FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, West Africa’s premier financial inclusion service provider, has received global recognition as its corporate learning arm, FirstAcademy, emerged the Gold Award winner for Best Corporate University in Social and Climate Change at the 2025 Global Council of Corporate Universities (GlobalCCU) Awards held in Paris, France.
The award affirms FirstBank’s strategic commitment to sustainable development and its integration of climate and social responsibility into internal training, capacity building, and business operations. The GlobalCCU Awards, a biennial event, is one of the most prestigious platforms for recognising excellence in corporate education globally, celebrating initiatives that create measurable impact for people, businesses, society, and the planet.
FirstAcademy was honoured for its exceptional approach in embedding environmental sustainability, social consciousness, and climate action into its talent development framework. Since its establishment in 2012, the academy has served as a structured platform for knowledge management, culture transformation, and employee capacity development aligned with FirstBank’s long-term strategic vision.
According to Annick Renaud-Coulon, Founder and Chair of the GlobalCCU Awards, “FirstAcademy is an outstanding Corporate University that is clearly the best globally for driving social and climate change learning initiatives. It demonstrates strong alignment with FirstBank’s responsible banking agenda and is supported by a governance structure that links learning with core business priorities.”
She further lauded the academy’s maturity and strategic direction, highlighting its capacity-building programs on climate finance, sustainability integration, and stakeholder-focused social initiatives as exemplary in the global corporate learning space.
FirstBank’s Acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Olayinka Ijabiyi, expressed pride in the global accolade, noting that it reinforces the bank’s vision of using education and organisational learning to drive inclusive and sustainable development.
“We are delighted to receive this international recognition for our efforts in promoting social responsibility and climate action,” Ijabiyi stated. “This award underscores our belief that businesses can serve as agents of positive transformation — not only enhancing profitability but also contributing meaningfully to societal progress and environmental protection.”
The award also recognises FirstAcademy’s role in bridging corporate and community needs, through initiatives that extend learning beyond technical banking functions to include ESG awareness, stakeholder engagement, and inclusive economic participation.
The bank’s internal development programs now incorporate modules on green banking, climate risk management, energy efficiency, and corporate sustainability reporting, equipping employees to drive innovation and resilience within a transitioning global economy.
Industry analysts have commended FirstBank’s sustainability-focused learning approach, noting that it sets a precedent for other African financial institutions seeking to align with international climate and social impact standards.
As FirstAcademy continues to evolve, it is positioned to deepen its contribution to national and continental development priorities by building human capital that supports low-carbon growth, financial inclusion, and socially responsive business models.
