First Bank provides 30,000 direct jobs through agent banking – Official

First Bank of Nigeria Limited on Wednesday said it had provided over 30,000 direct employments and several indirect employments through its agent banking.
Abednego Ugwueke, Head, Financial Inclusion Services of the bank, made this known at the Digital PayExpo 2019, while speaking on the theme: “Driving Financial Inclusion in Africa: The First Bank story.”
Ugwueke said not only had the bank provided employments through the agent banking, it also provided empowered women.
According to him, 23 per cent of the agent networks are women located mostly in the Southern states followed by the North East.
He said the women in the North East were from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States, with over 1,000 women businesses, while the southern states are: Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, Ogun and Delta State.
Also involved is the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Ugwueke said: “We are committed to tackling unemployment by creating direct jobs through the agent banking.
“The bank is also investing in key areas that help educate customers and agents on financial literacy and awareness campaign.
”Overall, First bank is committed to financial inclusion and will continue to improve the lives of Nigerians through the provision of innovative financial services.”
Ugwueke said aside from FBN providing jobs through the agent banking, it was also passionate about providing financial inclusion for the 40 million financially excluded adults.
He said the agent banking had made banking easier and closer to people and that the testimonies of the people were that their communities had been turned to cities.
He highlighted the challenges faced by the agents as infrastructure challenge, collaboration with government agencies and regulators, among others.
He said: “Use of generator is not only expensive but inappropriate to charge the equipment being used for transactions.
“The law enforcement agents need to understand the dynamics of agent banking well enough to make intervention.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 19th edition of the annual Digital PayExpo was organised by INTERMARC, a consulting firm, with the theme: “FINCLUSION: Aligning Expectations with the DFS Business Case.”