Access Bank has officially launched Season 17 of its flagship loyalty reward scheme, DiamondXtra, with plans to reward customers with over N200 million in prizes while promoting financial inclusion across Nigeria.

The launch event, held at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex, saw 165 customers receive immediate cash rewards ranging from N5,000 to N100,000 through onsite draws, marking the beginning of what the bank describes as its most ambitious reward season yet.

Return of 'Salary for Life'

A major highlight of the new season is the reintroduction of the popular 'Salary for Life' initiative, where selected winners will receive N200,000 monthly for 15 years, totaling N36 million per winner. According to Adaeze Umeh, Unit Head of Consumer Banking at Access Bank, this feature returns by popular demand.

"We are excited to bring back 'Salary for Life' in response to customer demand. Winners will receive N200,000 monthly for the next fifteen years," Umeh said. "About 40 percent of customers voted for 'Salary for Life', and we listened."

The bank plans to select three winners for this reward each quarter, joining the 131 customers who have won the 'Salary for Life' prize in previous seasons.

Digital Innovation and Women Empowerment

This season introduces digital cluster draws through the Access More app, allowing customers to generate referral codes and form groups of 50 to qualify for a chance to win N100,000 as a group.

Notably, 30 of the 150 planned digital clusters will be dedicated exclusively to women—supporting the bank's 'W' community initiative focused on women's financial empowerment.

Expanding Rewards and Impact

Access Bank is significantly scaling up rewards this season—from 4,000 winners in Season 16 to a target of 12,000 winners with a total prize pool of N228.7 million.

"That's three times the number, and it reflects our commitment to mass-market inclusion and social impact," Umeh explained.

Olukemi Olayinka, Regional Sales Director at Access Bank, highlighted the initiative's broader impact: "Over 33,000 families have benefitted from DiamondXtra since inception. This is about making a difference."

Support for Small Businesses

Beyond individual rewards, DiamondXtra now extends support to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) through business training, mentoring, and collateral-free loans of up to N10 million based on business turnover.

"It's more than just savings. We guide customers through business challenges, offering the kind of support that ensures sustainability," Olayinka added.

How to Participate

The DiamondXtra account combines features of both savings and current accounts, allowing customers to earn interest while maintaining full transactional functionality.

To participate in the draws, customers can dial *901*5# or visit any Access Bank branch to open a DiamondXtra account with a minimum deposit of N5,000. The bank emphasizes that increased savings translate to more chances of winning in the monthly, quarterly, or cluster draws.

With over five million account holders already and aims to add one million more by the end of 2025, DiamondXtra continues to be one of Nigeria's most extensive financial reward programmes, operating across key regions including Lagos, Abuja, the South-West, and North-Central.