FirstBank Clinches Nigeria’s Best ESG Bank Award at Euromoney Excellence Awards 2025
…Recognition affirms commitment to sustainable finance, inclusion, and climate action
FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and a leading champion of financial inclusion, has been named Nigeria’s Best Bank for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at the 2025 Euromoney Awards for Excellence.
The announcement was made at a prestigious ceremony recently held in London, reaffirming the Bank’s leadership in sustainable finance and responsible banking practices across the country.
This marks the second consecutive year FirstBank has received this coveted accolade in the ESG category, reflecting its continued strides in embedding sustainability into its operations, strategic direction, and community engagements.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence, one of the most sought-after honours in the global financial industry, assess institutions through a rigorous evaluation process, taking into account performance, impact, and strategic intent. FirstBank stood out for its robust ESG framework, encompassing responsible lending, financial inclusion, gender empowerment, and climate-friendly practices.
In 2024 alone, the Bank assessed 237 transactions valued at over ₦3 trillion for sustainability-related risks, a key demonstration of its integration of ESG principles into its credit and risk assessment architecture.
One of the flagship initiatives that contributed to the Bank’s recognition is its environmental collaboration with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF). Through this partnership, FirstBank launched a nationwide tree planting campaign, successfully planting more than 30,000 trees in 16 locations during the first phase of its 50,000-tree project.
This initiative is projected to absorb an estimated 720 tonnes of CO₂ by the end of 2025, bolstering the country’s efforts toward climate resilience and biodiversity protection.
On the social front, FirstBank has made significant progress in promoting gender equity and inclusive finance. Through its Gender Market Strategy, the Bank disbursed over N43 billion in FirstGem loans to women-led enterprises in 2024 alone.
Furthermore, the FirstMonie agent network facilitated transactions worth over N9 trillion, reinforcing financial access in underbanked and rural communities.
In terms of capacity building, the Bank trained more than 9,000 employees on ESG and sustainability principles, while also delivering webinars and workshops to over 2,000 SMEs and corporates.
Its internal development programme, the FirstBank Women Network, has empowered more than 2,000 female employees, underscoring a long-term commitment to inclusive leadership and talent development in line with evolving ESG expectations.
Reacting to the win, Patrick Akhidenor, the Bank’s Chief Risk Officer and Chairman of the FirstBank Sustainability Committee, expressed his pride in the recognition.
“We are honoured to receive this prestigious award for the second time in a row, which is a validation of our efforts to create a sustainable and inclusive future for all our stakeholders,” he said.
He continued, “Our approach to sustainability is hinged on three pillars: education, health and welfare; diversity and financial inclusion; responsible lending, procurement and climate initiatives. We remain focused on driving impact through purposeful initiatives and inclusive growth, ensuring that our ESG efforts continue to create meaningful change in communities across Nigeria and beyond.”
This back-to-back recognition is a testament to FirstBank’s unwavering pursuit of excellence and innovation, as it advances towards its vision of becoming Africa’s bank of first choice – guided by purpose, responsibility, and inclusive transformation.
