First Bank to Establish 24-hour Digital Experience Centre at YABATECH

Funmi Ogundare

First Bank of Nigeria has announced plans to set up a state-of-the-art, 24-hour Digital Experience Centre at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), marking a major step in the bank’s push to expand technology-driven, self-service banking across Nigerian tertiary institutions.Speaking during a courtesy visit to the college, Mrs Abimbola Kunle-Ajayi, Group Head, Branch Operations Services (Lagos and West), explained that the proposed centre aligns with FBN’s commitment to deepening digital financial inclusion and meeting the banking needs of young, tech-oriented customers.She described YABATECH as a strategic partner, noting its reputation as Nigeria’s premier tertiary institution. She added that the bank began establishing Digital Experience Centres in 2021, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, to reposition itself as a leading modern financial brand.According to her, FBN currently operates eight such centres in Lagos and Abuja, as well as at select universities, including the University of Lagos and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Another centre is scheduled for commissioning at the University of Ilorin in December as part of ongoing expansion efforts.She explained that the facilities offer fully automated banking services, including cash deposits and withdrawals, instant card issuance, fund transfers, and other self-service transactions.The group head also pledged to provide internship opportunities for YABATECH students as part of efforts to strengthen the existing partnership between the two institutions.Welcoming the delegation, YABATECH Rector, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, commended the bank for considering the institution for the project. He described the meeting as one between two pioneering institutions, recalling the college’s long-standing history as Nigeria’s first tertiary institution, established in 1947, and its ongoing transition into a full-fledged university.