Industry Experts, Thought Leaders Celebrates FITC at 40

Ugo Aliogo
FITC, the world-class, innovation-led, and technology-driven knowledge institution which provides learning, advisory services and policy advocacy to the Nigerian financial service sector held its 40th anniversary celebratory event recently at the prestigious Lagos Continental Hotel. The two-prong event started with an anniversary summit themed: ‘Towards a Shared Prosperity in Africa; The Role of the Financial System’.

The hybrid summit was a gathering of international financial experts, policy makers, development economists, thought leaders and other key private and public sector stakeholders within the financial system. It was broadly inclusive with over one thousand participants from various African countries of diverse background in attendance.

In her welcome address, The Managing Director/CEO, FITC, Ms. Chizor Malize, noted, “ the FITC 40th Anniversary theme, ‘Towards a Shared Prosperity in Africa; The Role of the Financial System’ is imperative at this time considering the disproportionate impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on several vulnerable groups, coupled with the economic inequalities that have exacerbated across the African continent.

“The situation has triggered an urgency, requiring the financial services sector to play the critical role of supporting not just speedy economic recovery, but also ensuring an inclusive and shared opportunities towards wealth creation and prosperity for African countries and its citizens leveraging financial services innovation within the banking and payment systems.”

In her opening remarks, the Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Chairman Board of Directors, FITC, Mrs. Aishah Ahmad, applauded the Management of FITC for providing knowledge and capacity building solutions for the Nigerian banking and financial industry in the last 40 years. Ahmad said FITC has continued to be prominent and relevant in the Nigerian financial system.

“FITC has transformed in response, from a small fledgling institution in 1981, and has today, repositioned itself as a strong contender for knowledge solutions in a markedly evolved financial system – leveraging its institutional memory, significant brand equity, technology and exceptional people to remain resilient and relevant,” she said.

She lauded the innovativeness and commitment of the Managing Director/CEO, FITC, Ms. Chizor Malize, in making the centre a reference point in global learning solution, capacity building and advisory services.
In his Keynote address, Deputy Governor & CEO, Prudential Authority, Kuben Naidoo congratulated FITC on a major milestone of 40 years.

He noted that prosperity is long-term accumulation of assets that support the meeting of individual, business, or country’s goals.

Naidoo also noted that Nigeria has done well on financial inclusion, but in addition, requires to make ethics rank high as core principles.

He encouraged FITC to put ethics at the top of the agenda of its knowledge solution and curriculum for the financial services, as it drives the transformation of people and organization thereby keeping the financial system more stable.

Speaking at the anniversary dinner and award event, the excited Malize stated, “For forty years, FITC has powered the Nigerian Financial service system. I am very honored for the privilege of leading our great institution into this new transformational phase. And I am delighted about what FITC has become.

Our 40th anniversary reiterates the milestone we have achieved as we celebrate our organization’s rich heritage. It is indeed a privilege to lead FITC through today’s digital transformation journey, bringing innovation into all we do. Through visionary leadership we have recorded great success these two years. Our success is hinged upon our innovative learning and advisory programmes, our cutting-edge learning platforms, smart processes, dynamic and high performing people and most importantly, our repositioned and reinvigorated brand.”

Speaking on the refreshed logo and the new FITC brand, “Our new brand logo speaks to our renewed energy, our dynamism, our agility, and our highly collaborative brand. With our reengineered organization, clearly established capabilities for leading change and innovation in a technologically driven world, FITC is creating the future!”