FirstBank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) has embarked on a new era of leadership in the financial market, following the groundbreaking ceremony for its state-of-the-art, eco-friendly headquarters at Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos. The move was lauded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who praised the bank’s management for establishing the new headquarters, describing it as a testament to its dominant position in the market.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who presented the certificate of approval for the commencement of construction, hailed the new headquarters as an investment that would transform Lagos for the better. He commended the FirstBank management, stating, “Well done to your board and management. A special thanks to the CBN Governor for granting the approval. We hope similar approvals are extended to other financial institutions, as there is ample room for them too.”
Sanwo-Olu further applauded the leadership of FirstHoldCo under Chairman Femi Otedola, as well as the Olayemi Cardoso-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) management. He said, “FirstBank has once again taken the lead. I want to express my gratitude to the visionaries who have helped create a new city that will stand as Africa’s model city—one that we will all take pride in.”
He also highlighted that the vision for Eko Atlantic City was initiated during Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos State.
FirstBank Group CEO Olusegun Alebiosu emphasized that the new headquarters signals the beginning of an era aimed at sustaining the bank’s legacy of excellence, which has been its hallmark for over 130 years. Alebiosu stated, “We are positioning ourselves as a bank for the future, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of tech-driven banking services for today and generations to come.”
Femi Otedola, Chairman of FirstHoldCo, described the project as an iconic structure and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to investing in cutting-edge technology to deliver exceptional value to its customers. He further acknowledged the unwavering support from FirstBank’s customers and stakeholders, urging collaboration to bring the bank’s vision to fruition.