First Bank, NAOSRE & Internal Security

First Bank, NAOSRE & Internal Security is a contextual analysis of NAOSRE’s commitment to a safer Nigeria and the supporting role of First Bank through a philosophical approach to the relationship between media and corporate institution. Andy Ennette, a NAOSRE member, writes from Lagos.

Unarguably, the year 2020 has particularly been very contending for Nigeria as a country. The year has been a very tough one for citizens, businesses and indeed, the security operatives. For a country like Nigeria that has to daily contend with other variables, this could be worrisome.
Aside the problem of kidnapping, banditry, and armed robbery, which the people have been subjected to across the nation, Covid – 19 pandemic added to the dimension and took toll on the people.

There was the issue of ASUU strikes. There was the threat of Labour unrest. The culmination of these crises was the #ENDSARS Protests which recently took the country by storm.

However, when the country is faced with myriads of challenges, ranging from insecurity, food scarcity and infrastructural deficit, the role of the media as the fourth estate of the realm for objective presentation of facts and the banking system in providing financial succour for small and medium enterprises, SME cannot be over emphasized.

These two institutions are very central in the quest for solutions and ameliorating the problem. First Bank Nigeria Plc, for instance, has, since the beginning of the pandemic, offered several financial succour to the banking public. The bank has shown uncommon responsiveness and compassion towards customers and communities through various offerings. Amongst them are the e learning for children in school when the foremost financial institution discovered that the recent lock down was going to negatively affect school children.

In like manner, First Bank , through its financial inclusion initiative, FirstAdvance, has disbursed over N17 billion as loans to individuals, across the country. Just last Friday, December 11, 2020, First Bank made a remarkable showing at a security dinner summit organized by the National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE which held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The security dinner was organized by NAOSRE to aggregate options for a secured Nigeria.  The physical presence of its staff and financial support were the needed convictions that First Bank’s commitment to the growth of Nigeria’s economy is proportionate to the efforts it deploys to the security of its personnel, deposits and assets. These financial offering and innumerable Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, projects across the country and beyond have earned the bank, with over a century banking experience, many awards and rewards home including overseas.

Moreso, media anywhere in the world is central to the resolution of peace and tranquility necessary to the success of national development efforts.  The Media must be very responsible and responsive to the needs of the populace in information gathering, processing and dissemination to avoid spreading false and dangerous information referred to as ” Fake News” , which are capable of compromising national security.

Therefore, the choice of theme by the National Association of Online Security Reporters known as NAOSRE, for this year’s Annual Dinner Night Discourse which is tagged: 2021 Nigerian Security Issues, Funding and Prospects” is apt, and the ideas generated from the deliberations would no doubt assist greatly in finding lasting solutions to the security challenges which the country is currently facing.

Interestingly, NAOSRE has successfully established a sustainable working relationship with key security players in the corporate world and security agencies in the country, including but not limited to Nigeria Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Airforce, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, the Executive/ Legislative Arms of government as well as the traditional institution across the country.

This, we hope, would organically shape policy direction in 2021 for a safer Nigeria.