Zenith Bank activates the Christmas season with the Christmas illumination of Ajose Adeogun Street

It was a great sight to behold as the Christmas and Xmas season came alive at the 2022 Zenith Bank Christmas Lighting Ceremony, held at the Ajose Street Roundabout Adeogun, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday November 19. , 2022. The official lighting ceremony, which was performed by Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, supported by senior management, was attended by many bank employees and customers , others joining virtually.< /p>

With the theme "Let there be light", this year marks the 16th edition of the illumination ceremony at the Ajose Adeogun roundabout. The Light-Up event is the bank's annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to herald the Christmas season through the beautification of Ajose Adeogun Street - home to Zenith Bank's head office - which has become an iconic venue, attracting people from all walks of life who visit with their families and friends to take photos and make videos of the wonderful spectacle, especially at night and enjoying the street and seasonal atmosphere.

Speaking at the ceremony, Onyeagwu expressed his joy at heralding the Christmas season of 2022 through the iconic street lighting of Ajose Adeogun. In his own words, “Today is a unique day. It's unique in the sense that we're going to turn on the Christmas light and activate the Christmas spirit, which we usually have every year. It is also unique in the sense that we are honored and delighted to have among us the wife of our Founder and President, Mrs. Kay Ovia”.

He congratulated Quantum Markets, the company responsible for the annual decorations, for the exceptional, very creative and extremely beautiful work they have done. According to him, "When you look at the Christmas setup we have every year, it looks completely different and there are no repeating themes. And when you think you've seen it all, by the time a new happens, it's something completely different and massively. This year's one, walking in here, I wondered if it was a theme park."

While urging everyone to imbibe the message and spirit of Christmas, which is about peace, love, forgiveness and above all respect for humanity, Onyeagwu prayed for peace in every home, business and nation and that this year's celebration would be like none other we've seen.

Zenith Bank has clearly distinguished itself in the Nigerian financial services industry as an institution committed to building a more sustainable and inclusive economy and promoting responsible business practices in Nigeria by embedding sustainability principles in its business operations.

The bank's sustainability and CSR initiatives are built on the belief that business performance today is about more than financial numbers: the bank believes that an institution's social investments, its contributions to inclusive economic growth and development, as well as improving the condition of the physical environment, all constitute a balanced scorecard.

Through its CSR initiatives, Zenith Bank has embodied the overarching goal of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework to address the major challenges facing society. Its social investments are targeted at health, education, empowerment of women and youth, development of sport and improvement of public infrastructure. Overall, Zenith Bank's total CSR investment in 2021 was NGN 4.37 billion, representing 1.79% of its profit after tax (PAT) and a 33.1% increase from to 2020.

The bank remains committed to fostering the economic, cultural and social development of host communities, including through community initiatives and philanthropy. As a corporate citizen, it continues to deliver projects that have long-term social and economic benefits for communities, as it believes the strength of its business depends on the strength of the communities in which it operates.

To demonstrate its commitment to creating and expanding opportunity, the bank regularly makes grants for the establishment of state-of-the-art ICT centers in several educational institutions and cities across the country. He also supports various development projects and healthcare delivery causes in Nigeria and contributes to the development of sports in Nigeria through his sponsorship of the Zenith Women Basketball League and the Zenith Bank Delta State Principal's and Headmaster's Football Co. .