Polaris Bank highlights 20 years of women empowerment

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Kayode Lawal, has reaffirmed the bank’s long-standing commitment to women empowerment, noting that over two decades of sustained initiatives have shaped its corporate culture and strengthened its impact on customers and communities. Lawal made this known during a seminar organised by the bank to commemorate the 2026 […]

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Kayode Lawal, has reaffirmed the bank’s long-standing commitment to women empowerment, noting that over two decades of sustained initiatives have shaped its corporate culture and strengthened its impact on customers and communities.

Lawal made this known during a seminar organised by the bank to commemorate the 2026 edition of International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8.

Speaking at the event, themed “Gender Equity as Business Imperative: The Give to Gain Advantage,” Lawal said the bank’s approach to women empowerment goes beyond policy statements, stressing that it is embedded in its operational philosophy.

According to him, Polaris Bank remains committed to creating an enabling environment where women can thrive both professionally and financially.

“This theme speaks to a timeless truth—that the greatest progress societies make often begins with what we are willing to invest in others. When we give opportunities, we gain innovation. When we give support, we gain resilience. And when we give women the tools to thrive, we gain stronger families, stronger institutions, and stronger economies,” he said.

Lawal highlighted several intervention programmes the bank has implemented over the years, particularly in health, entrepreneurship, and education.

One of the most notable, he said, is the bank’s leadership in breast cancer advocacy in Nigeria, which predates many corporate health awareness campaigns.

The Polaris Bank MD also underscored the institution’s role in supporting women-led businesses, particularly within the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector.

Through targeted financing, advisory services, and enterprise support programmes, the bank continues to empower female entrepreneurs with resources needed to grow and scale their businesses.

In addition, Lawal pointed to the bank’s commitment to girl-child education, describing it as a critical investment in the future.

In her welcome address, the Executive Director of the bank, Abimbola Ozomah, said Polaris Bank views women empowerment not as a symbolic gesture but as a strategic imperative.