Sultan receives Providus Unity Bank MD, urges support for SMEs
By OUR REPORTER, Sokoto
Welcoming the bank’s managing director, the Sultan congratulated him on his new responsibility and wished him success in the task of managing the merged institution.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, has received in audience the Managing Director of Providus Unity Bank, Mr Walter Akpani, at the Sultan’s Palace in Sokoto.
The meeting, held on Monday, September 21, 2026, was part of Akpani’s visit to the Sultan to pay homage and seek royal prayers for the successful completion of the Providus Bank–Unity Bank merger and the repositioning of the new financial institution for greater achievements.
Welcoming the bank’s managing director, the Sultan congratulated him on his new responsibility and wished him success in the task of managing the merged institution.
Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar described the merger between Providus Bank and Unity Bank as a positive development, noting that it would strengthen the capital base and enhance the capacity of the new bank to provide improved banking services to its customers.
The Sultan also urged the bank’s management to pay particular attention to operators of small, micro and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), stressing the importance of supporting entrepreneurs who operate with modest capital and remain content with making small but legitimate profits.
He encouraged the bank to create opportunities that would enable such businesses to grow and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
Speaking earlier, Akpani said he was at the Sultan’s Palace to pay homage and seek the Sultan’s prayers for the successful actualisation of the Providus Unity Bank merger and the repositioning of the institution for greater accomplishments.
The Managing Director was accompanied on the visit by the Head of Group Corporate Communications, Mr Dafe Ivwurie; Zonal Head, Abuja and North Central, Mr William Wakawa; Zonal Head, Sokoto/Katsina Zone, Mr Aminu Moyi; Regional Manager, Sokoto Region, Mr Kabir Ibrahim; and Chief Security Officer, Mr Abdullahi Adamu.
The visit took place at the Sultan’s Palace, Sokoto, on Monday, September 21, 2026.
