Abayomi Susan
FirstBank, West Africa’s leading financial institution and a major driver of financial inclusion, has achieved a double recognition at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, emerging as Nigeria’s Best Bank for Large Corporates and Nigeria’s Best Bank for Customer Experience.
The awards, presented recently in London, reaffirm FirstBank’s strong market position and commitment to delivering innovative financial solutions, superior service and sustainable value to businesses and customers across Nigeria.
Regarded as one of the most prestigious global recognitions in banking, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence celebrate institutions that demonstrate outstanding performance across key areas, including financial strength, innovation, customer engagement, operational excellence and strategic growth.
FirstBank’s latest recognition as Nigeria’s Best Bank for Large Corporates marks the third consecutive year the Bank has earned the honour, reflecting its continued dominance in providing tailored banking solutions for large businesses, institutions and corporate clients.
The Bank’s corporate banking business recorded significant progress during the assessment period, with customer banking revenue increasing by 55 per cent from ₦443.8 billion to ₦687.7 billion.
Its digital transformation drive also delivered impressive results, with its AI-powered internet banking platform, FirstDirect, processing transactions worth more than ₦15.4 trillion and completing over five million transactions in 2025. The platform supported a 101 per cent rise in corporate customer onboarding, expanding its corporate customer base to more than 5,969 clients.
Commenting on the recognition, the Group Executive, Corporate Banking Directorate, FirstBank, Olaitan Martins, said the award reflects the institution’s commitment to helping businesses thrive through innovative solutions and strategic financial support.
He noted that the achievement reinforces the confidence customers continue to place in FirstBank as a trusted financial partner, adding that the Bank remains focused on creating solutions that support business expansion and long-term value creation.
Beyond corporate banking excellence, FirstBank was also recognised for its outstanding customer experience transformation, driven by its customer-first philosophy, “You First.”
Through continuous investment in technology and service improvement, the Bank has enhanced customer engagement across its platforms. Its Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solution contributed to resolving 57 per cent of customer enquiries without human intervention by the end of 2025, while improvements across its digital channels, including the online banking platform and LIT app, helped achieve a 90 per cent customer satisfaction rating.
The Chief Customer Experience Officer, FirstBank, Chikaodili Adun, described the award as confirmation of the Bank’s commitment to delivering seamless and memorable experiences for customers.
According to her, the Bank’s You First initiative continues to drive service transformation by combining technology, innovation and employee engagement to meet evolving customer expectations.
The latest recognitions add to FirstBank’s growing list of local and international accolades, further strengthening its reputation as one of Africa’s most trusted and innovative financial institutions.
Through continued investment in digital banking, relationship management, automated processes and customer-focused solutions, FirstBank remains committed to setting new standards in corporate banking excellence and delivering exceptional value to its customers.
