- Lagos Partners CIBN to Boost Financial Tourism
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the state will collaborate with the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in hosting the 22nd edition of the World Conference of Banking Institute in a bid to promote financial tourism in the state.
A statement on Tuesday quoted Ambode as saying, “Lagos is going to be 50 next year and the President and Chairman of Council of CIBN, Prof. Segun Ajibola, has talked so much about the hosting right of the conference.
“As a government, we are also trying to brand Lagos as a world-class city to live in, and so we will partner and support the conference and list it as part of the events to celebrate Lagos at 50 and use it as a platform to promote financial tourism for the state.”
The statement described the conference, scheduled for April 24 – 28, 2017 in Lagos, as a biennial global forum that would bring together professionals from the financial services sector and other stakeholders engaged in banking operation, education and training.
It said since its inception in the United Kingdom in 1975, the major objective of the conference had been to provide a global platform for the review of achievements and emerging challenges concerning the functioning of banking and finance institutes and their role in effectively supporting the financial sector’s performance and profitability.
According to the statement, this will be the first time Nigeria is hosting the global conference.
Speaking while receiving members of the Governing Council of the CIBN, led by the President/Chairmen of Council of the institute, Ajibola, the governor noted that the story of the growth and development of Lagos could not have been completed without the huge contribution of the financial service industry.
Ambode said the sector remained a veritable vehicle that had been able to drive professionals to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product of the state.
He commended the critical role played by the financial service industry in terms of creating employment, contributing to taxes and developing capacity.
“It will, therefore, be unfair not to appreciate and commend everything that the CIBN has actually done for the growth and development of Lagos,” he said
According to Ambode, Lagos, as the economic hub of Nigeria and the West African region, contributes about 70 per cent of the financial services in the country.
He said the state, in collaboration with the CIBN, was in a good position to lead the nation out of recession.
The governor also expressed readiness to partner the CIBN in creating a structured capacity building programme for state officials with a view to getting a stream of hard working professionals.
Speaking earlier on the WCBI, Ajibola said the conference would be an avenue to showcase the rich cultural heritage, hospitality and investment potential of Lagos to attract more foreign direct investments into the state.
He said the WCBI would also provide an opportunity for Nigerian banking and finance professionals to interact and network with over a 1,000 delegates from all over the world.
