Under its First@arts initiative, FirstBank, West Africa premier financial institution and financial inclusion services provider has announced the sponsorship of the maiden edition of the Lagos International Theatre Festival, a celebration of arts, creativity and diversity. In partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters and the Lagos State Government, this three-day festival is scheduled to run from November 15 to 17, 2024 showcasing both local and international artistic expressions and creative arts with an expected attendance of over 20,000 audience all over the world.
The Lagos International Theatre Festival is a vibrant hub of artistic expression, uniting global performers, directors, writers, and theatre enthusiasts. The diverse line-up of productions for the festival includes adult theatre, Children’s theatre, skits and storytelling that tackles both local and global themes and the dynamic spirit of Lagos. The festival is scheduled to take place at four iconic venues in Lagos State: Muson Centre, TerraKulture, National Theatre, and JK Randle Centre. The event is set to showcase a variety of performances by emerging and established artists, local theatre groups, and international acts. It will also feature special events such as workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, and a marketplace, all aimed at fostering growth, creativity, and connection within the entertainment industry. Featured plays will include The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives and Satchmo at The Waldorf, among many others.
In addition, some of Nigeria’s finest creative artists such as Joke Silva, Kehinde Bankole, Osas Ighodaro, and Broda Shaggi, will be gracing the festival, making it an unmissable celebration of the performing arts.
FirstBank’s sponsorship of the Lagos International Theatre Festival as a lead sponsor reinforces its position as the foremost patron of creative and performing arts, contributing to the cultural and entertainment fabric of the nation.
Commenting on the sponsorship, Folake Ani-Mumuney- Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications said “FirstBank’s sponsorship of the Lagos International Theatre Festival is a continuation of our support for the arts and creative value chain. Through our First@Arts initiative, we have consistently championed the growth of creative talent and contributed to the vibrant cultural landscape of Nigeria. We believe that supporting platforms like the Lagos International Theatre Festival is vital not only for the arts but also for empowering individuals, driving innovation, and fostering a sense of community that inspires national pride”
According to Bolanle Austen-Peters the founder of BAP Productions, “The creative industry is at the heart of every nation that thrives, and Nigeria is especially blessed with imaginative creativity and abundant talents. This is what God has blessed us with—the only resource that is infinite. It is important for us to provide a platform where our creatives can explore, tell our stories, and export our positive philosophies and values to the world. This is why we are launching the Lagos International Theatre Festival.”
Sponsoring the Lagos International Theatre is another significant stride in the bank’s First@arts initiative. The First@arts initiative is conceived with the key objective of supporting the value chain of Nigerian arts and cultural development for the growth and development of the nation’s creative economy. It aims to engage and empower youths, customers and stakeholders to explore the wealth of opportunities that the creative industry offers and to celebrate their successes.
One of the unique initiatives under the First@Arts umbrella is FirstBank’s DecemberIssaVybe. In the twilight of the calendar year, Lagos International Theatre Festival is set to kick off FirstBank’s annual “DecemberIssaVybe” campaign, aimed at promoting the arts and entertainment industry in Nigeria. Throughout December, the Bank offers a plethora of opportunities and platforms for an unforgettable homecoming experience, catering to both Nigerians and foreigners alike. Music lovers and fun-seekers can look forward to exclusive access to live performances by their favourite artists, in-demand concerts, and shows.
DecemberIssaVybe has always brought to friends and families of the Bank the most exciting, fun-filled, memorable experience in December.
For further details about the Lagos International Theatre festival, please visit www.lagosinternationaltheatrefestival.com . For more information on DecemberissaVybe please follow FirstBank’s social media pages and updates on – Facebook: First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Instagram: @firstbanknigeria.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited “FirstBank”, established in 1894, is the premier bank in West Africa, a leading financial inclusion services provider in Africa, and a digital banking giant.
FirstBank’s international footprints cut across three continents ─ Africa, Europe and Asia, with FirstBank UK Limited in London and Paris; FirstBank in The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea and Sierra Leone; FBNBank in Senegal; and a FirstBank Representative Office in Beijing, China. All the subsidiary banks are fully registered by their respective Central Banks to provide full banking services.
Besides providing domestic banking services, the subsidiaries also engage in international cross-border transactions with FirstBank’s non-Nigerian subsidiaries, and the representative offices in Paris and China facilitate trade flows from Asia and Europe into Nigeria and other African countries.
For over 130 years, FirstBank has built an outstanding reputation for solid relationships, good corporate governance, and a strong liquidity position, and has been at the forefront of promoting digital payment in the country with over 13 million cards issued to customers (the first bank to achieve such a milestone in Nigeria). FirstBank has continued to make significant investments in technology, innovation and transformation, and its cashless transaction drive has been steadily accentuated with virtually 23 million active FirstBank customers signed up on digital channels including the USSD Quick Banking service through the nationally renowned *894# Banking code.
With over 42 million customer accounts (including digital wallets) spread across Nigeria, UK and sub-Saharan Africa, the Bank provides a comprehensive range of retail and wholesale financial services through more than 820 business offices and over 243,400 agent locations spread across 772 out of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
In addition to banking solutions and services, FirstBank provides pension fund custody services in Nigeria through First Pension Custodian Nigeria Limited and nominee and associated services through First Nominees Nigeria Limited.
FirstBank’s commitment to Diversity is shown in its policies, partnerships and initiatives such as its employees’ ratio of female to male (about 39%:61%; and 32% women in management) as well as the FirstBank Women Network, an initiative that seeks to address the gender gap and increase the participation of women at all levels within the organisation. In addition, the Bank’s membership of the UN Women is an affirmation of a deliberate policy that is consistent with UN Women’s Women Empowerment’s Principles (WEPs) ─ Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Nondiscrimination.
For six consecutive years (2011 – 2016), FirstBank was named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” by the globally renowned The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group and “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” eight times in a row, 2011 – 2018, by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards.
In 2023, FirstBank received notable awards including “Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2023” by Global Finance Awards; “Best Sustainable Bank in Nigeria 2023” by International Investors Awards; “Best Bespoke Banking Services in Nigeria 2023” by International Investors Awards; “Best Financial Inclusion Service Provider in Nigeria 2023” by Digital Banker Africa; and “African Bank of the Year” by African Leadership Magazine; ’’Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria 2023’’ by Euromoney Awards and ‘’Most Innovative Banking Brand – Nigeria 2023’’ by Global Brands Award.
Significantly, FirstBank’s Global Credit Rating was A+ with a positive outlook while ratings by Fitch and Standard & Poor’s were A (nga) and ngBBB+ respectively both with Stable outlooks as at September 2023. FirstBank maintained the same level of international credit ratings as the sovereign; a milestone that was achieved in 2022 for the first time since 2015.
FirstBank continued to gain wide acclaim on the global stage with several international awards and recognitions received so far in 2024. Some of these include Nigeria’s Best Bank for ESG 2024 and Nigeria’s Best Bank for Corporates 2024 both awarded by Euromoney Awards for Excellence; Best SME Bank in Africa and in Nigeria by The Asian Banker Global Awards; Best Private Bank in Nigeria and Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa by Global Finance Awards; Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best CSR Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best Retail Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best SME Bank in Nigeria 2024 and Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2024 all awarded by the Global Banking and Finance Awards.
Our vision is “To be Africa’s Bank of first choice” and our mission is “To remain true to our name by providing the best financial services possible”. This commitment is anchored on our core values of EPIC – Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Innovation and Customer-Centricity. Our strategic ambition is “To deliver accelerated growth in profitability through customer-led innovation and disciplined execution” and our brand promise is always to deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence to position You First in every respect.
Folake Ani-Mumuney
Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
First Bank of Nigeria Limited
