Lagos, July 4, 2023 – Ecobank Nigeria Limited has been recognised as one of Nigeria’s key private sector players promoting gender balance and equality in the workplace.
The recognition was bestowed on the bank at the “Nigeria2Equal Gender Leader Awards” organised by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group).
The Gender Leader Awards, being implemented under the Nigeria2Equal (N2E) programme, is designed to recognise and celebrate private sector companies leading the way in Gender Equality Performance across a broad range of indices.
Ecobank Nigeria was an awardee in the Gender Diversity in Supply Chain category at the high-level event of private sector company chief executives, business leaders and dignitaries including the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Speaking during the award ceremony, Ms. Dahlia Khalifa, the IFC Regional Director for Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, commended the progress of Nigeria2Equal’s participating companies in advancing the role of women in their organisations.
“As we celebrate the accomplishments of these organisations that have shown outstanding leadership in closing the gender gaps within their own organizations, we acknowledge the power of collaboration and the transformative impact that specific, measurable, and time-bound commitments can have on achieving gender parity in Nigeria’s private sector.
“IFC remains resolute in our commitment to sustain the momentum and support the private sector to scale up its efforts for a more gender-balanced, prosperous future,” she said.
Receiving the award, Carol Oyedeji, the Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, said Ecobank had policies and structures in place to promote gender balance in its employment.
She said that the recognition was a testament of Ecobank Nigeria’s significant contributions to advancing gender equality within the organisation and by extension, in Nigeria’s private sector.
Oyedeji said the bank had many initiatives and innovative products targeted at empowering and sustaining female entrepreneurs in Nigeria such as ‘Ellevate’ and ‘Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative (EFEI)’ which were designed to empower and support female owned small-scale businesses.
“Across Ecobank, we are intent on ensuring that all women can reach their full potential and always have equal opportunities to men in advancing their careers and achieving promotion.
“Female staff are holding strategic leadership and management positions in the organisation. We are committed to creating a society and workplace that is free of bias and gender-based discrimination,” she said. (GBN)
