Nigeria Secures 22nd WCBI Hosting Rights

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria has won the rights to host the 22nd World Conference of Banking Institutes (WCBI) which will take place in 2017.

After a robust presentation to the delegates by Otunba (Mrs) Debola Osibogun, FCIB, President/Chairman of Council, at the just concluded 21st edition of the WCIB Conference, in Seoul, South Korea, organised by the Korea Institute of Bankers, the Institute was unanimously voted as the Host for the 22nd World Conference of Banking Institutes in 2017.

CIBN had secured the support of regional groups from different continents such as the European Banking & Financial Services Training Association (EBTN), Asian-Pacific Association of Banking Institutes International Conference (APABI) and Alliance of African Institutes of

Bankers (AAIOB), as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Bankers Committee, as well as the Nigerian Embassy in the Republic of South Korea and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Osibogun who made the disclosure about the hosting rights to journalists in Abuja at the weekend, observed that the hosting right underscored the confidence of the banking institutes all over the world, in the role and contribution of the Institute, in ensuring high quality education and learning services for a safe and sound financial system in Nigeria and its leadership role among the banking institutes in Africa.

“We will also make our best effort in providing a world class arrangement for the conference which already has an all-inclusive Planning and Organising Committee to work for the next two years. In no distant future therefore, we will unveil some of the Programmes and activities lined up for the conference”, she assured.

The World Conference of Banking Institutes serves as a veritable platform for the banking institutes to strategically appraise the achievements and challenges faced by the banking sub-sector globally and also their responsibilities in effectively supporting the financial sector’s performance.

Osibogun noted that “Hosting of the WCBI in Nigeria which will be the first of its kind in West Africa, would promote innovative talent management strategies for the financial services sector; encourage strategic learning, cross fertilization of ideas and networking for value; promote investment and economic growth especially in the financial services industry; enhance access to information and knowledge experience as well as expertise of professionals from other jurisdictions; and provide unique platform for bilateral relations.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria participated in the Conference and was led by Dr Joseph Nnanna, Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability.

Other Nigerians who participated in the event include the officials of the Nigerian Embassy in South Korea, Mr. Momoh Sheidu Omeiza, Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Oluwole Amosu amongst others.

The WCBI, which is a biennial conference for all the banking institutes across the globe, started in Edinburgh Scotland, in 1975 as part of activities to commemorate the Centenary celebrations of the

Institute of Bankers in Scotland. Since then over twenty one countries including USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, Australia, France, India, Ireland, Bahamas, UAE, Kenya among others, have hosted the event.