CIBN, ACAMB seek deeper financial inclusion, women empowerment in banking sector

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s banking industry through stronger collaboration.

The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by ACAMB executives to the newly inaugurated 24th President and Chairman of Council of the CIBN, Dr Dele Alabi, to congratulate him on his assumption of office and explore areas of partnership between both organisations.

The visit followed Dr Alabi’s investiture in May 2026, during which he unveiled his “IMPACT” vision with the theme, Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance. The agenda is built around six strategic pillars: inclusion across geographical, gender and generational lines; membership growth and quality; professionalism and ethics; accountability; competency and skills development; and technology, automation and innovation.

Speaking during the meeting, Alabi said the institute would place strong emphasis on financial inclusion, women’s empowerment, financial literacy and support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), noting that these areas are critical to inclusive economic development.

According to him, women remain central to household financial management, making greater access to savings, credit and insurance essential to improving family welfare and building economic resilience.

He also stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, saying the CIBN is prepared to work with ACAMB and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on knowledge-sharing initiatives and public awareness campaigns designed to improve financial literacy.

“Educating the public through awareness programmes, with ACAMB serving as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” Alabi said.

He added that the institute intends to support banks and other financial institutions in promoting gender-focused financial inclusion aimed at reducing the estimated nine per cent gender gap in access to formal financial services.

ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, echoed the CIBN president’s position, describing financial inclusion as a key driver of economic growth, social equity and broader civic participation.

He said the visit was intended not only to congratulate the new CIBN leadership but also to strengthen institutional collaboration.

“We came to congratulate the President and Chairman of Council on his investiture and also to establish a stronger alliance with the CIBN on areas of mutual interest,” Sipe said.

“We are pleased to identify with a leadership that places professionalism, impact and industry development at the heart of its agenda.”

Sipe also announced plans to celebrate ACAMB’s 30th anniversary later this year, marking three decades of contributions to professional development, industry collaboration and strategic communications within Nigeria’s banking sector.

As part of the celebrations, he formally invited Dr Alabi to chair the association’s Gala Night scheduled for September 30, 2026, and sought the institute’s support in mobilising participation from bank chief executives and other industry stakeholders.

Beyond the anniversary celebrations, Sipe reaffirmed ACAMB’s commitment to supporting the institute’s programmes, particularly the forthcoming Banking Conference, through strategic communications, digital marketing and media engagement.

He disclosed that the association also plans to engage the Chairman of the Committee of Banks and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on key policy issues affecting the banking industry and strategies for positioning the sector for sustainable growth.

According to him, ACAMB intends to help coordinate industry messaging to ensure banks communicate with a unified voice while supporting the government’s financial and economic development priorities.

He urged stakeholders to embrace greater collaboration rather than competition in promoting the banking industry.

“Partnership should become the rallying point for the industry. We must think collectively and leverage economies of scale instead of operating in isolation,” he said.

The ACAMB president thanked the CIBN leadership for the warm reception and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to sustaining a productive partnership with the institute.

Other ACAMB officials present during the visit included Second Vice President Morolake Phillip-Ladipo, General Secretary Olugbenga Owootomo, Publicity Secretary Abiodun Coker and Executive Secretary Fadekemi Ajakaiye.