The Chief Executive and President Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, Paul Smith has called for a closer collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria along areas of mutual interest in the nation’s financial industry. Smith who was speaking during a courtesy visit to Management of Ecobank Nigeria in Lagos on Friday, said its call is predicated on the pedigree and antecedents of the Bank in the financial industry. 

According to him,  the partnership would further explore research, training and professional development. “We also want to deepen and strengthen our collaboration with Ecobank to expand our reach across the various regional blocs in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.”

While commending Ecobank for its support to its member. CFA Society, Nigeria  over the years, he emphasized that the CFA Institute stands for creating a financial environment where clients’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow.

Responding, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, lauded the visit and assured that the Bank is ready to collaborate more with the Institute to further develop the financial sector in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa. He commended the organization’s  sterling activities in growing the ethical and professional practice of financial services in Nigeria, Africa and across the world.

He intimated the CFA team of the various strategic initiatives of the Bank which are aimed at establishing world-class learning and development platforms for its staff, one of which  led to the recent accreditation of Ecobank Nigeria Academy by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

In his remarks, the Head of Strategy, Ecobank Nigeria, Unwana Efiong Esang noted that the desire to deepen and expand collaboration between the Institute and the Bank is a welcome development especially at a time the financial services industry is experiencing a profound paradigm shift in its business and operating models.  He further stated that such partnerships between global and Pan African financial industry stakeholders will go a long way in enhancing financial services practice and also help  in sustaining the relevance and quality of service of the banking system far into the future. He restated Ecobank’s strong positive disposition towards actualising the several collaborative options and models available to both organisations

Also speaking, President of CFA Society, Nigeria,  Banji Fehintola commended Ecobank for its support of its activities over the years and expressed the Society’s willingness to fully take advantage of the several partnership initiatives of the Bank in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa.