By Dr Seun Akinde-September 9, 2025
The 2025 Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), which opened at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, once again underscored the vital role of the financial services sector in steering Nigeria toward sustainable economic growth and development.
The high-profile event brought together a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including government representatives, financial regulators, banking executives, fintech innovators, development partners, and academics. Deliberations focused on strengthening financial inclusion, accelerating digital transformation, deepening regulatory reforms, and fostering public-private sector partnerships.
Among the keynote speakers was Mr. Olusegun Zaccheaus, Partner and Lead for Strategy& in West Africa, who also featured as a panelist during one of the technical sessions. With over 15 years of experience advising clients in financial services, Mr. Zaccheaus delivered a compelling address on the need for Nigeria’s financial system to play a more strategic and transformative role in shaping the nation’s economic future.
In his remarks, he noted that the financial services sector must evolve beyond its traditional role of facilitating transactions to become a driver of innovation, infrastructure financing, and inclusive prosperity.
“Conferences like this are not just about conversations; they are about charting a strategic direction for Nigeria’s economy. The financial sector must innovate, adapt, and collaborate with government and the private sector to create long-term solutions that deliver real value to businesses and ordinary citizens,” Mr. Zaccheaus stated.
He further stressed that Nigeria’s economic resilience will depend on the ability of the financial ecosystem to attract investment, expand access to credit, and leverage digital tools to reach underserved communities. According to him, the interplay between policy reforms and industry innovation will be crucial in building a stronger, more inclusive economy.
Representing His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Minister of Finance reaffirmed government’s determination to strengthen its partnership with the private sector. He emphasized that the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda would rely heavily on the responsiveness and innovation of Nigeria’s banking and finance industry.
The National Treasurer of CIBN, while addressing journalists after the close of the opening day, praised the quality of discussions and reiterated the Institute’s commitment to advancing financial literacy, deepening institutional reforms, and ensuring that Nigerian banks meet global standards.
United by a common vision, stakeholders at the conference — spanning commercial banks, fintech firms, development finance institutions, and academia — reached a shared understanding that Nigeria’s financial services sector remains the backbone of the nation’s economic transformation.
As the opening day concluded, one message rang clear from both the keynote stage and panel sessions: the financial services sector is more than an enabler — it is a strategic catalyst that will determine the pace, depth, and sustainability of Nigeria’s economic progress in the years ahead.
