Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), at the weekend emphasised the need to address the scarcity of skilled professionals in finance-related fields in Nigerian universities.
The governor who spoke during a strategic engagement with the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES), Professor Adeola Adenikinju, reiterated the bank’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in the financial and social sciences sectors.
Adenikinju, who led a team of NES officials and the Nigerian Economics Students Association (NESA), at the CBN Head Office in Abuja, underscored his belief in the collective effort needed for youth development.
He argued that special consideration should be given to creating opportunities for youths and providing them with tools to thrive in their respective sectors and make them globally competitive.
According to him, the meeting, which he considered a demand-driven conversation, had set the stage for a robust pipeline of talents that will drive Nigeria’s Financial System Strategy.
Following presentations by members of NES and NESA on research topics, recommendations, and ongoing activities that could help the CBN achieve its mandate, Cardoso emphasised the need to organise mentorship collaborations with the .
Furthermore, the Governor noted the importance of communication, stating the need to simplify dense and heavy economic concepts, which had always been challenging when communicating monetary policy.
He noted the place of young economists in demystifying the subject and giving it a better perspective, even as he reaffirmed the CBN’s readiness to work with NES and NESA and encourage significant female representation.
Cardoso expressed optimism that partnering with the groups marked an essential step towards building a resilient and inclusive financial sector that thrives on talent, innovation, and diversity. This sentiment, he noted, should instil hope in the sector’s future.
Also speaking at the event, President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Nigerian Economic Society (NES), Professor Adeola Adenikinju, highlighted areas of concern for the team and the need for collaboration with the CBN.
While noting that the association had the largest number of economists who could transfer such knowledge, he cited a gap around mentorship programmes, research support, internship opportunities, workshops/conferences and leveraging social media in communication.
In his own remark, the National President of the Nigerian Economics Students Association (NESA), Comrade Bakre Israel Boluwatife, expressed gratitude to the CBN Governor for the engagement opportunity.
NESA, he said, is looked forward to contributing to the body of research on inflation and money supply.
