exclusion.
• Undertaking a recapitalization drive to improve capital ratios and competitiveness.

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Awards & Recognition

• Federal Government of Nigeria Award on Agriculture and Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme
• CBN 2018 Sustainability Banking Award for Sustainable Transaction of the Year in Agriculture
• CBN NIBSS Efficiency Award for the Financial Services Brand with the “Most Extensive Fraud Channel Coverage”

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Financial inclusion
• Agriculture
• Women Empowerment
• Digital & SME lending

Environmental Achievements

• Adoption of alternative renewable energy source to power 29 solar-powered branches and 61 solar-powered ATMs. Active plans to increase renewable energy adoption.

Social Achievements

• Various initiatives to reduce carbon footprint through waste management (reduce, reuse, recycle).
• Partnership with Food Crowdy to optimize food value chain and ensure affordable and safe food.
• Implemented various welfare programs and conducted a salary harmonization exercise to improve staff welfare.

Governance Achievements

• Inaugurated a Sustainability Governance Committee (SGC) to integrate ESG criteria into the Bank’s overall strategy.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on economic activity, supply chains, and business operations.
• Reduction and downward review of charges and fees for banking electronic services.
• Closure of bank branches during and after lockdown.
• Operational constraints of keeping employees safe and meeting customer expectations.
• Higher credit losses impacting asset quality, capital, and liquidity.
• Increasing cases of fraud and cyber-attacks.
• Deterioration of IT infrastructure.

Mitigation Strategies

• Implementation of various strategic initiatives to maintain performance despite challenges.
• Shifting over 70% of banking transactions to digital platforms.
• Activating business continuity plan, including reduced physical presence at work and skeletal services.
• Continuous staff engagement through communication, online programs, and training.
• Investment in IT infrastructure and security.

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Awards & Recognition

• Best Agric Business Bank in Nigeria

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Women Empowerment
• Environmental Management
• Education and Development
• Health and Wellbeing

Environmental Achievements

• Strict paper management with e-signatures to reduce paper usage and waste.
• Partnership with recycling firms for sustainable waste disposal.
• Beach cleanup in partnership with Kids Beach Garden for Earth Day.

Social Achievements

• Launched a women-centric retail savings account targeting women-owned SMEs, including micro-lending, micro-insurance, and financial training.
• Unveiled Nollywood actress Sola Sobowale as brand ambassador for the women-centric account.
• Upgraded UniFi 2.0 mobile banking application with improved features and security.
• Received the 2021 "Icon of Youth Empowerment" award for contributions to youth entrepreneurship through the NYSC Corpreneurship initiative.
• Received the "Best Bank in Agric Support" award.
• Supported Girl Child Concern (GCC) in celebration of International Women’s Day.
• Supported Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NECA) Octoberfest meeting.
• Supported Do-Estdot International school for children with special needs.
• Partnered with Ocean Ambassadors Foundation to empower 3,000 secondary school girls.
• Facilitated financial literacy training at Eminent Academy in Ado-Ekiti.
• Supported Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA).
• Refurbished the Anti-Robbery Unit office at Maroko police station.

Governance Achievements

• Achieved a 90% training target for all staff, focusing on customer service, fraud prevention, and work process uniformity.
• 88% of the workforce was within entry to middle management.

Climate Goals & Targets

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Support for Do-Estdot International school and Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA).

Awards & Recognition

• Icon of Youth Empowerment
• Best Bank in Agric Support