Photo caption:L-R: Team Lead, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Fidelity Bank Plc, Victoria Abuka; Personal Assistant to the President on Constituency Affairs, Hon. Khadijat Kareem Omotayo; Branch Leader, Adeola Odeku Branch, Fidelity Bank Plc, Ifeyinwa Asomugha; Surulere Local Government Executive, Anthonia Adenike Adjivon; and First Vice Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Surulere Local Government, Adebayo Odukoya; during the Fidelity Food Bank outreach in Surulere, Lagos recently.

Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has reinforced its commitment to community welfare and sustainable development with the distribution of food packs to over 1,500 residents in Surulere, Lagos state.The outreach, executed under the Bank’s Fidelity Food Bank initiative, was carried out in partnership with the Office of the Personal Assistant to the President on Constituency Affairs and the Sodiq Abiodun Ogundare (SAO) Foundation.Speaking during the event, Regional Bank Head, Victoria Island/Lekki, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Edekobi, represented by the Branch Leader, Adeola Odeku Branch, Fidelity Bank Plc, Ifeyinwa Asomugha, described the initiative as a reflection of Fidelity Bank’s unwavering dedication to improving the wellbeing of its host communities.“Today goes beyond the distribution of food items; it is about uplifting lives, creating opportunities, and strengthening our commitment to the wellbeing of families in this community.” he said.He disclosed that since inception, the initiative has distributed more than 150,000 food packs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, positively impacting hundreds of communities nationwide. “Today’s outreach has provided over 1,500 beneficiaries with essential feeding supplies that will help address hunger, support healthy living, and improve the overall wellbeing of families. This initiative also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2, which focuses on achieving Zero Hunger,” he added.Edekobi further commended the Personal Assistant to the President on Constituency Affairs, Hon. Khadijat Kareem Omotayo for supporting the initiative and fostering impactful partnerships that benefit underserved communities.Also speaking at the event, Hon. Khadijat Kareem Omotayo praised Fidelity Bank and the SAO Foundation for bringing meaningful support to residents of Surulere.“I am very happy that the foundation is growing. Fidelity Bank are our people and I appreciate this collaboration that has brought this massive opportunity to our people in Surulere Constituency 1,” she stated.She expressed optimism about sustaining future partnerships with the Bank to continue improving the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.It would be recalled that the bank was recently recognized as the CSR Champion of the year at the 2025 Independent Newspaper Awards for its Food Bank initiative. The outreach to Surulere continues a legacy of impact, attracting community leaders, residents, and food bank partners, many of whom described the intervention as a timely boost amid prevailing economic challenges.Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 10 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

…Group Profit rises 89% in FY2025, 53% in Q1 2026

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc (“Sterling Financial” or “theGroup”) has announced its audited financial results for the year ended December 31,2025, alongside its unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026,delivering strong earnings growth, balance sheet expansion, and improved capitalstrength across the Group.According to statement by Group CFO, Sterling Financial Holdings Company PLC, Adebimpe Olambiwonnu, Gross Earnings for FY2025 increased by 44.4% to ₦486.8 billion, representing the strongest performance in the Group’s modern history. Profit Before Tax rose by 89.2% to ₦86.8 billion, while Profit After Tax increased by 74.8% to ₦76.3 billion.The Group’s balance sheet also strengthened significantly during the year. Total Assets reached ₦3.91 trillion, Customer Deposits grew to ₦2.98 trillion, and Loans and Advances closed at ₦1.41 trillion while Shareholders’ Funds expanded by 40.5% to ₦428.7 billion.Sterling Financial sustained this momentum into the first quarter of 2026, with TotalAssets crossing the ₦4 trillion threshold for the first time, reaching ₦4.07 trillion.Gross Earnings for Q1 2026 rose by 41.6% year-on-year to ₦134.8 billion, supported bya 36.8% increase in Net Interest Income to ₦64.9 billion.Operating income reached ₦93.4 billion during the quarter, while Profit Before Taxincreased by 52.8% to ₦27.9 billion and Profit After Tax rose to ₦23.4 billion.Shareholders’ Funds strengthened further to ₦542.5 billion following the successfulcompletion of the Group’s recapitalisation programme.Commenting on the Group’s performance, Yemi Odubiyi, Group Managing Directorof Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, said: “Our FY2025 and Q1 2026 results reflect continued growth across the Group’s core businesses, supported by disciplined execution, improved operating efficiency, and a strengthened capital position.The successful completion of our recapitalisation programme positions the Group for the next phase of growth across our commercial banking, non-interest banking, and wealth-management businesses. We remain focused on sustaining growth, strengthening our balance sheet and delivering long-term value across our diversified platform.”This period represents an important phase in Sterling Financial’s evolution, as thecontinued growth of Sterling Bank and The Alternative Bank, alongside the expansionof SterlingFI Wealth Management, positioned the Group to compete across multiple segments under a unified Group structure and shared strategic agenda.The Group enters the rest of 2026 with stronger capital, expanded operating capacity and continued momentum across its banking and wealth-management businesses.ABOUT STERLING FINANCIAL HOLDINGS COMPANYSterling Financial Holdings Company PLC (Sterling Financial) is a leading Nigerian financial services group committed to enriching lives through innovation and impact. It’s diversified portfolio includes Sterling Bank Limited, The Alternative Bank Limited and SterlingFI WealthManagement among other businesses.As a holding company, Sterling provides strategic direction, governance, and sharedcapabilities across its subsidiaries, enabling each to focus on its core mandate while benefiting from group-wide expertise, technology, and oversight.With a heritage of trust built over six decades, Sterling Financial is committed to financial innovation, advancing inclusion, and shaping sustainable growth in Nigeria’s economy. The group continues to champion customer-focused solutions and socially responsible initiatives while creating long-term value for shareholders, employees and the communities it serves.

Mrs. Amaka Onwughalu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fidelity Bank Plc, has emerged winner in the “Women on Bank Boards” category at the Africa Women in Banking and Finance Conference and Awards (AWBFA 2026).The event, themed “Redefining Women’s Leadership in African Finance”, held at the Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja on Friday, 8 May 2026, is a platform established to celebrate women driving leadership and impact across Africa’s financial services ecosystem. It also spotlights professionals whose contributions are often overlooked, while advancing visibility for women shaping banking and finance.In her acceptance remarks, delivered through Ezinwa Unuigboje, Company Secretary, Fidelity Bank Plc, Onwughalu described the recognition as a timely reminder of the role inclusion plays in strengthening board effectiveness and corporate governance.“This recognition matters because inclusion at board level strengthens governance,” she said, noting that when diverse perspectives are represented, “oversight is sharper, risk conversations are richer, and strategy is tested more thoroughly.”She added that inclusive leadership sends an important signal to the market and the next generation of leaders, emphasising that boardrooms should reflect “competence, experience, and the society the financial system serves.”For Fidelity Bank, the Chairman linked the award to the institution’s governance priorities and growth trajectory. She noted that strong governance aligns with the bank’s consolidation of “key milestones in capital strengthening, international expansion, and sustained business growth.”She also highlighted the wider benefits for the Nigerian banking industry, noting that inclusive boards support stability and trust, improve decision quality, and help institutions remain responsive to customers, communities, and an evolving regulatory environment. She said the honour was accepted “with gratitude, and with renewed commitment to champion inclusive leadership at the highest level.” Organisers have positioned AWBFA 2026 as more than a conference, describing it as a movement focused on celebrating excellence, driving inclusion, and strengthening leadership pipelines for women across Africa’s financial ecosystem.