The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in conjunction with Ecobank Plc is working towards attracting the unbanked and under-banked in the country, through its various digital offerings.
The President and Chairman of the Institute, Dr. Uche Olowu, said that Ecobank recent activities across various markets clusters are a major boost to the regulator’s financial inclusion policy.
Olowu, who was speaking during the CIBN stakeholder’s engagement with Ecobank Management in Lagos recently, alluded to the various digital payment solutions that bank currently parades such as RapidTransfer, Ecobank QR payment option, the EcobankPay, Xpress Account amongst others.
He noted that apart from stress-free transactions process enjoyed with these digital products, they are fast boosting business and economic activities across the markets.
The CIBN President said, “We commend the bank on its promotion of digital banking and payments through its various platforms which have won it many awards. This is certainly the way to go. And, we also appreciate your support to the Institute’s activities and programmes.”
Olowu explained that the institute was collaborating with banks that include Ecobank to promote capacity building, ethics and professionalism in the sector. “Your activities in developing the industry align with the Institutes’ new leadership strategic areas which include; skills and competency, ethics and professionalism, research and advocacy.
“We facilitate registration and enrollment of members of staff for professional banking examinations and other certification programmes. We enable the registration of senior executives of the banks on the Chartered Banker MBA Programme (An international fast tract/flexible route to becoming a chartered banker). There are many things we can do together to move the banking industry forward.,” he said.
In his remark, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, averred that Ecobank will continue to leverage its digital banking in a sustainable manner to bring banking services to every household in Nigeria. He emphasized that the bank is at the forefront of providing mobile payment solutions in the country.
Akinwuntan, who took the stakeholders through the various Ecobank digital payment solutions and collections, disclosed that the bank has concluded plans to commission 50 EcobankPay zones across the country within the next six months to boost transactions in the various market
clusters.
He however commended the giant strides taken by CIBN with respect to ethics and professionalism, and the focus of the Institute and its effects on the financial industry. He assured of Ecobank collaboration and continuous support for the institute and the growth of banking in Nigeria and Africa.
