News

Chibok Girls: 11 Years Of Anguish, Broken Promises

Published

8 months ago

April 14, 2025

Today marks 11 years since the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State – an event that shook the world’s conscience and gave birth to the global hashtag movement, #BringBackOurGirls.

Yet as we reflect on this grim anniversary, the stark reality confronts us: 96 girls remain in captivity, their futures stolen, their families trapped in an unending nightmare. This represents not merely a tragedy, but a profound national failure that strikes at the very foundation of our social contract as a nation.

The Chibok abduction exposed the hollow core of our security architecture and the inability of successive governments to fulfill their most fundamental obligation – protecting the lives of citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.

That 96 young women remain missing after more than a decade of promises, military operations, and international assistance speaks volumes about our national priorities and competence. Each passing year without their rescue is not just another statistic but a continuing indictment of our collective failure.

What is perhaps most disturbing about the Chibok abduction is that it was not an isolated incident but the harbinger of a horrifying new normal.

In the intervening years, school kidnappings have become almost commonplace across northern Nigeria. According to Amnesty International, at least 17 mass abductions have occurred since 2014, with over 1,700 children seized from their schools by armed gunmen.

Save the Children’s data paints an equally alarming picture. These children – whose only “crime” was pursuing an education – have been subjected to unspeakable trauma, including sexual violence and forced marriage.

The psychological impact of these abductions extends far beyond the immediate victims. Entire communities now live in fear, with parents forced to make an impossible choice between their children’s education and their safety.

Schools have become targets rather than sanctuaries, and the promise of education as a path to a better future rings hollow when the classroom itself may become a gateway to captivity or death.

This climate of fear has further deepened educational inequalities in a region already lagging behind the rest of the country in educational attainment.

The response from successive governments has been a masterclass in ineffectuality. Grand pronouncements about imminent rescues have given way to uncomfortable silences. Military operations have yielded limited results.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration now inherits this shameful legacy. While the abductions predated his presidency, the continuing captivity of the Chibok girls and many others now falls squarely within his remit. The government must demonstrate that it places a higher value on these young lives than its predecessors did.

In the considered opinion of this newspaper,the broader issue of school security demands equally urgent attention.Schools in vulnerable areas remain soft targets, with inadequate security measures and slow response times when attacks occur. A nation that cannot guarantee the safety of its children in pursuit of education is a nation that has abandoned its future.

Yet the crisis cannot be addressed through security measures alone. We must confront the underlying factors that have created fertile ground for extremism and banditry. Poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, and poor governance have all contributed to the security vacuum in which groups like Boko Haram and criminal gangs operate with impunity.

Any sustainable solution must address these root causes while simultaneously strengthening security responses.

For the few dozen Chibok girls who have managed to escape or been released, the journey to recovery has been arduous. Reports that at least 20 released girls were forced to marry former Boko Haram fighters highlight the complex challenges of reintegration. These young women require comprehensive support – psychological, educational, and economic – to rebuild lives shattered by their ordeal.

As we mark this somber anniversary, we must recommit ourselves to bringing home the remaining 96 Chibok girls and all others still in captivity. Their continued absence is a daily rebuke to our national conscience and a reminder of our collective failure.

Every day that passes without their rescue diminishes us as a nation and undermines our claims to sovereignty and competence.

Beyond rescue efforts, we must fundamentally reimagine our approach to school security. Schools in vulnerable areas need not just guards but comprehensive security protocols, early warning systems, and rapid response capabilities.

Most fundamentally, we must recognize that the Chibok abduction and the many similar incidents that have followed represent not just security failures but governance failures. They reflect a state that has retreated from its essential functions, leaving citizens – particularly those in marginalised communities – vulnerable to predation.

Reclaiming these core state responsibilities is essential not just for addressing the immediate crisis but for rebuilding the social contract that underpins our national existence.

Eleven years is an unconscionable length of time for children to remain in captivity. Eleven years of anguish for their families. Eleven years of promises unfulfilled. As a nation, we cannot allow this shameful situation to persist. The remaining Chibok girls and all abducted Nigerian children deserve nothing less than our total commitment to their rescue and to ensuring that no other child faces their fate.

-Leadership

News

Fidelity Bank Receives Customs Service Award for Pioneering Role in UCMS Implementation

Published

3 days ago

December 3, 2025

Olumide Ojo

Fidelity Bank’s leadership in digital innovation and public sector collaboration has once again been spotlighted as the tier-one lender was honoured at the Comptroller General of Customs Award Night 2025.

At the ceremony, which took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom, Abuja, on Friday, 21 November 2025, Fidelity Bank was presented with a prestigious award by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for being the first bank to successfully process Customs Duty and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) on the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS).

The award, presented under the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi (MFR), serves as a formal recognition of the bank’s “Distinctive Performance and Commitment to the Ideals and Vision of the Nigeria Customs Service.”

Receiving the award on behalf of the bank, the Executive Director, FCT & North, Mr. Sufiyanu Garba, stated, “This award is a testament to our commitment to operational excellence and our resolve to support the digital transformation of Nigeria’s trade and customs ecosystem. We are proud to be at the forefront of this historic milestone and remain dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that drive Nigeria’s economic development.”

The bank’s quick adoption of the UCMS stems from its vision for a truly seamless and borderless African trade. Earlier this year, the bank officially launched the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), following a successful onboarding and over N46 billion in early transactions. PAPSS enables instant, local currency cross-border payments across Africa, particularly benefiting SMEs. By integrating PAPSS into its core operations, Fidelity Bank continues to dismantle trade barriers, empower businesses, and expand its impact across the continent.

This latest recognition by the Nigeria Customs Service adds to Fidelity Bank’s impressive streak of achievements in 2025, including its double win as “Best Bank for Export & Trade Finance” and “Most Innovative Bank of the Year” at the BusinessDay Bank and Other Financial Institutions’ (BAFI) Awards. These accolades underscore the bank’s commitment to empowering businesses, driving innovation, and supporting Nigeria’s economic advancement. The Comptroller General of Customs Award further affirms Fidelity Bank’s pivotal role in modernizing trade processes and aligning with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

L – R: Head, Central Collections Unit, Olaide Adeyemo; Executive Director -FCT & North, Sufiyanu Garba; and Regional Bank Head, Abuja 3 Regional Bank, Martin Ayodele (all of Fidelity Bank Plc); at the Comptroller General of Customs Award Night 2025 in Abuja where Fidelity Bank PLC was recognized as the first bank to successfully process Customs Duty and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) on the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) recently.

Business

Fidelity Bank Reaffirms Support for Indigenous Oil, Gas Development

Published

2 weeks ago

November 25, 2025

Olumide Ojo

Fidelity Bank Plc has restated its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, with a strong focus on supporting indigenous operators. This was highlighted by the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON, during a first oil presentation event for Emadeb Energy at Fidelity Place, the bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.

At the event, Emadeb Energy’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi, expressed appreciation for the bank’s role in enabling the company’s progress.

“What makes Fidelity Bank unique is its willingness to take calculated risks. Many banks prefer to work with companies only after they have achieved first oil because they want already-established customers. Fidelity Bank reviewed our proposal thoroughly, including legal, technical, financial and character assessments. We met these requirements and that is why they supported us,” Olujimi said.

Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe congratulated Emadeb Energy on its milestone and reaffirmed Fidelity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s energy sector.

“At Fidelity Bank, we are dedicated to supporting indigenous companies in developing oil and gas assets that enhance energy security and promote sustainable growth. Our interventions include financing Nigeria’s first privately built and operated onshore crude export terminal in over fifty years at the Otakikpo Marginal Field in Rivers State.

“We also led funding for the Pinnacle Oil and Gas Terminal in Lekki, Lagos, which improves petroleum product distribution and reduces costs. In addition, we part-financed the production of a 23,000-cubic-meter Liquefied Petroleum Gas carrier for Temile Development Company Limited, which supports cleaner energy use and strengthens local maritime participation,” she said.

Emadeb Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited, operator of Petroleum Prospecting License (PPL) 236, recently achieved first oil from the Ibom Field, a milestone regarded as a significant breakthrough in Nigeria’s upstream sector.

“Our next phase will be exciting. We plan to drill two additional wells and increase production to 12,000 barrels per day by the end of 2026. After that, we aim to expand our gas business and raise oil output to 30,000 barrels per day,” Olujimi added.

L – R: Executive Director -South, Mrs. Pamela Shodipo; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON (both of Fidelity Bank Plc); Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi; Group Executive Director, Mrs. Olugbesoye Olujimi (both of Emadeb Energy); Executive Director -Lagos and South West, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Ken Opara; and Group Executive Director, Finance/Strategy, Emadeb Energy, Mr. Tosin Adewuyi; at the First Oil presentation event by Emadeb Energy at the Fidelity Bank headoffice in Lagos recently.

Business

Q3 2025: Fidelity Bank Grows Interest Income by 33%, Fee Income by 47%

Published

2 weeks ago

November 22, 2025

Olumide Ojo

Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, has released its unaudited financial statements for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025. The results show impressive performance across key income lines and operational metrics.

According to the statements published on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) portal on November 21, 2025, the Bank reported Gross Earnings of ₦366.1 billion for Q3 2025. This represents an 8 percent increase from the ₦338.9 billion recorded in Q3 2024. The growth was driven by strong interest income and sustained momentum in fee-based revenues.

Interest Income, calculated using the effective interest rate method, rose by 33 percent to ₦285.6 billion in Q3 2025, compared to ₦214.7 billion in Q3 2024. Other Interest Income more than doubled, rising from ₦13.0 billion in the corresponding period of 2024 to ₦34.2 billion. This underscores significantly improved returns from non-core lending activities.

Year-to-date, the Bank achieved a major milestone with Gross Earnings surpassing ₦1.1 trillion, the highest in its history. This is an increase from ₦772.5 billion in Q3 2024. The Bank’s total assets also crossed the ₦10 trillion mark, driven by robust growth in cash, customer loans, and investment securities; this compares to ₦8.8 trillion in Q3 2024. Net Interest Income for the nine-month period reached ₦565.3 billion, while fee and commission income totaled ₦84.5 billion. The respective figures for Q3 2024 were ₦470.5 billion and ₦56.3 billion.

Credit Loss Expenses moved to ₦900 million from ₦32.8 billion in Q3 2024; however, Net Interest Income remained flat at ₦144.8 billion, compared to ₦143.7 billion in Q3 2024. This reflects improved asset quality and effective risk management practices. Fee and Commission Income grew by 47.2 percent to ₦31.1 billion, up from ₦21.1 billion in Q3 2024, driven by increased transaction volumes and digital banking adoption. Foreign currency revaluation gains contributed ₦14.1 billion to Non-Interest Revenue, while other Operating Income rose to ₦1.1 billion from ₦447 million in Q3 2024.