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By Olufemi Jacobs

On September 10, 2024, heavy rain caused the Alau Dam in Borno State to overflow, leading to major floods in and around the vast metropolitan city of Maiduguri. The deluge heavily impacted homes, schools, markets, offices and several health facilities.

According to government officials, over 400,000 people have moved into 30 IDP camps. Most of these camps are schools which lack hygiene facilities and safe drinking water. The potential for outbreak of diseases is high, and, undoubtedly, Borno State, which is recovering from over a decade of sustained terrorist attacks, is in dire need of assistance.

In response, Nigerians from all over the country have scrambled to help. As at last week, the state government has received donations totalling over N12 billion. Prof Usman Tar, the state’s Information Commissioner, said the funds had already been transferred to the Disaster Relief Committee which includes representatives from both the federal and state government agencies. He also announced that the state government has been working hard to assist citizens who have been most impacted by the disaster.

Among the donors are Aliko Dangote, who gave N2 billion; Aminu Dantata (N1.5 billion); Mohammed Indimi (N1 billion); Oluremi Tinibu (N500 million) and Access Holdings which gave N1 billion. Access is one of the two only banks to respond to the disaster in Borno State. The other being Jaiz Bank, which gave N110 million. Chief Executive of Access Holdings, Africa’s leading financial powerhouse, Bolaji Agbede and other executives of the company, flew into Maiduguri late last week with the N1 billion gift to the state government, in a demonstration of the company’s commitment to community support.

Access Holdings’ contribution will be allocated as ₦500 million in cash to support the state government’s on-the-ground response efforts, ₦500 million for the restoration of critical infrastructure damaged by the flood, as well as essential food supplies to ensure the most vulnerable receive care. The gesture should offer succour and relief to the beleaguered people of Borno and provide both immediate and long-term respite.

I commend all the donors for their kindness and generosity. From the banking community, I am not surprised that Access Holdings is once again demonstrating compassion and leadership. Compassion is an important attribute of good leadership. It is important for businesses to identify with the communities in which they operate, especially in times of crises. A kind and generous company will more likely build loyal customers and strong stakeholder understanding. Compassion evokes emotional affinity, brand admiration and customer allegiance. Consistently, Access Holdings is known for devoting a good chunk of its resources to invest in its environments. I call on other banks to emulate Access.

Speaking in Government House, Maduguri, at the meeting with Gov. Zullum and his officials, Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to supporting the people of Borno, restating a pledge to impact lives of communities where the institution operates. “At Access Holdings, we believe in positively impacting the communities we serve, not only as a financial institution, but as a family that cares deeply for its people. We recognise the resilience of the people of Borno, and we are committed to providing the support necessary to overcome this difficult time. This donation is not merely about the funding; it is about offering immediate succour to families and individuals, who have been affected, while also contributing to local economic resurgence and long-term resilience through the restoration of essential infrastructure,” said Agbede.

Governor Babagana Zulum expressed appreciation for the donation and the company’s swift response to the crisis. “We are moved by the generosity and commitment shown by Access Holdings and Access Bank during this critical time. This donation of ₦1 billion is appreciated during this challenging time and will be judiciously utilised to impact the lives of all those who have been affected by the incident. The restoration of our hospitals and essential services will strengthen our resilience, while the food relief will provide immediate comfort to families and individuals in distress. Truly, this support speaks to the importance of cooperation between the government, and the private sector in improving the lives of our local communities,” said Zulum.

Nigeria’s business community is currently facing a myriad of challenges, including depressed margins arising from oppressive operating environment, while the banking sector is not only struggling to cope with increasing incidents of non-performing loans, but is also racing to meet re-capitalization deadline of March 2026.

Nevertheless, I commend Access Holdings for being the first mainstream financial institution to offer support to Borno in the wake of the disaster that affected over one million people, leaving entire residential areas submerged and tens of thousands of people displaced. I am pleased to welcome the company’s exemplary commitment to working closely with the Borno State Government, aid organisations, and other stakeholders to ensure relief reaches those most in need and the state is well-positioned for recovery. I ask the Bankers’ Committee and the Central Bank of Nigeria to emulate the Access example. On its part, the Federal Government should take steps to examine the structural integrity of all our dams to avoid a future occurrence of this disaster, which is obviously a threat to national security.