LAGOS April 24- All roads will lead to Lagos on May 2, 2025, as Wema Bank—Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank and the trailblazer behind Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT—celebrates its 80th anniversary in grand style, in the very city where its journey began.
Founded on May 2nd 1945 as Agbonmagbe Bank Limited, Wema Bank was established by the Late Chief Matthew Adekoya Okupe and two others—his wife, Regina Adekoya Okupe and a family friend, Reverend Alade. In an era where the banking industry was designed to cater only to the colonial government and expatriates, Wema Bank came to life as a vanguard of indigenous banking, bridging the gap in access to financial services by providing quality financial services tailored to the needs of indigenous Nigerians and businesses.
The story of Wema Bank is one that symbolises remarkable resilience, capturing the journey of an indigenous Nigerian bank that dared to rise at the heights of the colonial era, weathering the storms of the difficult terrain, navigating challenges and constantly reinventing to continue serving Nigerians against all odds, for 8 solid decades and counting. This great bank, which began as the mere vision of an illustrious philanthropist in a hollow room at Agbonmagbe Lodge, Yaba, Lagos, has now grown to not only become Nigeria’s longest standing indigenous and most resilient bank but also, Nigeria’s most innovative bank.
In truth, Wema Bank’s formidable legacy is proof that Nigerian businesses have the capacity to last, transcend time, adapt and innovate to remain valuable to customers, stakeholders, shareholders, industries, and the nation at large. From empowering Nigerians with the finest quality of financial services to providing tailored opportunities for underserved categories of the population, spearheading the future of banking and being a backbone for Nigeria’s FinTech industry by not only pioneering the continent’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, but also allowing FinTechs to operate using the Bank’s secure and advanced network; Wema Bank has built a legacy of impact since 1945.
As Wema Bank counts down to its landmark 80th anniversary on May 2, 2025, anticipation is building for what promises to be a celebration of innovation, legacy, and future possibilities. While full details of the “Wema at 80” event remain under wraps, it is expected to be the most exclusive and star-studded corporate gathering of the year—bringing together generations of Nigerians in Lagos for an unforgettable evening of reflection, festivity, and grandeur. The dress code: timeless elegance.
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