FirstBank has boosted its sales team with the injection of 365 new salespersons who have completed intensive training at the bank’s training academy.

At the Close-Out Party held recently to mark the completion of the FirstBank Sales Academy programme, it was indicated that the training was the first of its kind in the bank’s 131-year history and aimed at strengthening its ability to reach more customers and maintain relationships.

The 2024 Sales Academy was a five-week hybrid training programme with 365 delegates, designed to equip delegates with the tools, knowledge, and strategies necessary to thrive in an ever-changing marketplace as sales professionals. The delegates were trained across multiple courses such as Sales Performance Measurement and Analytics, Basic Credit & Risk Management, The FirstBank Business Dynamics and Culture and many others.

The Executive Director, Retail Banking South, FirstBank, Seyi Oyefeso, who was represented at the event by the Group Head, Retail Banking, Lagos Mainland, Omolola Otesile, said, “As the banking industry evolves, First Bank of Nigeria recognises the need for advanced skills to address its complexities. To meet this demand, the First Bank Sales Academy was established as a premier training ground for both aspiring and experienced banking professionals.

“This Academy is more than just a training centre; it offers a transformative experience designed to equip participants with both foundational knowledge and the practical skills essential for success in modern banking.”

He added that First Bank’s investment in the Sales Academy underscores its commitment to nurturing Nigeria’s future banking leaders.

“By equipping a new generation with the skills, resilience, and ethical standards necessary to thrive, the bank aims to enhance the level of service provided across the nation.

As the Academy develops, it continues to redefine what it means to be a leader in Nigerian banking—empowering participants not only with a solid career foundation but also with the tools to drive the future of financial services in Nigeria,” he added.

Speaking at the event, the Group Head, Human Capital Management & Development, Muyiwa Olulaja, said, “In the 131-year history of the bank, this is the first time, we have curated a program that is specifically focused on sales first, so to us, we are excited that we got solid, quality cohort that went through this kind of programme. We are celebrating them today because of the rigorous nature of the programme that we designed for them. I’m particularly confident that these guys are going to do extremely well when we deploy them into their different branches.”

Head of the First Academy, Tolulope Uwadia, affirmed that the move was part of the customer-focused strategy of the bank.

She said, “We are all about our customers. Part of our strategy is to ensure that we have enough hands to handle our customers in the market. Management thought that we should have more salespeople in the bank to deal with our customers’ complaints, reach out to them, and ensure we service them well.”