By Omobayo Azeez
Financial experts have reiterated the need to adopt tech-driven strategies to achieve financial inclusion drive in Nigeria.
Speaking during a panel session and masterclass championed by Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc at the ongoing Social Media Week (SMW) Lagos on Wednesday, the experts drawn from financial and technology sectors upheld that digital inclusion is a precursor to financial inclusion in 2020 and beyond.
The session, themed: Tech and Financial Inclusion, was moderated by Emmanuel Aivhevba, head of customer digital channels at Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC while each panelist was thoroughly positioned for the topic of discussion.
The masterclass, among other things, examined data on financial inclusion in Nigeria, and it was generally agreed that in order to achieve Nigeria’s financial inclusion target for 2020 and beyond, technology will play a major role.
Speaking at the masterclass, Wole Adeniyi, executive director, personal and business banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC reiterated the importance of technology in the hyper-connected world in which businesses operate today.
He spoke of the need to maximize the use of technology in order to achieve Nigeria’s financial inclusion target for 2020 and beyond.
According to him, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, as a leading financial institution, ensures a seamless process for financial inclusion in Nigeria and has created several platforms to encourage the inclusion process by democratizing access to financial services.
“An example is the @ease wallet which, when you open, enables you to access a broad range of financial services within two minutes, Adeniyi said.
Aivhevba, who anchored the masterclass also shared some insights on the need to bridge the financial inclusion gap in Nigeria by creating more awareness and innovative offerings, to improve customer experience.
The session ended with a closing remark by each panelist after they answered questions from the attendees.
Other guests at the panel session were: Nkemdilim Begho, founder and managing director of Future Software Resources Limited; Dayo Odulate Ademola, head of innovation, EFInA; and Femi Omogbenigun, managing director/CEO of 3Line Card Management Limited.
