FirstBank has honoured distributors in the fast-moving consumer goods sector at its annual Key Distributor Forum for the South West region, held in Lagos.
At the event, Segun Alebiosu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, said that the Forum was an important avenue for the bank to recognise its customers.
The Forum rides on the back of Key Distributorship Finance, which is a FirstBank-structured finance product designed to provide financial support to distributors of FirstBank-approved FMCG principals, addressing their working capital needs.
Alebiosu said, “It’s part of our customer experience, our relationship management initiative. They are our partners, our friends, and part of our own financial ecosystem. They support us and support our customers, and because of the wonderful job they are doing, we want to honour them. They are key to our business.”
Addressing the distributors, Alebiosu told them, “You are much more than a distributor. We are partners. We are friends. We are friends because we belong to the same ecosystem. We have a common principle. The people you buy from, we support them to grow, and we support you to buy from them to grow.”
Mobolade Ojeahere, Group Head, Transaction Banking Division, First Bank, in his opening remarks, said, “At First Bank, we believe firmly in the power of partnerships, the feedback that you give us that makes us better, and what we can offer you as well that will make the business grow and continue to grow up to greater heights. For us, we’ll continue to innovate, enhance our services and continue to proudly serve and work with you across all our entire footprints, across all our branches, where we are present, so that your own objectives can also be achieved. As we look forward to the future, we remain dedicated to continuing to support you and to fostering and building the relationship.”
The PoS Business unit at FirstBank also introduced the Firstmonie merchant wallet solution to the gathering, describing it as a robust solution, as it provides inventory services, cash management and more.
Some of the winners of the night include Bolarinwa Adetoun (Platinum Award), Opeyemi Baking Industry Limited (Diamond Award), Rukbom Oluwakemi Nig Company (Gold Award), Nicebom Investment Limited (Silver Award) and Felicia Modupeoluwa Trading Company Ltd (Bronze Award) in the non-borrowing distributors category.
In the FMCG Distributors category, the winners were Laurel Electrical Company, Demiller Farms, Abikka Trading Company Limited, Mut-Keem Concept and Rollmak Global Concepts.
Top winners in the cement distributors category were Transgeneration Enterprises, Ibukunoluwa Trading Stores, Okeoma Happiness, Whumyte Global Ventures, and Temitope Oil Nigeria Limited.
Award-loyal distributors were Vicmond Ade Enterprises, Tito Trading Stores, Glad Global Concept Limited, Oyinbashy B Nigeria Limited and Mosebolatan Segun Onasanya Nigeria Limited.
In the Telecoms category, Demmy Global Resource Limited emerged as the gold award winner, Stratford Communications Limited won the silver award, and Awake Interlinks Nigeria Limited carted home the bronze award.
