CAPTION
L-R: Mrs. Mojisola Asieru-Sweet, 2nd Vice President, CIBN; Professor Pius Olanrewaju, President, The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; first lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Sanwo-Olu; Divisional Head, Retail Banking, Wema Bank, Ayodele Olojede, who received the cash Anchor award on behalf of Bimbo Omilabu, Zonal Manager, Wema Bank, Ikeja Zone 3; and Chairperson, Association of Professional Women Bankers (APWB), Mrs. Rafiat Onitiri, during the 2026 Annual Women's Marquee Event of the APWB, the weekend.
LAGOS - Stakeholders in Nigeria’s financial sector have called for a decisive shift toward inclusive systems, innovation-driven growth, and gender equity, as women take on a more central role in shaping the future of finance.
This was the focus of the 2026 Annual Women’s Marquee Event of the Association of Professional Women Bankers (APWB), themed “Redefining Power: Women Shaping the Future of Finance.” The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and financial experts to examine how women can drive transformation across banking and financial services.
In her welcome address, APWB Chairperson Rafiat Onitiri described the gathering as “more than a dinner, but a declaration” of intent to move from conversation to action. She noted that power in finance is increasingly shifting toward those who leverage technology, build trust, and create value-driven systems, areas where women must play a leading role.
Onitiri emphasized that while progress has been made, women are still underrepresented, accounting for roughly 38 to 40 percent of leadership in the sector. She stressed the need for equity rather than mere equality, calling for fairness in opportunities, representation, and influence.
“Women are redefining power across industries, not just in finance,” she said, adding that mentorship, executive coaching, and increased board participation are critical to amplifying women’s voices in decision-making spaces.
Delivering a keynote perspective, Managing Director of GTBank, Miriam Olusanya, broadened the conversation on disruption, noting that it goes beyond technology to encompass access, trust, and people. She described Nigeria as “one of the most dynamic laboratories for financial disruption,” stressing that true transformation is about expanding systems to serve more people efficiently and transparently.
“Disruption is about access, power, and ultimately people,” she said, adding that women must be seen not just as participants but as “agents of inclusion and engines of scale.” She further noted that financial inclusion remains deeply gendered, with women more likely to be excluded from formal systems, reinforcing the urgency of targeted solutions.
Financial inclusion emerged as a central theme, with speakers agreeing that access alone is no longer sufficient. Experts argued that inclusion must translate into usage, trust, and real economic value, particularly for women in underserved and informal sectors.
Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director at Nigeria Interbank Settlement System Plc, highlighted the need for intentional system design that reflects how women live and transact. She stressed that financial products and payment systems must align with real-life use cases such as micro-trade and community savings.
“Inclusion must be embedded into infrastructure and product development, not treated as an afterthought,” she said, noting that closing the gender gap requires rethinking onboarding processes, strengthening agent networks, and addressing structural barriers.
Participants identified key challenges limiting women’s financial participation, including limited awareness, accessibility constraints, affordability issues, and systemic biases. They also pointed to “imposter syndrome” and lack of visibility as internal barriers preventing women from fully stepping into leadership roles.
The President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Prof. Pius Olanrewaju, described women’s empowerment as a “strategic imperative” for building a resilient and globally competitive financial system. He called for measurable outcomes, including increased leadership representation and structured mentorship pathways.
Innovation was also highlighted as a critical driver of inclusion. Speakers noted that the rise of fintechs, artificial intelligence, and digital banking presents an opportunity to build systems that are both efficient and inclusive, provided women are actively involved in designing them.
Industry leaders, including Kofo Akinkugbe of SecureID, reinforced the idea that women are not just participants but architects of the financial ecosystem. She urged institutions to rethink who financial systems are built for, noting that inclusive design would be key to reducing poverty and expanding economic participation.
The consensus at the event was clear: financial inclusion, innovation, and gender equity are deeply interconnected. As women gain greater representation both as users and leaders, the financial system stands to become more responsive, resilient, and impactful for all.
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