The Future of Finance, West Africa

Wednesday, 18 April 2018

09:00

Welcome note

Opening address:
Godwin I. Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria
Emefiele has been Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since 2014. Prior to this, he served as chief executive officer and deputy managing director of Zenith Bank since 2001. He was a member of the management team at Zenith Bank since its inception. 

Francis Gbenga Shobo, Deputy Managing Director, Firstbank Nigeria
Gbenga Shobo serves as deputy managing director of First Bank of Nigeria. Prior to this, he was the executive director overseeing retail banking/public sector businesses in the Lagos & West Directorate and retail business in the South Directorate.

International keynote:
Minna Salami, Founder and Author of the award-winning website, MsAfropolitan
Salami is a blogger, social commentator and TEDTalk speaker listed as one of the 12 women changing the world by in 2017, alongside Michelle Obama and Angelina Jolie.

Opening keynote:
Folasade B Femi-Lawal, Head of Digital Banking, Firstbank Nigeria
Femi-Lawal is responsible for the successful launch of the first integrated lifestyle mobile banking App. She joined FirstBank in July 2012, as Deputy Head, Mobile Financial Services.

This session will be chaired by Emmanuel Daniel, chairman, The Asian Banker

11:00

Dialogue: Tapping into West Africa’s unbanked sector
It has been estimated that four out of every ten Nigerians remain outside the formal banking system (Ericsson 2016) despite its young population and high level of mobile phone penetration, demonstrating that while digital finance is key towards financial inclusion, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We gather a group of experts to discuss the leapfrog financial technology is facilitating across emerging economies all around the world and find how regional players are addressing this inclusive opportunity. 

• Banking the unbanked: How technology is facilitating the outreach of financial services
• Designing relevant and customised services for those newly integrated into the banking system
• Financial literacy: Not charity but a path towards sustainable development

 
Speakers and panellists include:

• Adebisi Akeem Adedeji, Head of Development Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Lagos Office
• Shina Atilola, Group Head, Strategy & Innovation, Sterling Bank
• Benedict Anyalenkeya, chief information officer, Accion Nigeria
• Dickson Nsofor, CEO and Founder, Kora Network

This session will be chaired by David Gyori, CEO of  Banking Reports

12:00

The Digital Platform Wars: Are Facebook and Twitter friends or foes in the battle for customer engagement?
Many countries around the world have undertaken cashless policies and encouraged the adoption of contactless cards and e-wallets. For banks this means adapting and integrating new technologies that expand the services they provide. In the transformation to digital services, how can your organisation ensure that it provides award-winning service and excel above the rest?

We invite a panel of industry experts to share best practices and their vision on the future of payments.

• Best practices: Designing digital platforms and e-channels
• Case study: the adoption of mobile wallets and e-payments
• Supply-chain finance and cross-border payments – Is blockchain technology the solution?

 
Speakers and panellists include:

• Abu Daramy Kargbo, Head of Digital Banking, Sierra Leone Commercial Bank
• Abimbola Ogunti, Head, Customer Experience and e-Channel, Coronation Merchant Bank
• Onajite Regha, CEO, E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria
• Andrew Agbo-Madaki, General Manager, Africa Fintech Network
• Adebayo Olanrewaju, Head of Digital Banking, FirstBank

This session will be chaired by Emmanuel Daniel, chairman, The Asian Banker

12:45

Key findings from The Asian Banker Retail & Technology Awards Program
Our research team will present key trends and findings across the 2018 awards programmes for West Africa and highlight outstanding achievements and case studies.

• Awards programme: Process, methodology and scorecards
• Overview of the retail banking market in West Africa
• Key findings and best practices

This session will be chaired by David Gyori, CEO of  Banking Reports