UBA – United Bank for Africa Executive Director/GCOO Mr. Alex Alozie; Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA, Mr. Oliver Alawuba; General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Gardens, Adetoun Popoola; and Executive Director, Finance and Risk Management, Ugo Nwaghodoh, at the flag-off of UBA Foundation’s Tree Planting Initiative, held at the UBA Foundation Garden in Marina, Lagos. (Source: UBA)

UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has once again taken a remarkable step towards promoting sustainability and fostering Africa’s green revolution. Following the footsteps of the Chairman of UBA Plc, the foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental preservation in line with global efforts to mitigate climate change and advance ecological conservation.

As part of activities to ensure the safety of the environment and in line with its environmental mandate, the Foundation on Thursday, flagged off its 2023 Tree Planting Campaign in partnership with the Lagos State Parks and Garden Agency (LASPARK), at the UBA Foundation Garden, Marina Lagos and the International Airport Setback Garden, Ikeja Lagos; and across all its locations in the 20 African countries with the theme: Shades of Hope: One Tree at a Time.  

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UBA’s Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba, who flagged off the campaign with a symbolic tree planting at the UBA Foundation Garden, Marina Lagos, said that the bank, through its Foundation, actively engages in environmental conservation to safeguard the natural ecosystems that Africa depends on.

He explained that by partnering with stakeholders and government agencies, the UBA Foundation supports programs that enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health and also serves as an inspiration for sustainable practices. 

 Alawuba said, “With the ongoing heatwave that has been reported across the United States, United Kingdom and China, we know that the issue of climate change has to be taken seriously now more than ever. We therefore have to act fast to save our planet for the future generations. There is the need to conserve our environment, and planting trees is one of the ways we can achieve this. 

“To us as a bank, this is very symbolic as we are committed to saving our host communities. We are very strong on our Corporate Social Responsibilities, infact, as a bank, UBA devotes one percent of its annual profit to improve education, the environment, and to generally give back to the society where we operate.”

Earlier this month in London, the Group Chairman, UBA, Tony Elumelu, who is also the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation  joined King Charles III of the United Kingdom and US President Joe Biden at the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum to help attract a new generation of capital to combat climate change.

Elumelu, who has been in the forefront of sustainability efforts in Africa, and also one of Africa’s most prominent advocates for equitable climate finance, has been working with top world leaders towards creating sustainable climate solutions. According to Tony Elumelu, the world needs bold actions and innovative new partnerships between public, private, and philanthropic actors.

One of the key partners with UBA Foundation on its sustainability efforts is LASPARK. The General Manager, Mrs Adetoun Popoola, who was at the tree planting effort in Lagos, commended UBA for its efforts at planting over 1,000 trees, across all its branches in Africa,  as she added that initiatives such as these complement government efforts.  

She said, “Collaborations such as these are important, and we do not fail to let people know that planting trees is very crucial to build a safer and sustainable environment which is important for us. So, we advise that people should learn to plant trees for special events, such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and others. You can plant at your balconies, gardens, rooftops galleries, anywhere. 

UBA Foundation, the CSR arm of the UBA Group, is committed to the socio-economic betterment of the communities in which the bank operates, focusing on development in the areas of Education, Environment, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects.

DURBAN – MTN will hosts its 13th edition of 21 Days of Y’ello Care, an annual employee volunteerism programme which runs from 1 to 21 June across the company’s footprint.

MTN recognises the enormous potential that young people have to drive economic growth and help their communities to thrive.

Hence the company will continue with youth empowerment as its theme for the 2019 Y’ello Care campaign.

MTN Group Executive for Corporate Affairs, Nompilo Morafo said, “We believe that if we all join forces, youth empowerment can be realised and the prevalence of youth unemployment eradicated. Our goal for this year’s Y’ello Care programme is to do our part to support young people and help tackle various issues they face”.

Morafo added, “As the leading mobile operator in emerging markets and given our understanding of the transformative power of digital innovation, we constantly seek opportunities to connect people with technology, so that all our stakeholders can enjoy the dividends of the digital age. As we embark on the Forth Industrial Revolution, we wish to help equip the youth with the skills and knowledge they require to effectively prepare themselves for the digital future.” MTN Group Media release”.

Lagos, Nigeria – March 22nd, 2019: Banks only build branches, or so the story goes. Except for Guaranty Trust Bank Plc; the foremost African financial institution, which has been at the forefront of several innovative products and services, recently completed and opened the first digital playground for children in Nigeria.

Located in Lekki, Lagos State, the GTBank Play Centre is equipped with a wide range of interactive games that will give kids a fun and immersive digital experience whilst aiding their mental and intellectual development. Open from 10am to 3pm on Weekdays, and 10am to 1pm on Saturdays, some of the features of the Play Centre include the Sketch Town, where kids can design cars, launch rockets, and bring all their sketches to life. At the playground, children can also use the wide range of bricks available to build whatever excites their curiosity and also express themselves creatively by scribbling, writing and drawing on a digital chalkboard.

GTBank is renowned for designing innovative and personalized products and services that are tailored to customers’ unique needs and which fit seamlessly with their lifestyles. Recently, the Bank launched Habari, a digital platform that gives customers unlimited access to local and international music, and at the same time, allows them to shop online, split bills with friends and take care of their everyday needs, in one place. Habari, like the GTBank Play Centre, is the first of its kind in Nigeria, reflecting the Bank’s digital drive as well as its focus on creating unique experiences for all segments of its customer base.

Commenting on the launch of the Play Centre, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr Segun Agbaje said; “How and where children play contributes significantly to their cognitive and intellectual development, helping them build better communication and problem-solving skills. Our new Play Centre will give children a tension-free space to build these critical developmental skills, expose them to new and emerging digital technologies, and, most importantly, give them a wonderful time out.”

He further stated that “At GTBank we are passionate about building the bank of the future, and for us, this means constantly leveraging the best of technology to create amazing digital experiences for all of our customers, in a way that adds real value to their lives.”

Guaranty Trust Bank is one of the best run African financial institutions and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation. The Bank is also renowned for driving youth empowerment initiatives alongside its business, as seen with the GTCrea8 Account package, which doubles up as a platform for empowering young undergraduates with the resources and networking that they need to develop their skills and talents and build capacity in their careers of choice.