Caption: From left, Managing Director/Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan; Managing Director, Wema Bank, Ademola Adebise; Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs Aishah Ahmad; Managing Director, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Kennedy Uzoka and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), Chizor Malize at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) 2021 Dinner held in Lagos at the weekend.
Managing Director/Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan says the bank will continue to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), take banking to every Nigerian through its agency banking network, as its digital service also supports export-focused industries like agriculture and manufacturing in 2022.
Akinwuntan, who spoke on the sidelines of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) 56th Annual Bankers Dinner in Lagos, said Ecobank is well positioned to support the various productive sectors of the economy to make greater impact in the country.
According to him, the bank is a huge player in African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) “to assist in making Nigerian entrepreneurs become Pan African multinationals.
“As Nigerians, we must tell our story; Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and as at today, Africa provides the best investment opportunities globally, we should turn our concerns to opportunities. As the country increases its exports, it will improve foreign exchange earnings, widen employment base, further support industries and a more stable Gross Domestic Product (GDP)” he advised.
Akinwuntan also called for a more stable environment devoid of insecurity as a prelude to ensuring an improved production and return Nigeria back from a consuming nation, noting that a steady growth of employable youths is critical for Nigeria’s economy to improve her production level.
With the over 40m SMEs in the country, he stressed, the banks will continue to support the productive sector and entrepreneurial young people and small businesses to make greater impact on the nation’s economy.
