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‘Four In Four’ For Zenith Bank As It Retains Title As ‘Best Corporate Governance Financial Services’ In Africa

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For the fourth consecutive year, Zenith Bank Plc has been named as the Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom.

The award, which was published in the Spring 2023 edition of The Ethical Boardroom magazine, is in recognition of the bank’s adherence to global best practices and institutionalization of corporate governance, setting an industry-wide example of best practices in that field.

Speaking on the recognition, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, said: “I am extremely pleased that Zenith Bank has been awarded the Ethical Boardroom Corporate Governance Award as a regional governance champion for the fourth year running.

No doubt, the bank’s board has pioneered the exemplary governance culture for which we are now renowned. Indeed, this recognition reflects our steadfast commitment, discipline and high ethos in the conduct of our business and dedication to the principles of good corporate governance.

This award will motivate us to strengthen this culture internally and advocate for good governance at every forum”.

He dedicated the award to the Founder and Group Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for providing the template for an enduring and very successful institution; the Board for their vision and outstanding leadership; the staff for their dedication and commitment; and the bank’s customers for their unwavering loyalty to the brand.

Ethical Boardroom is a trailblazing and leading international magazine that delivers in-depth coverage and critically-astute analysis of global corporate governance issues to help boards stay ahead of the governance curve.

Zenith Bank has been generally adjudged a Corporate Governance compliant bank by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) hence its listing on the Premium Board of the Exchange.

The bank continues to sustain this reputation and reappraise its processes to ensure that its business conforms to the highest global standards at all times.

The bank’s track record of excellent performances has continued to earn it numerous awards including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital, for the 13th consecutive year, in the 2022 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best Bank in Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria 2021 and 2022 in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation In Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.

Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021, and Retail Bank of the year, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. Similarly, Zenith Bank was named as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Bank of the Year 2021 by Champion Newspaper, Bank of the Year 2022 by New Telegraph Newspaper, and Most Responsible Organisation in Africa 2021 by SERAS Awards.

Business

With N50 difference, parallel/official exchange rates near convergence

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The naira, on Wednesday, appreciated at the parallel section of the foreign exchange (FX) market, gaining 6.25 percent to trade at N1,350 per dollar.

Currency traders in Lagos, also known as bureau de change operators (BDCs), quoted the buying rate of the greenback at N1,300 and the selling price at N1,350 — leaving a profit margin of N50.

At the official section of the FX market, the local currency appreciated by 5.97 percent to N1,300.43/$ on Wednesday — from N1,382.95 on March 26.

At the FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees official FX trading in Nigeria, the naira recorded a high of N1,460 and a low of N1,200.

With a N50 difference, the official and parallel market exchange rates are nearing convergence — a situation that (at a sustained full convergence) could dry up street market patronage in favour of the official side.

On March 26, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised the monetary policy rate (MPR) from 22.75 percent to 24.75 percent.

Speaking on the rationale behind the raise, Olayemi Cardoso, CBN governor, said the major objective of the apex bank is to manage inflation, but said the bank is not “unmindful of the impact that the interest rate increases are having”.

He said with the interest rate increases, the FX market “becomes a lot more lively” — a situation the CBN governor said is reducing the exchange rate and cost.

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Business

‘It’s false’ — NNPC debunks adjusting pump prices of petrol, diesel

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it has not adjusted the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS), known as petrol, across its retail outlets.

There have been speculations that NNPC had reduced the price of petrol to N560 per litre — from N568.

The national oil company was also quoted as increasing the price of diesel to N920 per litre.

In a statement on Wednesday, signed by Femi Soneye, NNPC’s spokesperson, the firm denied the claims.

“NNPC Limited wishes to clarify rumours suggesting a price adjustment for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) at its retail stations nationwide,” the statement reads.

“The company asserts that these reports are false and urges Nigerians to disregard them entirely.

“NNPC Ltd reaffirms its commitment to sustaining the current sufficiency in petroleum products supply across all its retail stations in the country.

On February 9, the NNPC had said there would not be any increase in the cost of petrol.

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Business

Easter: Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Ogun passengers pay more for air tickets

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Ahead of Easter celebration, passengers flying through Rivers, Kano, Enugu and Ogun states appear to be the worst hit by the increasing prices of domestic air tickets, Vanguard has gathered.

This is even as air travellers flying through Abia, Kogi, Abuja and Plateau states seem to be less affected by the spike in domestic airfares.

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its transport fare watch for February 2024, released last weekend, stated that travellers flying through Rivers, Kano, Enugu and Ogun paid between N95,000 and N100,000 on air tickets in February, just as travellers flying through Abia, Kogi, Abuja and Plateau paid between N80,700 and N70,000 in the same period.

NBS also said the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes for a single journey in February 2024 was N88,000.00, showing a decrease of 2.20 per cent compared to the previous month (January 2024).

The report added that on a year-on-year basis, airfares rose by 18.03 per cent from N74,558.11 in February 2023, noting: “South-West recorded the highest fare of air transport in February 2024 with N90,666.67, followed by North-West with N90,500. North-Central had the least with N83,028.57.”

Commenting on the development, Aviation analyst and Consultant, Sindy Foster, said unless there was an emergency intervention, there may be no respite for air passengers. She said: “The link between costs, revenue and profitability of the airline industry from a commercial perspective needs to be fully understood by all who have an impact and a change of policy direction, systems or processes need to be put in place.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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