9 Payment Service Bank (9PSB), Nigeria’s leading digital payment service bank dedicated to advancing financial inclusion, celebrated the 2024 Customer Service Week, themed: “Above and Beyond.”

The celebration featured recognition of top performing Service Location Partners, an informative webinar for staff and partners, alongside cultural activities that underscored the bank’s dedication to exceptional customer service.

The week-long celebration, which took place from October 7th to 11th, united organizations worldwide to recognize the essential role of customers and partners in driving business success.

At the closing ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Branka Mracajac highlighted the significance of this year’s theme, which aligns with 9PSB’s mission to provide outstanding banking services.

“We are proud to join organizations around the world in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to our customers and Service Location Partners for their steadfast support and loyalty,” Mracajac stated.

“Our commitment to going ‘above and beyond’ is reflected in our innovative and tailored banking solutions. Our customer experience team is dedicated to ensuring that every interaction is positive and fulfilling.

Mracajac further remarked, “Today, we honour our customers and recognize our exceptional partners whose contributions have been integral to our success. Your efforts are invaluable, and we remain committed to delivering quality and outstanding service as we collectively strive to bridge the financial inclusion gap through our mission to Bank9ja.’”

Polaris Bank, in a robust display of its commitment to environmental sustainability, has expanded its nationwide tree-planting initiative in collaboration with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).

The latest exercise took place at Government Secondary School, Gwagwalada, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on October 14, 2024, following a similar event at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State just days earlier and Professor K.K Nwozor commended the Bank for its conservation efforts.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy by Polaris Bank to align its operations with the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), which stresses the urgent need for land restoration and resilience against desertification and drought.

The theme resonates with the 2024 World Environment Day, underscoring the bank’s proactive stance in promoting sustainable practices aimed at restoring degraded lands and enhancing biodiversity across Nigeria.

Osazuwa Igbinoba, Directorate Head for Abuja, articulated the bank’s ethos, stating, “Sustainability is embedded in our business strategy and actions at Polaris Bank.”

He noted that the tree-planting efforts not only aim to restore natural ecosystems but also focus on planting economic trees to ensure a sustainable environment for future generations.

Chiwetalu Nwatu, Directorate Head for the South East, echoed this sentiment by emphasizing that sustainability is at the heart of the Bank’s operations, encompassing more than just financial services.

He noted that Polaris Bank’s approach integrates responsible banking with societal empowerment and environmental responsibility, all grounded in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.

The significance of tree planting as a countermeasure against climate change cannot be overstated. Thus, the initiative addresses critical issues such as soil erosion, air quality improvement, and climate regulation through carbon dioxide absorption.

The bank’s efforts are not isolated; they form part of a nationwide campaign that has seen similar initiatives executed at various educational institutions and community reserves across Nigeria.

The Bank’s nationwide Tree planting exercises were held recently at Tai Solarin University, Ijebu Ode in Ogun State on July 1st; Ajingi Community Reserve, Kunkurawa in Kano State on August 30th; and University of Ibadan, Oyo State on October 3rd.These events illustrate Polaris Bank’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental restoration.

This project not only enhances local ecosystems but also serves as a public call to action on the importance of environmental preservation. Through collaborative efforts like these, Polaris Bank seeks to inspire individuals, communities and organizations to engage in environmental restoration and contribute to a sustainable future for all.

Polaris Bank, in collaboration with the NCF, remains steadfast in its commitment to environmental stewardship, community well-being and corporate responsibility, as demonstrated through these impactful tree-planting activities.

Through this project, the Bank aims to inspire individuals, communities and organizations to foster a culture of sustainability throughout Nigeria.

Citi and Mastercard have announced a collaboration to offer cross-border payments to Mastercard debit cards in 14 receiving markets worldwide, with plans for further expansion.

Leveraging Citi’s WorldLink Payment Services and Mastercard Move’s money transfer capabilities, Citi clients can make near-instant, full-value payments, with near 24/7 availability to consumers using their Mastercard debit card details.

Citi is the first global bank to enable cross-border payments to Mastercard debit cards using Mastercard Move, tapping into the speed, security and transparency of the Mastercard network.

The integrated solution is available to Citi clients across 65 origination countries in the corporate, financial institution, e-commerce and commercial sectors, and helps make cross-border payments simpler, faster, more efficient and more accessible.

The solution supports an array of use cases, including insurance payouts, airline refunds and compensation payments, on-demand payments to freelance and gig-economy workers, e-commerce payments to merchants and refunds to customers.

This innovative solution deepens Citi’s collaboration with Mastercard by enabling enhanced money movement capabilities and access for Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) clients.

“As the global economy has become increasingly digital, our continued investment in the future of cross-border payments helps us drive innovation at scale for our clients.

This collaboration builds on our longstanding relationship with Mastercard and leverages the strength of our global proprietary network combined with other leading digital wallet and card capabilities to enable our clients to make cross-border payments as though there are no borders, no currencies, no constraints.

” Debopama Sen, Head of Payments, Citi Services. Mastercard is one of the largest payment networks, with over 3.4 billion debit, prepaid and credit cards issued globally as of Q2 2024. Mastercard’s worldwide presence will help extend Citi’s reach globally.

“Cross-border payments are a key area of growth for Mastercard, and we are constantly innovating to provide payment solutions that better cater to the needs of our global customers.

By powering fast and secure cross-border transfers to Mastercard debit cards, our collaboration with Citi marks a significant milestone in bringing the ease and simplicity of domestic payments to the cross-border payment space.”

Alan Marquard, Head of Transfer Solutions at Mastercard. This collaboration expands Citi’s payout offering, with payment destinations spanning across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America as well as U.S. domestic transfers.