DIAMOND BANK TICKLES NIGERIAN YOUTHS WITH 2 MOUTH-WATERING ACCOUNTS

Diamond Bank has opened a window of money management opportunities that will make Nigerian youths not only to save excitedly but also to develop healthy saving character and build prudent expenditure and investment profile.  Among the Bank’s basket of financial products are two different types of accounts– Diamond Future and Cool Teens – specially created to enable teenagers save with excitement and also for parents to save for their children and easily meet their future financial  goals and needs.

The Bank’s Head of Corporate Communication, Ayona Trimnell, stated that the reason for developing the products for the youths and children is basically not because of the need to shore up its performance scorecard at the end of the financial year but to enable Nigerian youths belong to the banking community and know that they have a right to start early to chart healthy financial course in life.

“We want young people to know that Diamond Bank is not just for adults, Diamond Bank is your bank too. We have worked hard to be the bank that understands the financial needs of parents and their children and to provide the right products and support to help them save to achieve their dreams,” she stated.

According to statistics from the CBN and the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 63 per cent of the country’s 168 million population are under 25 years and about 64.3 per cent of this huge population that are between the ages of 15-24 do not have a bank account, leaving them with no secure and supportive way to save for future goals.

According to Ayona, an extensive research conducted by Diamond Bank in conjunction with Women’s World Banking aimed at  better understanding each client segment, opened the door for the Bank to work to meet these needs with a comprehensive offering of youth accounts specifically designed for each target client segment.

Explaining, she pointed that the Diamond Future Account is specifically designed for parents to save for their children while the Cool- Teens and S.W.A.G Accounts are for youths between the ages of 13 and 17 years of age and tertiary students respectively.

“We want to challenge young people from early teens to more mature students and Corps members, to visualize the future and work with them to bring their aspirations to life. We are excited to offer account features that will truly engage young people, motivating them to share their goals with others and challenging them to save more with contests and competitions with other youth. Most importantly, we are providing young Nigerians the opportunity to practice managing their own finances through accounts that are for them, not their parents,” she stated.

According to her, Diamond Future is a parent-controlled account for parents with children up to 18 years of age. Diamond Future partners with parents to help secure their children’s bright future with a target plan that breaks down their savings goals into manageable steps. With the target plan, parents set a five-year savings goal and determine a flexible savings plan that works for them: they decide how often and how much to deposit to prepare for elementary, secondary or tertiary education costs. Parents receive an attractive 13-month bonus for each year that they stick to their savings plan—on top of accrued interest—and they can establish free standing order instructions (automatic transfers between bank accounts) so they can be sure to achieve their goal.

With Cool-Teens, Diamond Bank offers youth their own account, so they can begin to learn how to manage money on their own. This teen-controlled account is typically designed for youth from 13-17 years of age (or secondary school pupils in more generic terms) with parental consent. This is an opportunity to put teens in control of their own finances whist teaching them how to manage their money with an account that is made for them, not their parents. The account includes a free debit card in their name with pre-set limits set by parents and offers teens the opportunity to practice managing their finances with ATMs as well as mobile and internet banking which will be managed by the parents

SAMSUNG, DIAMOND BANK PLC AND SOFTCOM SIGNS PARTNERSHIP MOU FOR $100M TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTION FUND FOR EDUCATION IN NIGERIA.

May 22, 2015 – Lagos, Nigeria – Diamond Bank, Samsung Electronics and Softcom Limited have secured a partnership to provide a special 100 million US Dollars Technology Intervention Fund for Education. This partnership comes to be as the three organizations, who are also sponsors of the Future Ready University conference which will be hosted by Covenant University on the 10^th and 11^th of June 2015, strive to replicate the success achieved in Covenant University into 40 other Nigerian universities.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed at a press conference announcing the Future Ready University conference, seals the strategic partnership between  Samsung Electronics, Diamond Bank Plc and Softcom which will enable other Nigerian universities replicate the mobile learning program which already is operational in Covenant University. The 100million U.S Dollar technology intervention fund, will allow the interested universities to easily procure the solutions and secure fast track bulk financing from Diamond Bank.

Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Uzoma Dozie, Managing Director/CEO, Diamond Bank Plc said the mobile learning program is the future of education which has successfully been kick-started in Covenant University. “Diamond Bank is investing in this program as we realize and appreciate this initiative as the future of classroom learning which fits into our strategic roadmap as a leading financial institution. We invite interested universities who want to positively change the face of learning within their campuses to use this as an opportunity to create a better and more sustainable learning environment for their students”.

While delivering his address, Brovo Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa said “Samsung is committed to consistent innovation and technological development especially in the area of education. Classroom learning has taken a new shape over the past years and right now, we are convinced that this remarkable project will help students to have a better grasp of what is being taught in the classroom, help teachers to ensure every student is carried along in the learning process and help parents and guardians to regularly monitor and evaluate their wards’ course work. We recognize and appreciate Diamond Bank’s understanding of this vision and encourage Nigerian universities to take full advantage of it”.

According to Yomi Adedeji, Managing Partner, Softcom, our objective was to extend the classroom in a social manner without altering the behaviour of the Student. Today we have achieved that for Covenant University and working with Samsung and Diamond bank we want to extend it to every Nigerian University. Technology is driving every aspect of our lives and its the quickest way to close the huge gap in our educational system. At the Future Ready University conference we will unveil new methodologies that will heal tertiary institutions advance quickly using Technology.

The Future Ready University conference hosted by Covenant University in Partnership with Softcom, Samsung Electronics and  Diamond Bank is expected to have in attendance over 150 key decision makers  from  50 invited private and public universities across Nigeria. According to Professor C.K. Ayo, The Vice Chancellor of covenant university, "we are delighted to host the future ready university conference and look forward to sharing our experience on how technology is transforming the way our students learn”. We are also delighted to be leading in this new way of learning. Our partnership with Softcom and Samsung has helped us achieve our Social learning dream.

DIAMOND BANK UPGRADES MOBILE APP, GIVES N1000 CASHBACK ON FIRST USE

Intent on providing cutting edge banking services to its customers round the clock, leading retail bank, Diamond Bank PLC has announced the upgrade of its mobile-based banking application –the Diamond Mobile app. With this upgrade, subscribers of the mobile app can carry out more banking transactions beyond funds transfers and bills payment in a secured environment at any time of the day.

Some of the unique features recently added to the App are flight bookings, credit card repayments, account statement generation and debit card activation or deactivation. These are in addition to previously available services like funds transfer to Diamond and non-Diamond Bank accounts, payment for BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS), bills payment, airtime purchase, Diamond Bank branch and ATM locators, etc.

Speaking on the features of the app, Mrs. Ayona Trimnell, Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank PLC, said: “We are delighted to introduce additional benefits to the Diamond Mobile app and a One thousand Naira cashback reward on its first use. What we have done with this upgrade is to expand the bouquet of offerings on the app to include a host of new services that help make banking with Diamond a convenient and interesting experience. Now, Diamond Bank customers can book local and international flights, fund their credit cards, maintain beneficiaries, generate their account statements, etc all on the palm of their hands through the mobile app.”

The Diamond Mobile app can be downloaded  free of charge via the Google Play Store, the BlackBerry app World, the Apple Store and the Samsung Store for android, BlackBerry, Apple and Samsung devices respectively.

“Diamond Bank staff will demonstrate the world of possibilities available with the Diamond Mobile app at the Co-Creation Hub (CC HUB), Yaba, Lagos later this month and we invite IT professionals as well as members of the general public to be part of this product demonstration. Our staff will be on hand to show the various exciting features of the app as well as assist with the installation of the app on the devices of the guests, “said Mrs. Trimnell.

DIAMOND BANK HOLD 50TH BUSINESSXPRESS TRAINING FOR MSMES STAKEHOLDERS

It was a historic event for leading retail bank, Diamond Bank PLC, as it recently held the 50th edition of its BusinessXpress Seminar for operators in the Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs). This time, the training programme took place in the south western ancient city of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The BusinessXpress Seminar is the Bank’s customised training initiative aimed at building and strengthening capacity among budding entrepreneurs and small businesses in the MSME segment of the Nigerian economy. It is an offshoot of the bank’s BusinessXpress account. 

Ayona Trimnell, the bank’s chief spokesperson stated that the training programme tallies with the strategic objective of the Bank, which are aimed at building world-class productive capacity that could compete favourably on the global scale.

“At Diamond Bank, we are not just eager to provide funds for operators, we are also very passionate about building capacity that could help catalyse economic production and boost employment at the MSMEs sub-sector”.

Reiterating Trimnell, Oluropo Olanrewaju, Regional Manager, Ibadan, stated that the DiamondXtra Seminar series was proof of Diamond Bank’s commitment to the growth of MSMEs in Nigeria and has provided stakeholders with the requisite knowledge and necessary skills to help them grow and expand their businesses

“The BusinessXpress Seminars are very key to our strategic objective of helping small businesses grow. In 2009, we launched the BusinessXpress account, the first of its kind, which not only offered collateral-free loans to SME operators but also charged negligible COT. However, we realized that providing funds to SMEs was just the first step. There was also the need to equip them with the skills and knowledge to manage and grow their business so we started the BusinessXpress Seminars in 2010 to provide them with practical lessons on how they can manage their business.”

Oluropo added that since the bank introduced the BusinessXpress account, close to N200biliion loans have been granted to 60, 000 SME owners across the country while the seminars have recorded more than 17, 000 participants.

Chiagozie Nwizu, MSME Advisory Manager, Diamond Bank PLC, said that the bank has received positive feedbacks from many small businesses that have participated in the seminars.

According to him: “For the BusinessXpress Seminar to hit the 50th milestone is quite an achievement for us at Diamond Bank. Looking back, we have seen how the seminars have changed the lives and businesses of the participants. We have gotten wonderful feedback from many of them, some of who thank us for helping them put their business on a solid footing. We are happy at how far we have come and the impact we have made within the period.”  

“We don’t just provide collateral free loans and train participants, we try as much as possible to track the progress of the participants. We call them regularly and even visit them to see for ourselves how they are doing and if there are other areas that we can provide assistance.

Olarewaju Adebiyi, a participant at the event, expressed gratitude to Diamond Bank for the seminar, noting that it had been an eye opening experience for him. “This is the second time I will be attending the seminar. I was so impressed from what I learnt the first time that I decided to attend this one.  It has been quite an experience for me and I thank Diamond Bank for this rare privilege,” he said.

DIAMOND BANK LAUNCHES BET4, N15 MILLION UP FOR GRABS

Diamond Bank Plc has launched Season 4 of the Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET4) programme, a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of the bank aimed at enhancing the growth potentials of Nigerian entrepreneurs through capacity building.

Speaking at the official launch of the fourth season of the programme in Lagos, Mr. Olumide Akindele, Head, Consumer Propositions Group, Diamond Bank PLC, said, “The Building
Entrepreneurs Today programme is a strategic initiative of Diamond Bank to invest in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises segment of the economy by increasing the capacity of these small businesses to run thriving businesses.

“We are pleased to announce the fourth edition of the programme. This is a reflection of Diamond Bank’s resolve to ensure that many young businesses get the right assistance to excel and contribute to the economy,” he added.

Mr. Peter Bamikole, Director, Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University, the facilitators of the programme, lauded the bank for its sustained partnership with the EDC on the BET programme. He noted that the bank’s support of young entrepreneurs through the BET programme has given a massive lift to various businesses with its attendant contribution to job creation and professional and sustainable business management.

He said: In the last four years, Diamond Bank Plc has been supporting MSMEs by giving them the knowledge they need to build viable ventures and manage success. This Corporate Social
Responsibility initiative is making a huge impact on the lives of these young people and is gradually changing society. Small business owners are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to properly manage their businesses.

On the areas of interest for the fourth edition, Mrs. Ayona Trimnell, Divisional Head, Corporate
Communications, Diamond Bank Plc, said programme will focus on ICT, Agro-Allied and Renewable Energy sub-sectors, adding that these are three areas which have been identified as youth-centered endeavours with high development potential. “At the end of the training,

successful participants would have imbibed the culture of entrepreneurship that Diamond Bank Plc stands for,” she said.

To qualify for selection, a candidate must have an existing business that has been in operation for at least three months prior to the application date. Applications are reviewed by a panel of judges based on a predetermined set of criteria after which successful candidates are invited for an interview session. Fifty shortlisted candidates will thereafter undergo a six months training with the EDC, following which the top fifteen are selected for a second phase of top-flight advisory services where they are required to present their business models. At the end of the process, the five participants who are adjudged to have the best plans are each given a three million naira grant by Diamond Bank Plc to support their businesses. To participate, log on to www.diamondbet4.com to fill and submit application form.