FirstBank has entered into a strategic collaboration with EStars Education Africa Limited (EStars), a global leader in educational esports, to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the burgeoning esports industry.
The partnership provides a platform for FirstBank, the West African premier bank and financial inclusion service provider, to support the rollout of EStars’ comprehensive esports qualifications, including entry-level Certificates and BTEC courses in esports.
In addition to educational initiatives, FirstBank and EStars are exploring the development of a co-branded gaming credit card, with the goal of enhancing customer experience and offering them a unique blend of exclusive benefits, rewards, and gaming-centric features.
The collaboration with EStars embodies FirstBank’s commitment to innovation, youth development, and supporting emerging sectors like esports, ultimately ensuring a stable economic future for generations to come
Commenting on the development, Mags Byrne, EStars CEO stated: “We are thrilled to be partnering with FirstBank, Nigeria’s oldest bank, to introduce our educational products to their customers. Our aim is to bring educational esports to all of Africa, and innovative partnerships like this make this possible”.
Also, Joel Popoola, EStars’ Africa Advisor explained that the partnership between EStars and FirstBank marks a significant milestone in advancing esports education in Nigeria. “By integrating structured learning pathways into the rapidly expanding esports industry, we are providing Nigerian students with the opportunity to develop essential digital, entrepreneurial, and technical skills that are critical for the future workforce. This collaboration is about more than just gaming—it’s about equipping young people with the knowledge and competencies they need to thrive in a digital economy, opening doors to new career opportunities in technology, manufacturing, and beyond,” he said.
Expressing enthusiasm about the partnership, Chukwuma Ezirim, Group Executive, E-Business and Retail Products Division, FirstBank, said they were excited to collaborate with EStars in pioneering esports education for the youths as esports presented a new frontier of creativity, innovation and career opportunities. “We recognize the vast potential of esports in shaping the future of our youth and we are ready to harness it for their benefits. By investing in esports education, we are not only opening up exciting career paths for the youths but also contributing to the growth and development of the African esports ecosystem. FirstBank is proud to be at the forefront of this innovative endeavour,” he noted.
As a leading financial services provider in Africa, with a vast network of over 820 business locations and 39 million+ customer accounts, FirstBank is uniquely positioned to drive economic growth and empowerment. Established in 1894, is the premier bank in West Africa, a leading financial inclusion services provider in Africa, and a digital banking giant.
The bank’s international footprints cut across three continents ─ Africa, Europe and Asia, with FirstBank UK Limited in London and Paris; FirstBank in The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea and Sierra Leone; FBNBank in Senegal; and a FirstBank Representative Office in Beijing, China. All the subsidiary banks are fully registered by their respective Central Banks to provide full banking services.
Besides providing domestic banking services, the subsidiaries also engage in international cross-border transactions with FirstBank’s non-Nigerian subsidiaries, and the representative offices in Paris and China facilitate trade flows from Asia and Europe into Nigeria and other African countries.
Significantly, FirstBank’s Global Credit Rating was A+ with a positive outlook while ratings by Fitch and Standard & Poor’s were A (nga) and ngBBB+ respectively both with Stable outlooks as at September 2023. FirstBank maintained the same level of international credit ratings as the sovereign; a milestone that was achieved in 2022 for the first time since 2015.
In 2024, FirstBank received notable international awards and accolades. Some of these include Nigeria’s Best Bank for ESG 2024 and Nigeria’s Best Bank for Corporates 2024 both awarded by Euromoney Awards for Excellence; Best SME Bank in Africa and in Nigeria by The Asian Banker Global Awards; Best Private Bank in Nigeria and Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa by Global Finance Awards; Best Corporate Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best CSR Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best Retail Bank in Nigeria 2024, Best SME Bank in Nigeria 2024 and Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2024 all awarded by the Global Banking and Finance Awards.
FirstBank has continued to gain wide acclaim on the global stage with several international awards and recognitions received so far in 2025 which includes Best SME Bank in Nigeria 2025 and Best SME Bank in Africa 2025 by The Asian Banker; Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2025 and Best Private Bank for Sustainable Investing in Africa 2025 by Global Finance Awards; SME Financier of the Year in Nigeria 2025 by The Digital Banker Global SME Banking Innovation Awards; Best Retail Bank in Nigeria 2025 and Best Bank for Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Nigeria 2025 all by The Annual Global Economics Awards.
“Our vision is ‘To be Africa’s Bank of first choice’ and our mission is ‘To remain true to our name by providing the best financial services possible’. This commitment is anchored on our core values of EPIC – Entrepreneurship, Professionalism, Innovation and Customer-Centricity. Our strategic ambition is ‘To deliver accelerated growth in profitability through customer-led innovation and disciplined execution’ and our brand promise is always to deliver the ultimate ‘gold standard’ of value and excellence to position You First in every respect,” explained Olayinka Ijabiyi, acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication of the financial behemoth.
