FirstBank Screens N10trn Transactions for ESG Risks in 2025

FirstBank Nigeria screened 505 corporate transactions valued at more than N10 trillion for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in 2025, more than double the 237 transactions worth over N3 trillion assessed in 2024. This announcement was made during the inaugural Annual Sustainability Conference of the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) in Lagos, which was sponsored by FirstBank and themed “The Adaptive Enterprise: Sustainability Strategies for Challenging Times.” FirstBank Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Alebiosu, represented by Executive Director, Risk Management, Adebiyi Olagbami, stated that economic difficulties have made sustainability increasingly important.

He noted challenges such as currency volatility and inflation, asserting that sustainability commitments should not be abandoned during tough times. Alebiosu also revealed that FirstBank had finalized its Green Product Credit Policy, aligning lending standards with various international frameworks, and emphasized the need for sector-specific ESG screening in industries like oil and gas, power, construction, and agriculture.