By Olubunmi Adeniyi
Lagos. February 6, 2013: Afroterminal.com, one of the Africa’s hottest tech startups social network is set to host ‘Banking on Social Media’ session to explore the role of social media in the Nigerian banking and financial sector.
The focus on the social media trend in the banking sector is part of the activities scheduled for the forth-coming Social Media Week Lagos holding February 18-22, in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Social Media Week is a worldwide event exploring the social, cultural and economic impact of social media to help people and organisations connect through collaboration and the sharing of ideas and information.
The February 2013 event will mark the first time that the Social Media Week is holding on the African continent.
With over 110 million active phone lines, Nigeria boasts the highest number of internet users on the continent and ranks number 10 in the world.
At the end of the December, 2012, Nigerians on the leading social media, Facebook reached 6,630,200 users while Twitter was reported to have Nigerians as its third largest users by country.
The Social Media Week Lagos is expected to bring together thought leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens from Nigeria -and throughout the continent and the diaspora- to explore how people and organisations are connecting to share new ideas and information.
According to Social Media Lagos’ website, banking on Social Media’ which is slated to hold on the last day of the event is a conversation about the role of social media in the way Nigerian banks and financial institutions engage their customers.
During the interactive session, the panelist will address the following; has social media enhanced the banks’ acquisition and retention of new customers? Has it helped these institutions interact and communicate better with customers? Are customers aware that their banks and financial institutions use social media to reach them? Do they care? Has social media improved customer experience and satisfaction?
Members of the panel include; Lola Odedina, Head, Communication and External Affairs Division GT Bank; Oge Modie, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer NOI Polls; Ikechukwu Kalu,Vice President at First City Monument Bank.
Others are: Oladipo Omole, Assistant Chief Sub-editor at The Sun Publishing Nigeria/ Freelancer at CNN International, Folake Ani-Mumuney, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications First Bank of Nigeria and Anderson Uvie-Emegbo, Digital Media Consultant, Faculty at Pan African University Nigeria and Strathmore Business School Kenya.
Other host cities for the February event include Copenhagen, Doha, Hamburg, Miami, Milan, New York, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington DC.
In 2012 more than 66,000 people attended Social Media Week in twenty-six countries around the world.