Financial Inclusion Week 2022: Wema Bank Rolls Out Array of Initiatives to Deepen Financial Inclusion

Nigeria’s leading innovative financial institution, Wema Bank, has further raised the bar of commitment to deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria with the rollout of an array of initiatives that raise awareness of financial inclusion amongst Nigerians.

In commemoration of the 2022 Financial Inclusion Week (FIW), the Bank has rolled out a weeklong of activities to empower and increase knowledge of financial inclusion and the benefits among the unbaked and underserved population most especially those in rural communities, as well as the existing customers of the Bank.

Wema Bank’s Head of Retail Segment, Adekunle Alarapon, while announcing the activities scheduled to commemorate this year’s Financial Inclusion Week, stated that the FIW would be celebrated over five days across key locations in Nigeria, while the activities would run from Monday, 17th to Friday, 21st of October 2022 with the theme, ‘Inclusive Growth in Digital Era.’

According to him, the week was kick-started on Monday, October 17 with the launch of Wema Bank’s Financial Inclusion Hub in Owode Egba, a rural community in Ogun State, Nigeria, while on Tuesday, October 18 and Wednesday, October 19, activations and awareness of FIW were held in Awi Community of Ankankpa LGA of Cross River State.

The activities continue on Thursday, October 20, with a virtual webinar on ‘Inclusive Growth in Digital Era aimed to educate the public about financial inclusion. The webinar would have Wema Bank’s Chief Digital Officer, Mr. Segun Adeniyi and the Chief Distribution & Stakeholder Engagement Officer/COOSANEF Nigeria, Mrs. Uche Uzoebo as keynote speakers. The Executive Director of Propoor Group, Mr. Yunusa Ibrahim; Managing Director of Afara Partners, Mr. Mayowa Owolabi, and Advisor, Women World Banking (WWB), Mrs. Ara Sidi Sodiq would serve as Panelists.

On the final day, Friday, October 21, Wema Bank will launch her latest digital savings product, ‘Micro Savings’ in major market areas in three states – Ogun, Oyo and Cross River respectively.

Speaking about the new digital savings product, Alarapon said, ‘‘The launch of Wema Bank Micro Savings product underscores the Bank’s continued commitment to empowerment of individuals and businesses by leveraging innovation. Micro Savings is a project of the World Woman Banking and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This product is to drive financial inclusion for market women and other traders who do not have culture of banking during work hours.’’

The Financial Inclusion Week (FIW) is an annual forum for exchanging ideas, research, and perspectives from around the world working towards inclusive finance; convened by the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI).

ALAT, Africa’s first fully digital bank owned by Wema is an awards-winning revolutionary digital bank and has significantly impacted the financial services ecosystem positively in many ways including bringing more people onboard into Wema Bank’s range of value-adding banking and financial advisory services.