Zenith Bank has started the Yuletide season by illuminating Ajose Adeogun Street and Roundabout in Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday, the light-up ceremony was performed by the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, on Saturday.
It stated that this year’s Light Up Ceremony, the 17th of its kind, was a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by the bank.
Speaking during the ceremony, Onyeagwu urged everyone to imbibe the message and spirit of Christmas, which is about peace, love, forgiveness and respect for humanity and prayed for peace in every home, business and country.
He said, “Today, as we turn on the Christmas light with the wife of our founder and Chairman, Mrs Kay Ovia, in our midst, we hope with this, we activate the spirit of Christmas in the minds of everyone.
“We pray that the ambience of the light brings warmth, love, joy, fulfilment, and hope to every one of us. We pray that our country will experience peace.
“We pray that our joy will be full in this season of joy. So, in the spirit of the Yuletide season, Zenith Bank is also demonstrating that we want to use this to continue communicating and connecting with the community.”
The statement added that, Zenith Bank’s CSR initiatives align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting a commitment to social investments in health, education, women and youth empowerment, sports development, and public infrastructure enhancement.
In 2022, the bank’s total CSR investment reached NGN1.67 billion, representing 0.75% of its Profit After Tax (PAT).
The bank’s dedication to host communities and society has earned it recognition, including the “Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria” at the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards and “Most Responsible Organization in Africa” at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021.