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E-Financial

Hidden Shame of Contract Workers in Nigerian Banks- Al Jazeera

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A report by Al Jazeera has documented the hidden shame of Nigerian banking system where contract staffers in financial institutions live poverty line.

Hidden Shame of Contract Workers in Nigerian Banks- Al Jazeera

Poverty wages are typical for thousands of contract workers in the banking industry and they can work for years without a raise, promotion, benefits or job security.

According to Al Jazeera, contract staffing has been a feature of Nigeria’s labour market for decades, but it is especially rife in the banking and oil sectors

The report said that for Basit, climbing the corporate ranks of commercial banking in Nigeria has been an exercise in frustration.

The 28-year-old, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, has worked as a teller with Fidelity Bank in Nigeria since 2015.

Six years on, he is at the same branch, working at the same entry-level position, for the same meagre salary of N68,000 ($165) a month.

It is not Basit’s work ethic that is lacking, but the arrangement under which he works.

He is not technically a full-time employee of Fidelity. The entire time he’s worked there, he’s been a contract staffer hired by an employment agency he has never dealt with directly.

Being a contractor means Basit has no upward career path within the bank, or benefits such as insurance, a pension, or a severance package if he’s let go.

If Fidelity’s management is not happy with his services, or they just want to cut expenses, they can let him go when his contract comes up for renewal every two years.

In the meantime, the employment agency siphons off a portion of his pay each month as a “commission”.

Fidelity Bank did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment. But Basit’s story is far from unique.

More than 42 percent of the bank workers in Nigeria were contract staffers as of the third quarter last year, reports the National Bureau of Statistics.

The remainders are full-time employees with banks – roughly a third of who are senior staffers.

Though unionists and government officials say the issues surrounding contract bank workers are being addressed, solutions have been slow to come.

And until they do, there are few employment options for the banking sector’s largely youthful contract workforce to explore.

More than 42 percent of bank workers in Nigeria were contract staffers as of the third quarter last year, reports the National Bureau of Statistics.

Profits before workers

Basit often thinks of quitting his job as a bank teller.

But there are few prospects for him in Africa’s largest economy.

Nigeria’s official unemployment rate rocketed to 33.3 percent in the final three months of last year – the highest on record and among the highest in the world.

Over half of the country’s roughly 70 million-strong labour force was either jobless at the end of last year or not working a full-time job.

That jobs deficit has made it an employer’s market, leaving workers virtually powerless to negotiate – let alone demand – better terms.

In Basit’s case, that means punishing 10-hour days that leave him little time to even explore the few opportunities which may be available to him.

‘’The challenge is that you barely have the time to go search for a job elsewhere,” he told Al Jazeera.

“You leave the house as early as 5 or 6am and you get back by 6pm or so. How do I get back as tired as this and I still start searching for job opportunities when I know that there are only few?’’

Contract staffing has been a feature of Nigeria’s labour market for decades, but it is especially rife in the banking and oil sectors.

Over half of Nigeria’s roughly 70 million-strong labour force was either jobless at the end of last year or not working a full-time job.

For Nigeria’s unionists, the so-called “casualisation” of these workers is the result of financial institutions carving out bigger profits at the expense of labour rights.

“Generally, outsourcing, as far as labour is concerned, is an exploitative system,” said Comrade Sheikh Muhammed, national general secretary for the National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE).

Retired bank manager Abolarian Aderemi worked in banking for more than 30 years. He says the plight of contract workers is the result of poor government oversight.

“They are exploiting Nigeria’s poor leadership,” he said. “Labour union has been kicking against it, but nobody listens.”

Muhammed says contract workers face serious hurdles to joining or forming unions where they can collectively bargain for better pay and conditions.

“[Banks] take on casual workers in order also to make sure they confuse the identity and status of the worker so that they will not be able to exercise their right of belonging to anyone,” he told Al Jazeera.

The government has established a committee to review the myriad issues surrounding contract workers in the country’s banking sector.  But its efforts were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, told Al Jazeera.

“We want to review the whole issue regarding casualisation of workers with the banks and we are also in the process of reviewing all the labour laws now,” he said.

Muhammed said the review should help crack down on labour abuses.

“By the time the review is signed into a working document, no outsourcing will be done [in the banking and insurance sector] without consulting the union and taking cognizance of workers as reflected in the Labour Act,” he said.

A jobs deficit has made it an employer’s market in Nigeria, leaving workers virtually powerless to negotiate – let alone demand – better terms.

Young and exploited

While Nigeria has rules that govern working conditions for full-time staff, the law does not specifically address “triangular employment’’ that covers workers hired through employment agencies.

‘’From the legal perspective, there is nothing illegal about having contract staff; it is a function of contract,” said Waleey Fatai, a Lagos-based labour lawyer.

“From the moral perspective, [it is an issue of] half a loaf is better than none,” he told Al Jazeera.

NUBIFIE’s Muhammed says the problem is not how the current laws are worded, but that employment agencies are falling afoul of it.

“The Labour Act that regulates the relationship did not exempt you because you are a secondary provider of employment,” he said. “It is part of the things we capture in this memorandum of agreement we just worked on.”

But not all contract workers may even be aware of their rights. Many employment agencies look for entry-level candidates in their early 20s with an Ordinary National Diploma (OND), the lowest tertiary degree in Nigeria awarded by polytechnics after a two-year programme.

A higher degree may even work against a job applicant.

Thirty-eight-year-old Ukamaka Olisakwe worked in two banks as a contract staffer between 2008 and 2014 in Nigeria’s east.

She told Al Jazeera the first bank that employed her told her to list her OND on her application but omit her more prestigious Higher National Diploma (HND) – a four-year degree that equates with a bachelor’s degree.

‘’I think they found a loophole in the academic system,” Olisakwe told Al Jazeera.

She said her first bank paid her a meagre base salary of N25,000 a month [$61] plus commission, and assigned to her work in the sales department where she was given performance targets including opening five to six new accounts daily, and generating monthly cash deposits often totalling millions of naira.

“The target heaped on the back of the workers was nasty, unbelievable, [and] mind-bending and if you are unable to meet [the performance targets], you won’t get your commission,’’ she said.

Olisakwe left that job and took a contract position with another bank where she worked in the customer service office alongside full-time, core staff.

‘’It is the same job function that I was doing with the core staff, only that I could not approve account openings,’’ she said.

But her odds of gaining an equal footing with the full-timers were slim.

In order to parlay a contract job into a full-time staff position, workers must take a conversion exam. But few are invited to take the test.

‘’Conversion rarely happens. They will only hand-pick some people,” she said.

Olisakwe finally quit the sector, worried that even if she did manage to convert a contract job into a full-time position, she would eventually fall victim to age discrimination.

“You know polytechnics churn young people every year and when they come for training, the banks retain them to replace the older staff,” she said. “It is cheaper.’’

 

 

 


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E-Financial

NIA Puts Industry Written Premium @ N1.5trn in 2024

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Nigerian insurance industry has recorded a gross written premium of N1.562 trillion in the 2024 financial year. Mr Kunle Ahmed, Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association, disclosed this during the 54th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) in Lagos.

Ahmed said that this represented a 56 per cent increase over the N1.003 trillion generated in 2023.

According to him, the industry’s total assets rose to N3.9 trillion, a 46.1 per cent increase from N2.67 trillion in 2023.

He said: “The Nigerian insurance industry in 2024 experienced notable developments, shaped by regulatory changes, economic conditions, and evolving market dynamics. “Available data indicated robust growth in gross premiums.

The industry reported a gross written premium of N1.562 trillion, a 56 per cent increase over the N1.003 trillion recorded in 2023. “Non-life business accounted for N1.1 trillion, while life business generated N470 billion.

“The industry’s total assets expanded significantly to N3.9 trillion, a 46.1 per cent rise from N2.67 trillion in 2023. “Market capitalisation also grew substantially, reaching N1.2 trillion, a 41 per cent increase from N850 billion in 2022.”

Ahmed further disclosed that the net claims paid by the industry stood at N622 billion, with the non-life segment accounting for N437 billion and the life segment for N185 billion.

He said within the non-life sector, fire, oil and gas insurance lines were key drivers of revenue growth, with all non-life products demonstrating strong quarter-on-quarter increases.


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UN and Sterling One Foundation Lead Coalition Ahead of ASIS 2025

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L–R: Mohamed Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria; Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; and Abubakar Sulieman, MD/CEO, Sterling Bank, at the recently held Africa Social Impact Summit 2025 World Press Conference at the United Nations House, Abuja.
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Ahead of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2025, scheduled for July 10 and 11 in Lagos, co-conveners Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations in Nigeria held a high-level press briefing at the United Nations House in Abuja.

L–R: Mohamed Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria; Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; and Abubakar Sulieman, MD/CEO, Sterling Bank, at the recently held Africa Social Impact Summit 2025 World Press Conference at the United Nations House, Abuja.

The event brought together development partners, policymakers, and the media to outline expectations for the upcoming summit and reflect on Africa’s role in defining local responses to global challenges.

Since its launch in 2022, ASIS has grown into a key platform for regional development collaboration. From eight founding partners, the summit now brings together over 40 institutions working across climate, healthcare, education, finance, governance, and digital inclusion. This expansion points to a growing shift: African institutions are pushing to set the agenda, not wait to be handed one.

The 2025 summit, themed “Scaling Action for the SDGs: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation,”will focus on strengthening sub-national development, rethinking finance flows, and tackling structural inequalities through long-term investment and reform.

Speaking at the press briefing, Mohamed M. Malick Fall, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, reinforced the urgency of this year’s convening.

“The climate crisis is eroding decades of development across Africa, displacing communities, disrupting education and health systems, and undermining economic stability. But lasting solutions must come from those living the impact daily.

“As co-conveners of the summit, and with this year’s theme Scaling Action: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation, ASIS offers a platform for African institutions to lead and for global partners to respond with investment, policy reform, and serious commitment.”

In a presentation on the summit’s evolving impact, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, reflected on the summit’s trajectory:

“ASIS has never been about convening for its own sake. Each summit marks a deliberate step to mobilize capital, shift policy, and advance African-led solutions. Already, we have seen over 100 million dollars unlocked through coalition efforts.

“That scale is not accidental. It is the product of systems thinking, partnership, and a commitment to putting Africa’s priorities at the center of global development conversations.”

In his remarks, Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO, Sterling Bank, emphasized the private sector’s enduring role in the ASIS journey: “Sterling Bank has been a strategic partner to ASIS from the very beginning.

“As global development funding becomes more constrained, it is increasingly clear that the private sector must help drive scalable solutions.

“Our engagement with ASIS reflects a belief that impact is not a side effort but core to building resilient economies and inclusive growth.”

Other partners in the room echoed the need for bold, cross-sector investment in areas such as health systems, youth employment, education access, and digital infrastructure.

ASIS boasts a coalition of over 40 institutions that includes Afreximbank, Coca-Cola, United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, Sterling Bank, and other theme and technical partners, with Lagos State as the host city.

Interested participants are encouraged to register at theimpactsummit.org


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Flutterwave Named in 2025 TIME100 Most Influential Companies List

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Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company,  has been named in the TIME100 Most Influential Companies List of 2025, marking its second appearance on the prestigious global ranking.

Flutterwave Named in 2025 TIME100 Most Influential Companies List

Previously honoured in 2021, Flutterwave joins industry giants such as Amazon, Netflix, and OpenAI in the TITANS category of the fifth-annual list, which recognizes companies driving significant global impact.

The selection process, led by TIME editors, evaluated nominees based on innovation, ambition, impact, and success, highlighting Flutterwave’s transformative role in the fintech sector.

Founded in 2016, Flutterwave has grown into a powerhouse facilitating seamless payments across Africa and beyond, empowering businesses and individuals in the digital economy.

Its solutions span critical sectors such as cross-border remittances, e-commerce, travel, payroll, and hospitality.

The company’s 2021 TIME100 recognition followed its impactful campaign to help businesses pivot online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s inclusion underscores Flutterwave’s sustained influence, with its technology now reaching over 34 African countries and expanding into new markets such as Bahrain, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, supporting a leading global ride-hailing company’s operations.

Flutterwave’s flagship remittance product, SendApp by Flutterwave, has gained significant traction in the US, UK, and EU, offering faster and more affordable money transfers for the African diaspora.

In 2024, the company secured 20 additional licenses in the US, bringing its total to 34 and achieving near-complete coverage through strategic partnerships.

Flutterwave’s focus on profitability and market expansion, coupled with a strengthened executive team, has fuelled its growth, with nearly half of its customers receiving payments in new markets last year.

Olugbenga Agboola,  founder and CEO, Flutterwave, expressed pride in the recognition, stating, “Being recognized by TIME once again is a true honour. It’s a testament to our team’s incredible work. We’re shaping Africa’s financial future and connecting the continent to the world.”

The accolade follows other recent honours, including topping Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies list for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and earning a second consecutive ranking in the FXC Top 100 Cross-Border Payment Companies.

The TIME100 listing solidifies Flutterwave’s position as a global fintech leader, bridging Africa to the world through innovative payment solutions.

As the company continues to expand its reach and refine its growth strategy, its influence in transforming the financial landscape remains undeniable, setting a benchmark for innovation and connectivity in the digital economy.


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