Access Bank has won the inaugural edition of Bank Wars, a FIFA 21 Gaming competition for leading Nigerian banks. The bank also claimed the best goal award for the competition.

Bank Wars is sponsored by foremost Original Equipment Manufacturer, Samsung.

The final, played on Saturday, June 5, 2021 saw Access Bank humble Standard Chartered 10-4. The much-anticipated encounter saw Access Bank live up to its billing as pre-tournament favourites, with the side dominating the match to run out debut winners of the competition.

Earlier in the day, Fidelity Bank won the third place match after edging a close encounter against Sterling Bank 9-8.

The grand finale of the competition witnessed a huge turnout of spectators at the Tech Experience Centre – Africa’s cutting-edge technology and lifestyle hub, located at Yudala Heights, 13 Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos – which hosted all the matches of the competition. The eager spectators had started converging on the impressive edifice early in the day to catch the third place match which kicked off at 12pm before attention shifted to the final proper by 1:30pm.

Also, the matches were streamed live on YouTube to a global audience.

For emerging winners of the competition, Access Bank’s representative, Olabamiji Emmanuel Ojo received the grand prize of a Samsung 55-inch Curve TV, courtesy of the event’s sponsors. On the other hand, the runner-up, Israel Bajeh, representing Standard Chartered Bank, received a Samsung refrigerator while Nathan Goodluck of Fidelity Bank got a Samsung Washing machine for finishing third.

Equally important, Access Bank’s Ojo claimed a Samsung 49-inch TV for winning the best goal award. The prize was presented to him on Wednesday, June 23 by Chika Nnadozie, a representative of Samsung, at the Tech Experience Centre.

The best goal award was determined by fans’ votes. A total of 1841 votes were received, out of which Access Bank got 937 which turned out the highest. In second place was Standard Chartered Bank which received 877 votes. Two goals from First City Monument Bank (FCMB) were also nominated and they received four and three votes respectively.

The prize winners all expressed gratitude to the competition sponsors, Samsung as well as the Tech Experience Centre and TD Africa, even as they disclosed their determination to participate in subsequent editions.

To get to the final, Standard Chartered white-washed Sterling Bank 15 – 9 in the first semi-final encounter played on Saturday, May 29, 2021. On its part, eventual winners, Access Bank claimed an impressive 13 – 8 victory over Fidelity Bank in the second semi-final tie.

A total of eight banks participated in the debut edition of the FIFA 21 gaming competition.

In addition to the four semi-finalists – Access Bank, Standard Chartered, Fidelity Bank and Sterling Bank, other participants include FCMB, Zenith Bank, Union Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).

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