Limitless Access for Women as Stanbic IBTC Launches Blue Blossom Community

Limitless Access for Women as Stanbic IBTC Launches Blue Blossom Community

Stanbic IBTC Holdings, a member of Standard Bank Group, has launched its Blue Blossom community, a gathering of women from diverse backgrounds who come together to support each other while leveraging various benefits offered by the financial institution to meet the unique needs of the Nigerian woman.

According to World Bank, women comprise 43.83% of the labour force, and 43% of businesses worldwide are owned by women. Despite increased financial services in Africa's biggest economy in the last decade, 98% of women still lack access to formal credit markets, according to a recent report by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisor (RPA)'s  Gender Centre of Excellence. Also, women and girls have limited access to education and healthcare, lack economic autonomy, and are under-represented in decision-making at all levels.

Off the back of these realities, Stanbic IBTC Blue Blossom Community was launched to enable women access financial and non-financial services, from banking services to non-banking services, including investments, retirement services, children accounts, free access to capacity-building sessions and special events.

Speaking on the community, Remy Osuagwu, Executive Director, Business and Commercial Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, stated that women are the backbone of established societies and thus must be supported to contribute to growing communities in Nigeria. He said, "When women are exposed to and groomed in the art and science of business, coupled with receiving equitable financial services with affordable credit facilities, their potential for growth, leadership, and success is boundless."

Remy described the Blue Blossom community as a multi-value platform that seeks to provide an enabling ecosystem for women as young as 18 and nurture them into their best versions. 

Emi Agaba-Oloja, Executive Director, Stanbic IBTC Trustees Limited, in her statement, said, "Women must maximise their gifts of organisation and nurture in business, career, and family. We have factored these into the Blue Blossom community to foster a sense of togetherness and serve as a reservoir of resources among Nigerian women from all walks of life."

Emphasising and highlighting the benefits of belonging to the community, Emi said the benefits of being a member of the community included  free business clinic, career or business development sessions, mentorship through masterclasses, access to CHESS account for their children/wards, access to market and network via community and many more.

"The community is open to every woman, and you do not necessarily need to own an account with Stanbic IBTC to be a member of the Blue Blossom community. However, to have unhindered access to financial services, you may need to open an account", Sadiya Ojo, Head, Consumer Clients, Stanbic IBTC Bank said, urging women to seize the opportunities the community presents to build themselves. 

The Blue Blossom Community has translated women's concerns and has presented a solution to enable them to unlock their potential to bloom and take their rightful places in the world. 

To learn more about the Blue Blossom community, visit https://www.stanbicibtc.com/nigeriaholdings/Stanbic-IBTC-Holdings/blue-blossom.

About Stanbic IBTC Blue Blossom

The Blue Blossom Community is a value proposition from Stanbic IBTC which gives all women - 18 years and above access to various discounted financial solutions, including savings, investment, insurance, pensions, trusts, and loans for personal or business use.

The community enables women to access financial and non-financial services, from banking to non-banking services, including investments, retirement services, children's accounts, and free access to capacity-building sessions and special events.

Blue Blossom Community is an offshoot of the Stanbic IBTC Blue Blossom account, a special bank account targeted at women that gives them financial and non-financial benefits.

Go Bloom Non-financial Benefits include: 

*Invitation to niche events throughout the year. For example, ArtX, WIMBIZ. 

*Access to free capacity-building training

*Access to financial fitness events for account holders minor (less than 18 years). 

*Invitation to the Stanbic IBTC Trade Club

*Access to financial fitness events for Blue Blossom account holders

*Free risk advisory to account holders on Home Insurance

*Free claims management to account holders on Home Insurance.

Go Bloom Financial Benefits include the following:

*Zero Current Account Maintenance fee 

*50% concession on loan fees for all business loan types (except SME lite) 

*Maximum interest rate at MPR+5.5

*Branded collaterals (Debit card and chequebook). 

*Access N1,000,000 with as low as N5,000 monthly premium when a named parent below the age of 70 years is lost.

*Authorized Repair Limit of N100,000 on motor insurance. 

*Medical expenses to the car owner (30,000) and other vehicle occupants (N30,000 each to a maximum of N100,000). 

*5% concession on SME Lite interest rate. 

*Access to the PlusRewards loyalty programme as a Merchant or Beneficiary. 

*Insure household contents worth up to N2m for as low as 10,000. 

*1.5% concession on the pricing for the annual travel insurance plan for a family (two parents and three children).  

*Access to a 20% discount set up fee on Education Trust. 

*Access to a 33.3% discount on Comprehensive Will service. 

*10% discount on Home Insurance. 

About Stanbic IBTC

Stanbic IBTC Holdings is a member of Standard Bank Group, a financial institution with ten subsidiaries.

Stanbic IBTC Executives at Blue Blossom Community Launch

Demola Sogunle – Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings

Sola David-Borha - Non-Executive Director, Stanbic IBTC Holdings

Olajumoke Bello - Head, Enterprise Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank

Modupe Banjoko - Team Lead, Digital and Enablement, Business and Commercial Clients, Stanbic IBTC Bank

Sadiya Ojo – Head, Consumer Clients, Stanbic IBTC Bank

Sola Osufisan – Head, Business Development and Service, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited

Padoye Olusegun – Head, Retail, Stanbic IBTC Insurance

Olufunke Isichei – Head, Internal Control, Stanbic IBTC Bank

Emi Oloja-Agaba – Executive Director, Stanbic IBTC Trustees Limited 

Olu Delano - Executive Director, Consumer & High Net Worth Clients, Stanbic IBTC Bank