There are moments in every institution’s journey when it becomes necessary to pause; not only to acknowledge how far we’ve come, but to reflect on how we arrived here, why we continue, and what must guide us in the road ahead.
Today is one of those moments.
I want to share something personal, a glimpse into the thinking that has quietly shaped Sterling’s transformation over the years. At the heart of our evolution lies a distinct leadership mindset: one rooted in courage, clarity, and an unshakable belief that business must enrich lives even as it delivers value.
This message is not a routine update. It is an invitation to step inside the mind of a Sterling leader, to better understand the principles that inform our decisions and to reflect on the kind of leadership that drives enduring impact. It is for every one of you who leads with purpose, serves with conviction, and innovates with integrity.
Our journey from historical constraints to industry relevance has not been accidental; it is the result of consistent, valuesdriven leadership. As we chart the path forward, this same mindset must continue to shape how we show up as professionals and as custodians of a vision far greater than ourselves.
The Foundation of Our Thinking
When people observe successful institutions, they often make the mistake of attributing success solely to current leadership. While leadership plays a critical role, true institutional strength is rarely built overnight. It is often the outcome of inherited advantages: established brands, loyal customer bases, deeprooted cultures, and robust governance systems. These positional benefits often do more to explain consistent financial performance than the decisions of any single individual at the helm.
Sterling tells a different story.
We did not inherit a throne. We built our table.
We did not emerge from advantage.
we created it.
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Our transformation has not been the result of legacy structures or historic market dominance. It has been the product of deliberate thinking, bold execution, and a willingness to see constraints not as limits, but as invitations to innovate. Where others saw obstacles, we saw opportunity. Where many would have waited for conditions to improve, we moved with conviction and clarity, often before it was convenient.
leadership mindset
This is why understanding the is essential.
For those who are aiming to lead within this institution, whether as team heads, business leaders, or future custodians of this legacy, these principles are not aspirational ideals. They are the terms and conditions of Sterling leadership. They define the difference between occupying a role and embodying a mission.
We became what we are not because we had more, but because we thought differently
. And as we look to the future, this mindset remains our greatest advantage.
Sterling
The Explorer’s Courage:
Venturing Where Others Wouldn’t
Sterling leaders
are, by nature, explorers. We possess an insatiable curiosity for the unknown and a refusal to settle for inherited wisdom or comfortable patterns. To us, leadership is not about exploiting legacy advantages; it is about unlocking new frontiers of value and applying fresh knowledge to the most pressing challenges of our society.
This explorer mindset is not theoretical; it is grounded in action. It has shaped our most consequential decisions, particularly our deliberate focus on thesectors: Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation.
H.E.A.R.T
Conventional wisdom once warned against these sectors, labelling them unbankable, high-risk, or too complex. But we saw opportunity where others saw danger
The same pattern followed in our push into . While others hesitated, we recognized the long-term shift toward sustainability and the pivotal role of mobility in economic expansion.
renewable energy and transportation
Sterling leader
We committed not because the path was easy, but because it was necessary. That is how a thinks: we see the problem, grasp its complexity, weigh its significance, and move with resolve. We do not wait for perfect conditions or popular approval. We act with conviction and work to create the future others have yet to imagine.
Systems Thinking:
Seeing the Whole Picture
At Sterling, we lead with the understanding that nothing exists in isolation. are systems thinkers, constitutionally incapable of narrowing our focus to the limited world historically assigned to traditional bankers. We do not believe a truly great bank can be built without being deeply invested in the lives of our people and in the prosperity of the communities we serve.
Sterling leaders
We don’t see transactions; we see relationships. We don’t just measure profit; we measure impact. This perspective shapes how we show up in the world.
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We recognize that the health of our institution is inextricably tied to the wellbeing of our people, the vitality of our communities, and the stability of our country. You cannot build a thriving business in a broken society. Every action we take must consider the whole.
This is why we commit, strategically and consistently, to unlocking the potential of every Sterling team member.
Our investment in human development is our most powerful competitive advantage.
Empowered people solve complex problems, not only for our bank, but for our nation.
We embed ourselves in the ecosystem of small businesses, youth-led innovation, and underbanked communities, not out of charity, but because our success depends on theirs.
We don’t view ourselves as just a financial institution that happens to operate in Nigeria. We are a Nigerian institution, born of this land, rooted in its realities, and committed to its rise. This identity shapes every decision we make, every partnership we pursue, and every innovation we champion. When we support SMEs, we’re not chasing revenue, we’re building the scaffolding for national growth. When we advance environmental sustainability, we’re securing a future in which our children, and our business, can thrive.
This is systems thinking in action: a mindset that sees the whole picture and leads with long-term clarity.
The Discipline of Stewardship
Allocating Resources with Purpose
To be a is to understand that we are custodians, not owners. Every naira, every hour, every decision is HELD IN trust. Our responsibility is not just to account for these resources but to transform them into progress, into possibility, into lives meaningfully changed.
And so, we don’t merely ask “What will this cost?” we ask, “What will this create?”
This is the sacred discipline of stewardship
Sterling leader . It reframes how we think about every expenditure, every investment, every strategic choice.
When we consider a new technology, we look beyond operational efficiency; we examine its ripple effects on employment, on skills development, on our capacity to empower people and communities.
This mindset rejects the trap of vanity spending or selfinterested allocation. We understand that money is fungible, and every time we choose indulgence over impact, we deny the world something greater that could have been.
That’s why are grounded in intentionality. We make investments not for immediacy or applause, but for impact, often committing resources where others will not, simply because it is the right thing to do. This is what it means to lead with an abundance mindset. We believe that lifting others does not lower us.
That value creation, even when not directly captured by us, builds the kind of trust, reputation, and enduring advantage that no strategy alone can secure. In a competitive business environment, this may seem counterintuitive, but it is precisely what sets us apart. Sterling leaders When Sterling leaders focus on genuine value creation, we become the kind of institution the world cannot ignore.
Purpose as Compass
The Doctrine of Enriching Lives
At Sterling, purpose is not a side initiative. It is not a campaign or a poster on the wall. It is the lens through which we view the world and more importantly, the compass that guides every decision we make.
We don’t simply ask what’s profitable. We ask, “Will this enrich lives?”
That question is not rhetorical. It shapes our strategy, governs our daily decisions and aligns our people across functions, hierarchies, and ambitions.
It is the reason we can think long-term when others chase shortterm gains. It is how we build businesses that last and anchor our success to something greater than ourselves. Every Sterling leader, regardless of role or rank, operates from a deep conviction that the decisions they make, given the best available information at the time, must reflect what is optimal not just for the organization, but for the society it serves.
This is not arrogance. It is stewardship. And it demands a rigorous approach: one that considers all stakeholders, contemplates long-term consequences, and returns always to the same foundational inquiry:
Will this enrich lives?
This is the doctrine that guides us.
It is not a slogan. It is not a CSR policy. It is a standard, a filter through which we evaluate every significant action. It requires us to expand the definition of value beyond balance sheets, often leading to choices that seem suboptimal in the short term but prove transformative over time.
It is this same doctrine that has enabled us to build deep, lasting relationships, with customers who see us as more than a bank; with employees who find meaning in their work; with partners and regulators who trust our integrity; and with communities who feel the ripple effects of our decisions long after transactions are complete.
Purpose, when clearly defined and deeply held, becomes a force multiplier. It aligns individual choices with team priorities. It aligns teams with organizational goals And it ensures that even in complexity, we move as one.
This is why our commitment to enriching lives is not negotiable. It is how we lead. It is how we win
. it is how we ensure that our success, as leaders, as an institution, and as a collective, is not just sustainable, but significant.
The Calling of
Nation Building
As this generation of Sterling leaders looks to the future, we envision more than growth, we see a universe where those who embody a purposeful mindset carry forward the ambitions of our founders: to be impactful, to remain true to our purpose, and to contribute meaningfully to the development of our nation.
Sterling is not just a workplace. It is not merely a career or a company. , a summon to serve with vision, integrity, and courage.
Sterling is a calling tweet this
If that calling is faint or inaudible to you, if your primary motivation is self-interest detached from broader impact, then this may not be your place. This is not a rebuke; it is simply the truth. Our culture demands a particular kind of individual: one deeply committed to service, contribution, and nation-building.
We are here to transform not just our industry, but our economy. To create a Nigeria where financial services drive real development. Where inclusion is not an afterthought, but a design principle. Where business success and social progress are not competing goals, but complementary imperatives. This work is not easy.
. It demands the audacity to dream, the humility to evolve, and the wisdom to lead with heart. It requires sacrifice, grit, and a steady commitment to something larger than oneself
Your Role in Our
Collective Future
These principles belong to every single member of our Sterling family. Whether you serve on the frontlines with customers or behind the scenes enabling strategy, you carry the torch of our shared purpose.
The optimism that fuels our national vision should inform how you show up, your conversations, your contributions, and your commitment to growth.
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The explorer mindset that drives us into new markets should lead you to seek new ways to solve problems, add value, and stretch your potential. The systems thinking that defines our corporate strategy should guide how you collaborate, how you serve, and how you see your work as part of a greater whole.
Purpose-driven decision-making is not confined to boardrooms
Resource stewardship is not only about investment decisions, it’s about how you use your time, your talents, and the opportunities entrusted to you. , it should shape every interaction, every deliverable, and every opportunity to enrich someone’s life.
Leadership is not a function of title, it is a function of mindset.
The Continuous Journey
of Leadership
Becoming a Sterling leader is a process, an unfolding journey of learning, reflection, and contribution. We will support you through it with training, mentorship, stretch roles, and diverse experiences. However, your growth depends on your willingness to embrace this leadership mindset, live its principles, and challenge yourself to become better every single day.
Seek feedback actively. Learn from setbacks. Let every obstacle refine your resilience and sharpen your vision. Propose bold ideas. Challenge inertia. Push boundaries. Never settle for “this is how it’s always been done.”
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Real leadership is forged in moments of uncertainty, and your ability to lead will be defined by how you respond when the path isn’t clear.
Our Shared Legacy
We are building a legacy that will endure.
A legacy measured not only by profits, but by the lives we touch, the futures we enable, the innovations we pioneer, and the example we set for others.
Every decision you make, every solution you design, every person you serve becomes part of that legacy. With that legacy comes the responsibility to live up to the trust our stakeholders place in us and to be worthy of the vision handed down by those who built before us.
A Personal Invitation
I want to close with a personal invitation: Step into this calling fully.
Bring your whole self, your creativity, your conviction, your questions, your courage.
Do not wait for permission to lead. Leadership is not about hierarchy, it is about choosing to make a difference. Choose to see your work as a platform.
The Sterling leadership mindset tweet this
Choose to challenge assumptions, to elevate those around you, and to pursue excellence with purpose.
is not reserved for a few. It is available to anyone willing to think boldly, act courageously, and serve generously.
Together, we will reshape financial services in Nigeria. Together, we will prove that purpose and performance can, and must coexist.
And together, we will build something that lasts: a future worthy of our ambitions, and a legacy worthy of our nation.
The future is bright, and it is
With deep appreciation and unwavering optimism,
ours to create.
Abubakar Suleiman CEO - Sterling Bank
Sterling is a calling. If you can hear it, , then you are exactly where you belong. if you are committed to something larger than yourself tweet this
