Access Bank’s Quest To Drive Colossal CSR Upon Entry Into Botswana

The Nigerian multinational bank, Access Bank’s expansion into Botswana market stands to benefit the residents and communities through the bank’s vast Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. Widely viewed as one of Nigeria’s most profitable commercial groups operating across the world, the bank recently opened its doors in Botswana after buying a stake in Atlas Mara Group to purchase BancABC Botswana. Access Bank Managing Director Herbert Wigwe weighs in on what this new chapter in Botswana, also means from the perspective of bringing forward innovative ideas that make a difference…

Access Bank has long been committed to helping change the lives of people within their communities and the wider societies in which the bank operates beyond Nigeria. Notable in its mix of CSR initiatives is the ‘W’ Initiative which seeks to empower women in entrepreneurship by being a catalyst by which to further enhance their lives and businesses.

“Empowering women by granting them access to vast opportunities and information will not only lead to personal development for women, but also the development of the communities and societies they operate in,” said Wigwe, oozing with confidence that the bank will succeed in its efforts to expand the programme into Botswana as well.

ROOTS IN EMPOWERING WOMEN The Bank pioneered offering banking facilities for women in Nigeria with the establishment of the Gender Empowerment Movement (GEM) in 2006, which later evolved into the ‘W’ Initiative. This was later officially launched under this name in 2014. Access Bank has been ranked as the overall best company in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability for the year 2019 after spending N9.34 billion in CSR focused initiatives as reported by Forbes Africa.

So, Wigwe has since taken every opportunity to buttress that all CSR initiatives are also coming to Botswana as the bank is keen on making positive impact on the lives of communities via empowering clients through education, creation of jobs as well giving financial access to women and youth to startup businesses with the aim to contribute towards the economy.

“Our vision as a business leverages on fostering growth and creating wealth sustainability to promote human dignity, environmental conservation and improving the quality of people’s lives. We are excited to announce and showcase our diverse CSR initiatives that we have championed, and believe will transform Batswana,” said the buoyant Wigwe.

The ‘W’ Initiative according to the bank is the home for everything Access Bank offers women and is open to all women irrespective of where they bank. This notion falls in line with the banking institution’s commitment to providing equal inclusivity for all.

Referencing its footprint in West Africa ahead of expansion into Southern Africa, Wigwe also noted that the bank assisted Botswana and other African countries with funds at a time of rising cases in HIV and the AIDS pandemic, doing so through mobilizing funds with the private sector entities in Nigeria. Access Bank prides itself in investing in communities with projects that can be sustained for a long term, affording local investors the opportunity to become shareholders too.

BancABC Managing Director Kgotso Bannalotlhe says that it is inspiring for the bank to be part of a larger banking group like Access Bank, which boasts a notable portfolio in Corporate Social Investment.

Bannalotlhe stated that BancABC had in existence its own CSR projects such as building houses for the less privileged people in communities responding to government calls for companies to assist.

Access Bank has been recognized for its good CSR performance by receiving awards such as being named CNB Excellence in Women Empowerment Award Winner in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

Each year, and as part of its robust strategic corporate responsibility objectives, the bank says it remains highly committed to channeling noteworthy resources and funds into impacting people’s lives positively and responsibly.

“Over the years, our areas of focus in the community investment have included crucial sectors of education, health, gender equality, arts, and sports. Many of these efforts to invest in and grow the solid relationships with our communities have also included the widening reach of our market presence, our indirect economic impacts, grievance mechanisms, public policy, the anti-corruption efforts, charitable donations and employee volunteering,” said the bank on its CSR.

Herbert Wigwe