First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend


BUFFALO, N.Y., April 27, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:FNFG) continued its long-standing trend of distributing capital to its shareholders as evidenced by the Company's Board of Directors declaring another quarterly dividend of sixteen cents ($0.16) per share on outstanding FNFG common stock. The Company's dividend is payable on May 24, 2011 to stockholders of record on May 10, 2011.

As of April 25th, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., has $30 billion in assets, 346 branches and $18 billion in deposits. First Niagara Bank, N.A. is a multi-state community-oriented bank providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.fnfg.com.

Officer Contacts  
Anthony M. Alessi Investor Relations Manager
  (716) 625-7692
  tony.alessi@fnfg.com
Leslie G. Garrity Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager
  (716) 819-5921
  leslie.garrity@fnfg.com
   
Corporate Information  
First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. Transfer Agent and Registrar
726 Exchange Street American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
Buffalo, NY 14210 6201 15th Avenue
Telephone (800) 201-6621 Brooklyn, NY 11219
www.fnfg.com Telephone 1-877-785-9670
  www.amstock.com