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Nigeria’s leading banking institution, FirstBank, has thrown its weight behind E1 Lagos GP, the first-ever all-electric powerboat racing competition in Africa.
The event, which holds in Lagos on October 3-5, 2005, promises an infusion of entertainment, technology, cultural spectacle, sustainability and sports.
Speaking during an immersion event held on Friday at the LASWA Boat Jetty in Lagos, Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, described Lagos as a vibrant city of culture, resilience and innovation, noting that the E1 Lagos GP is a demonstration of the creativity, enterprise opportunities and city of the future.
“This is more than putting race boats on the water. Everything about it requires science, careful planning, and accuracy. It shows that it is serious business for Lagos. It is about sustainability, creativity and responsibility,” Omotoso said.
According to him, an entertaining boat regatta complete with the spectacle of the Adimu Orisa/Eyo display, will provide a cultural spectacle as part of the event.
Speaking about the full backing of FirstBank, the bank’s Acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said, the partnership is about driving legacy. “We recognize that sports drives us as a country, which is why through our First@Sports initiative, we continue to invest in platforms that inspire and elevate our people.
“Since First Bank is completely woven into the fabric of society and into the lives of our customers we will always do things that excite them, that thrill them, that enhance and enable their lifestyle. We are aligning our sponsorship with our annual DecemberIssaVybe campaign to give our customers and prospects a world-class experience of relaxation and celebration that captures the true essence of Lagos during the festive season”, Ijabiyi added.
The value of this partnership is in what it brings back to us as Nigerians. We are the official presenting partners of E1 Lagos GP, and we are happy that for first time that it is happening in Africa, and it is happening here in Lagos”, he explained further.
The event, whose teams are owned by notable figures across sports and entertainment like Tom Brady, LeBron James, Didier Drogba, Will Smith, Marc Anthony, Steve Aoki, Rafael Nadal, has held across major cities of the world, including Monaco, Venice and Jeddah, Lagos is next and Miami will come after.
