In a world where banks advertise size, Wema advertises commitment. Not in catchphrases but in decades-long relationships with customers, partners, regulators, and the ambitious, underserved segments many others overlook. Youth, women, and small business owners find a bank and partner in Wema, writes Oluchi Chibuzor

In a banking landscape where legacy sometimes lulls institutions into comfort zones, one bank has consistently refused to sit still. For Wema Bank, turning 80 isn’t a curtain call; it’s a runway. Eight decades of history could have made it slow, stiff, or steeped in tradition. Instead, it’s become sharper, younger, and, frankly, more ambitious. Somewhere between boardroom decisions and branch-level conversations, Wema has fine-tuned the art of balancing heritage with hustle. The mandate? Build Nigeria’s most relevant, connected financial institution without losing the ‘humanness’ in the process.

It’s a curious thing to say about a bank, but Wema is less of a building and more of a behavior. A behavior that says we’ll walk with you, not just lend to you. “We’ll listen before we advise. We’ll go regional when it makes sense and national when it’s time to scale, and if the future demands a ‘Systemically Important Bank (SIB) status, we won’t just chase and earn it,” said an Executive Director at Wema Bank,Tunde Mabawonku in a chart with newsmen in Lagos recently. In a world where banks advertise size, Wema advertises commitment. Not in catchphrases but in decades-long relationships with customers, partners, regulators, and the ambitious, underserved segments many others overlook. Youth, women, and small business owners find a bank and partner in Wema. They find a co-pilot and champion. “With you all the way” isn’t just the tagline. It’s the tattoo beneath the suit.

There’s something almost poetic in the way Wema grows. Like a jazz band improvising with precision, its growth plays out through deliberate riffs – from branch renovations that turned dilapidation into delight and digital experiments that became industry benchmarks to staff transformation programs that replaced hierarchy with heart. They are methodical moves made by a leadership team that understands that legacy is not what you inherit; you build it. If Wema were a person, it wouldn’t talk about the good old days. It would be the one leaning forward at the table, asking, “What’s next?”

Tunde Mabawonku remembers how it felt to step into that kind of culture. “When I joined in 2011, the transformation had already started. I was one of the last entrants into the team brought in to rebuild,” Tunde Mabawonku said. “But it was clear what the mandate was: transform this organization into a youthful, vibrant, and dynamic institution.”

And they worked hard to transform. Within a few years, branches were no longer just financial service points. They became symbols of a refreshed identity. “In 2012, we took a view that we’d renovate five branches yearly. And over time, we’ve achieved that,” Mabawonku recalled. Today, Wema Bank’s corridors speak a different language of clean, modern, intentional design that reflects the bank’s forward-facing posture.

But the physical transformation was only the beginning. The profound change happened at the people level. “In those days, the best we saw of the younger ones was during training school,” he said. “But now, they’re in committees and meetings, leading initiatives. They’re everywhere.” Wema’s evolution from a conventional institution to a youthful engine of ideas is no accident. It’s what Mabawonku calls “a deliberate culture of learning and inclusiveness.” The bank didn’t just recruit younger people; it empowered them. It didn’t just celebrate diversity; it made it standard operating procedure. “Let’s get them in, let’s engage them, and let them be part and parcel of the decision process,” he explained. That mindset is how ideas like ALAT, Africa’s first fully digital bank, became a reality. It’s how ALAT Xplore, which targets younger Nigerians with an ecosystem of financial literacy, community, and gamified banking, emerged as a product and movement.

But innovation at Wema isn’t flashy; it’s functional. It meets people where they are and takes them further. That’s why the bank introduced SARA, a financial platform that supports women-led businesses with access to funding, mentoring, and community. It’s also why Wema launched CoopHub as a digital platform designed to manage the financial operations of cooperatives with tools tailored for transparency, tracking, and trust. These aren’t pilot programs designed to impress a boardroom; they are working solutions that address gaps in real lives. “We deliberately do not go after the big, big customers,” Mabawonku further stated. “But the mid-sized, small customers we could work with on the journey.” That philosophy has earned Wema trust from customers, regulators, and other stakeholders who recognize the bank’s strategic focus on economic inclusion.

And the impact is visible. In the youth space, Wema is not just a player – it’s a pioneer. Its Skillnovation initiative, in collaboration with government partners, has trained thousands of young Nigerians in digital and entrepreneurial skills. Hackaholics, its annual innovation challenge, invites startups and tech thinkers to co-create solutions with winning ideas, sometimes finding their way into Wema’s service portfolio. For women, programs like SARA aren’t just about banking. They are about confidence, access, and long-term economic participation. Mabawonku stressed, “So our mantra, ‘with you all the way,’ it’s no joke. We are the bank that connects. We are the bank that resonates. We’ve had a lot of impact on women, small businesses, and the youth. Wema is working with you and not abandoning you. We are staying with customers all through the journey.”

And behind all these achievements is a leadership team that leads with heart. “Transforming the organization helped me shape my leadership skills,” Mabawonku reflected. “It helped me understand the value of mentoring and putting people first.” That people-first philosophy is contagious. It’s why KNIGHTS, as they proudly call themselves, see the bank as a workplace and a mission. From the executive suite to entry-level staff, there’s a shared understanding that transformation is everyone’s job. The results are evident in employee engagement, performance, and pride. It’s no surprise that Wema has won the title of Best Place to Work in Nigeria twice.

The future? Bold, by design. With Nigeria’s financial landscape moving toward tighter regulation, digital-first services, and a push for banking institutions that can handle systemic responsibilities, Wema is not content with just being a strong player. It is positioning itself to be a stronghold. The bank’s re-expansion from national to regional and back to national wasn’t a back-and-forth. It was a strategic test of resilience, operations, and service delivery. Now, conversations around SIB status aren’t far-fetched. The bank is laying the foundation through digital infrastructure, inclusion strategies, customer-focused innovation, and human capital excellence. Wema closed 2024 with over N104 billion in profit before tax. ALAT continues to scale. MSME adoption of CoopHub is growing, and the bank’s digital transaction volume is steadily climbing yearly. The data aligns with the vision. The path is charted.

As Wema marks 80 years, the celebration isn’t just about the past. It’s a stake in the ground for the next generation. A declaration that tradition and innovation don’t have to be at odds and that legacy can live comfortably beside disruption. If the past was about surviving and stabilizing, the future is about leading and multiplying. Leading industries, multiplying impact, and Inspiring confidence in every customer, regulator, and Nigerian. Because if you ask Wema Bank what the next 80 years will be like, the answer is simple. They look like you. They look like us. They look like a future that’s with you all the way.

QUOTES

“There’s something almost poetic in the way Wema grows. Like a jazz band improvising with precision, its growth plays out through deliberate riffs – from branch renovations that turned dilapidation into delight and digital experiments that became industry benchmarks to staff transformation programs that replaced hierarchy with heart. They are methodical moves made by a leadership team that understands that legacy is not what you inherit; you build it. If Wema were a person, it wouldn’t talk about the good old days.”

“As Wema marks 80 years, the celebration isn’t just about the past. It’s a stake in the ground for the next generation. A declaration that tradition and innovation don’t have to be at odds and that legacy can live comfortably beside disruption. If the past was about surviving and stabilizing, the future is about leading and multiplying. Leading industries, multiplying impact, and Inspiring confidence in every customer, regulator, and Nigerian.”