FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and financial inclusion service provider, is pleased to announce the Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026 scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 6 January 2025. The theme of the session is “The Great Calibration: Mastering Resilience in an Era of Asynchronous Growth.”

Nigeria Economic Outlook is an annual customer-facing session which sets the tone on prevailing economic realities, equipping FirstBank customers with insights to navigate the economy effectively at the start of the year. The 2026 edition will review Nigeria’s economic landscape over the past year, provide an outlook for 2026, and deliver expert perspectives on global and domestic trends and their implications for the nation’s economy in the year ahead.

Commenting ahead of the event, the Acting Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications at FirstBank, Olayinka Ijabiyi said, “FirstBank remains dedicated to supporting the growth and development of Nigerian businesses and individuals, and this event is a testament to that commitment. As we welcome the new year, the Nigeria Economic Outlook 2025 will serve as a platform for our customers and stakeholders to learn how to navigate the complexities of Nigeria’s economic landscape in 2026. This initiative aims to help them make informed decisions based on expert recommendations and insights garnered from the session to drive giant transformative progress, allowing both businesses and individuals to thrive in the new year.”

The session will feature a distinguished lineup of speakers including economic analysts and industry leaders. The keynote address will be delivered by Yemi Kale, Group Chief Economist & Managing Director of Research & Trade Intelligence, Afrexim Bank.

Following the keynote, a high-level panel discussion will feature Olusegun Zaccheaus, Chief Economist, PwC; Francis Anatogu, Chief Executive Transaharan; Professor Bongo Adi, Professor of Economics & Data Analytics, Lagos Business School; Niyi Yusuf, Managing Partner, Verraki; Cheta Nwanze, Lead Partner at SBM Intelligence; Osahon Ogieva, Deputy Managing Director, FirstBank; Ayokunle Ojo, Head, Treasury Sales & Derivatives Marketing, FirstBank; and Laura Fisayo-Kolawole, Head, Equities and Alternative Solutions, First Asset Management. The panel discussion will be moderated by Chike Uzoma, Head, Strategy & Corporate Development, FirstBank.

To be a part of the session, interested participants can register and participate via  https://firstbanknigeria.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PvQyniM4Rpmp1HqQoqbPvQ

As the partner of first choice for personal, business and corporate financial decisions, FirstBank will continue to support Nigerians in achieving their financial aspirations, driving growth and prosperity across the nation, and shaping a brighter economic future for all.

The Nigeria’s Oil And Gas Output is about to experience a big boost as Conoil and Total Energies sign massive production contract in Paris.

The contract was signed by Chairman of Conoil Producing, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., Commander of the French Légion d’Honneur (CdrLR) Mr. Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies, at the company’s headquarters at LA DEFENSE, in Paris.

More to come…

• commits to growing SMEs for global Impact

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has reiterated its commitment towards supporting the growth of Small and Medium Scale businesses for global impact, as it headlines the sponsorship of the Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) for the seventh consecutive year.

Organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), this year’s trade fair, which was flagged off on Friday November 7, at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos will be open to all till November 17, 2025, and is expected to attract thousands of exhibitors, investors, and visitors from across Nigeria and the globe.

In line with its customer-first philosophy, UBA will host a rewarding experience for its customers with a dedicated, full-service branch within the trade-fairground.

Account holders who perform any transaction, such as deposits, withdrawals, or transfers, etc, at this branch will be instantly eligible to participate in a special “Lucky Dip” draw, which will offer them the chance to win a variety of premium prizes.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the fair, UBA’s Head, SME Banking, Babatunde Ajayi, underscored the strategic importance of the longstanding partnership with LCCI while reaffirming that this collaboration is a critical component of the bank’s core mission to mobilise capital as well as empower enterprises of all scales, with a focus on growing SMEs for global impact.

“Our consistent support for the LITF and our strategic, bank-wide initiatives around the AfCFTA are interconnected,” Ajayi stated. “They are two sides of the same coin, and it reflects a deep-seated commitment to building the robust financial architecture that is required to empower African businesses and enable them trade seamlessly across borders.”

UBA’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, positioned the bank’s participation within the context of its vision for Africa’s economic transformation, as detailed in its recently published white paper on achieving a $4 trillion continental economy.

“The LITF represents one of several strategic platforms through which UBA is actively translating the ambitious goals of our whitepaper into tangible action,” Ladipo said. “Our comprehensive roadmap to a $4 trillion African economy is being built through practical, on-ground engagements such as this, which is focused on growing SMEs for global impact. These are platforms that directly connect businesses, facilitate commerce, and unequivocally demonstrate our resolve to turn a bold vision into a tangible reality for millions.”

Ladipo noted that deep partnerships, which are complemented by continuous digital innovations and cross-border trade solutions, will lay the groundwork for sustainable, inclusive economic growth that will benefit corporations, SMEs, and individual entrepreneurs across Africa.

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees’ group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.”

“Our consistent support for the LITF and our strategic, bank-wide initiatives around the AfCFTA are interconnected,” Ajayi stated. “They are two sides of the same coin, and it reflects a deep-seated commitment to building the robust financial architecture that is required to empower African businesses and enable them trade seamlessly across borders.”

UBA’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, positioned the bank’s participation within the context of its vision for Africa’s economic transformation, as detailed in its recently published white paper on achieving a $4 trillion continental economy.

“The LITF represents one of several strategic platforms through which UBA is actively translating the ambitious goals of our whitepaper into tangible action,” Ladipo said. “Our comprehensive roadmap to a $4 trillion African economy is being built through practical, on-ground engagements such as this, which is focused on growing SMEs for global impact. These are platforms that directly connect businesses, facilitate commerce, and unequivocally demonstrate our resolve to turn a bold vision into a tangible reality for millions.”

Ladipo noted that deep partnerships, which are complemented by continuous digital innovations and cross-border trade solutions, will lay the groundwork for sustainable, inclusive economic growth that will benefit corporations, SMEs, and individual entrepreneurs across Africa.

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees’ group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.”