Business
Wema Bank’s Digital Bank, ALAT, Emerges Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank @ Euromoney Awards 2025
Wema Bank’s MD/CEO, Moruf Oseni, expressed appreciation to the Euromoney Awards for recognising the Bank’s impact on the proliferation of digital innovation in Africa, reiterating the Bank’s commitment to its sustainability vision of developing digital solutions for societal impact.
In recognition of its position as a digital pioneer in the African banking landscape, Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, a trailblazing digital platform pioneered by Nigeria’s oldest indigenous and most innovative bank, Wema Bank, has been awarded Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank at the Euromoney Awards 2025.
Euromoney is a leading provider of competitive intelligence and benchmarking insight for the global banking and finance industry, trusted for over 50 years to deliver data-led analysis that informs strategy, validates performance, and supports decision-making at the executive level.
The Euromoney Awards, pioneered by Euromoney, are regarded as the ultimate accolade in banking; the industry-leading stamp of approval that banks across the globe work yearlong to achieve.
Recognised as Nigeria’s leading financial institution in digital innovation, Wema Bank’s revolutionary digital bank, ALAT, was awarded Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank at the Euromoney Awards 2025 held at The Peninsula London Hotel in London on Thursday, 17th July, 2025.
Since its launch on May 2nd 2017, ALAT has bridged the gaps in delivery of financial services to Nigerians within Nigeria and globally, evolving remarkably into a holistic hub of lifestyle and financial solutions for Nigerian adults of all ages and from all walks of life.
From simply being the first fully digital bank in Africa, ALAT has evolved remarkably into a digital platform with an ecosystem of dynamic financial solutions tailored to provide seamless, reliable, and convenient service for all.
With ALAT, basic financial services like transfers, airtime & data purchases, bill payments and loans are placed at the fingertips of users, in addition to a wide range of advanced financial services and solutions that merge banking with lifestyle.
From in-app local and international flight bookings to tailored personal and group savings options, investments and stocks, movie and event tickets, deals and discounts on a limitless pool of products and services, 24/7 health consultation, and a suite of customised loan options for salary earners and non-salary earners; ALAT changed the game, redefining banking and financial services in a world where digital has become the future.
In view of ALAT’s groundbreaking role in blazing the trail for FinTechs in Africa and its intentionally-curated wealth of features and offerings designed to meet the needs of Nigerians in Nigeria and the diaspora, it is evident that the Bank is undeniably deserving of the recognition and accolade.
Underscoring Wema Bank’s commitment in shaping the future of banking through impactful innovations like ALAT.
Wema Bank’s MD/CEO, Moruf Oseni, expressed appreciation to the Euromoney Awards for recognising the Bank’s impact on the proliferation of digital innovation in Africa, reiterating the Bank’s commitment to its sustainability vision of developing digital solutions for societal impact.
Receiving the award, Oseni said that the world is moving fast and so is the permeation of ‘digital’ into the most critical aspects of our lives.
Eighty years ago when Wema Bank was established, typewriters were the extent of banking technology.
Today, we have pioneered a fully digital bank, and possess technology advanced enough to power over 150 FinTechs.
In ten years, one can only imagine what this fast-paced digital economy will bring.
One thing is clear, any business, venture or institution that will remain relevant by the end of the next decade, must leverage digital technology today.
This is why Wema Bank is so driven when it comes to digital. Innovation and empowerment”.
“As a Bank, our stance is clear. Wema Bank will never relent in empowering lives through innovation and developing digital solutions for societal impact.
We will continue to pioneer innovation, empower innovators and bridge the gap between traditional and digital, leveraging the opportunities of the digital world to generate meaningful impact on lives and businesses in Nigeria, Africa and across the world.
We have remained resilient in this commitment since 1945 and this award tells us that the world is feeling our impact.
We are honoured by this recognition, and I take this opportunity to extend our sincerest gratitude to the Euromoney Awards.
We take this as a challenge to keep up the good work, go harder, and continue going above and beyond in shaping the future of banking through digital innovation.
Here’s to 80 years of impact and a future of limitless possibilities with Wema Bank”. Oseni concluded.
Wema Bank continues to raise the bar in financial services, placing Nigeria on the global map for banking and digital innovation.
Since 1945, the Bank has spearheaded a positive transformation in Africa’s banking and financial landscape, proving that Nigerian-owned businesses have the capacity to last and stand the test of time.
As the Bank celebrated its 80th anniversary on May 2nd 2025, its futuristic digital platform, ALAT simultaneously clocked 8, marking 8 years of digital transformation.
The world continues to watch in anticipation as Wema Bank leads the movement in digital innovation, shaping the future of banking in Africa.
Business
BUA Chairman Rabiu shares South Africa visa entry denial experience at Africa CEO Forum
Rabiu said the experience highlighted the difficulties Africans still face when travelling within the continent despite ongoing talks about African integration and economic cooperation.
The founder and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has recounted how he was denied entry into South Africa after his visa expired a day before his trip, while European travellers were reportedly allowed into the country without visas.
Rabiu shared the experience on Thursday while speaking on “Africa at Scale: Capital, Policy and the Architecture of Growth” at the ongoing Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
He said that the incident occurred in February 2025 when he travelled from Lagos to Cape Town for the Mining Indaba conference.
He said that immigration officials stopped him on arrival after discovering that his visa had expired the previous day.
Rabiu explained that he and his team spent about four hours at the airport before he was eventually returned to Lagos.
“I take full responsibility because my visa had expired and my crew failed to notice it before the trip,” he said.
However, the businessman said that he became concerned after noticing that passengers arriving on multiple flights from Europe were allowed into South Africa without visas while he, as an African, was denied entry.
“While we were waiting at the immigration desk, there were about three international flights from Europe. Most of the passengers were Europeans, and they all entered Cape Town without visas,” he said.
Rabiu said the experience highlighted the difficulties Africans still face when travelling within the continent despite ongoing talks about African integration and economic cooperation.
“I did not have a problem with being returned because I had no valid visa. My issue was being an African in Africa and being denied entry, while foreigners from other continents were allowed in freely without visas,” he said.
He called for reforms in visa and immigration policies across the continent, stressing that Africa cannot achieve meaningful economic integration while Africans continue to face barriers moving within African countries.
Business
At Africa CEO Forum, President Tinubu Highlights “Partnerships That Moves Africa Forward”
“With our metals, we can produce batteries for cars. The private sector brings capital and expertise, but government must de-risk and create the enabling environment. That partnership is how Africa moves forward”.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a panel session at the ongoing Africa CEO Forum, called for “Partnership that can move Africa forward.”
He advocated an “Africa First” approach to development, insisting that African resources should primarily benefit the continent through local processing and manufacturing.
“We don’t want scavengers and extractors. We want partners who process and manufacture locally,” said President Tinubu.
He said that his administration’s policies were positioning Nigeria as an open and competitive destination for investment.
“In Nigeria, we’ve attracted nearly $20 billion in direct investment this year because we are efficient, transparent, and open for business,” President Tinubu said.
President Tinubu attributed the inflow to reforms aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and investor confidence in the country.
He said that Nigeria would no longer permit the export of raw minerals without local value addition, noting that the country possesses the capacity to manufacture products such as electric vehicle batteries from its mineral resources.
He said: “With our metals, we can produce batteries for cars. The private sector brings capital and expertise, but government must de-risk and create the enabling environment. That partnership is how Africa moves forward”.
Presidential hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has reiterated the critical role of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in driving Nigeria’s economic growth and reducing unemployment.
Obi made the remarks on Tuesday following a series of meetings in London with stakeholders in British politics and the business community, including Jonathan Marland, Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).
According to Obi, discussions with Lord Marland focused on prospective trade opportunities, economic advancement, and strategies for promoting small businesses across Nigeria.
Drawing comparisons with rapidly developing economies such as China, Indonesia, and Vietnam, Obi stressed that sustainable economic growth and job creation can only be achieved through deliberate support for MSMEs.
The former Anambra State governor maintained that small businesses remain the backbone of the economy and called for stronger policies aimed at boosting development and creating employment opportunities, particularly in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
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