1. WELCOME TO THE LOVELY WORLD OF MONEYGRAM INTERNATIONAL
Being a Welcome Address by Mr. Bisi Onasanya, Group Managing Director/Chief
Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Plc at the Launch of MoneyGram held at Eko
Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Chairman/CEO, MoneyGram International, Miss Pamela Patsley;
The Vice President for International Markets, MoneyGram International, Mr. Herve Chomel;
The Senior Regional Director, Anglo Africa & Middle East, MoneyGram International, Miss Vicky
Johnston;
My other colleagues on the Board of the Bank;
Other MoneyGram Executives here present;
Invaluable customers of FirstBank;
Fellow FirstBankers;
Gentlemen of the Press;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is a beautiful day; a day to celebrate a beautiful relationship between two outstanding
institutions. I am not surprised therefore that the bells for this ceremony have sounded far and
wide. This is a testimony to the excellent pedigree of the FirstBank group and MoneyGram
International respectively. If this was a wedding, it is the type that could be christened the
ultimate wedding of the decade.
I am delighted to welcome you to the formal launch of the auspicious partnership between
MoneyGram International and FirstBank, which I believe will make a remarkable impact on the
lives of our invaluable customers and the entire people of Nigeria.
Some years ago, we at FirstBank initiated far-reaching measures to transform our business in
response to the rapidly changing dynamics of the market place. The evolving repositioning
exercise has today made FirstBank a veritable example of a first generation bank with the
agility, dynamism, processes, technology and corporate mindset of a new generation bank. The
fulfillment of our brand transformation is that FirstBank has become a younger, more nimble and

2. modern bank. Hence, our brand essence of being dependably, with our corporate culture
rooted in four brand pillars: leadership, enterprise, safety and security, and service excellence.
Our Bank has progressively and systematically established diverse operations in the Nigerian
financial services industry, with over 580 widespread service outlets, enabling its emergence as
a foremost financial services provider. Subsidiaries of the Bank are making enormous
contributions to the growth and development of the national economy, to the delight of all
stakeholders. FirstBank is a pioneer in the money transfer sector. We have a longstanding
relationship with another leading international money transfer company, for which our bank was
the sole agent in Nigeria for almost a decade, before exclusivity gave way to multi-agency
environment. We are proud that we have received many global awards for outstanding
performance in that relationship.
It is in furtherance of our mission to provide the best financial services possible that we have
consummated this partnership with MoneyGram International, a leader in the financial services
field for global money transfer and payment services. We are impressed with MoneyGram, the
second largest money transfer business in the world, which has built a strong and well-
established money transfer network all over the world, and continues to expand at a rapid rate.
Also, MoneyGram has developed convenient and attractive operational modalities, without
compromising the safety and security of customers’ funds.
I am reliably informed that since we opened shop with the MoneyGram service there has been
an enthusiastic patronage, which is indicative that customers have been waiting for FirstBank to
commence this new window of opportunity.
Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to acknowledge the untiring efforts of Miss Funmi Omitowoju,
Regional Director, Anglophone West Africa, MoneyGram and her team, as well as Mr. Gbenga
Shobo, Group Head, Products and Channels, FirstBank and his team. They worked round the
clock to ensure that we can clink the glasses today. They deserve a round of applause.
I thank you all for joining us to celebrate this partnership between FirstBank and MoneyGram
which I believe is a “marriage” for this time and for all times. And I guess you also deserve a
round of applause.
Bisi Onasanya
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer