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Communication professionals in Nigeria’s banking industry have been urged to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), data and digital media while maintaining credibility, clarity and ethical standards.
The call was made at the 30th anniversary gala of the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB), held in Lagos on September 30, 2026.
The event brought together senior officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Optimus Bank and other industry leaders, as well as communication and marketing executives from banks across the country.
The anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on ACAMB’s three decades of helping banks communicate with customers and the wider public, manage crises and build institutional reputation.
President of ACAMB, Jide Sipe, said the association had played a critical role in shaping how banks engage with the public, particularly during periods of policy changes, crises and rapid transformation in the financial sector.
“For 30 years, our members have stood between the banks and the public they serve. They explain policy, manage crises and protect reputations, often under intense pressure and in real time,” Sipe said.
He said ACAMB had evolved from a platform largely focused on traditional communication into a strategic force supporting business growth, brand perception, customer satisfaction and loyalty.
“We have remained consistent, from gatekeepers to strategic drivers in actualising growth, positive brand perception, aligning business values to customer needs, customer satisfaction and loyalty,” he said.
According to him, the contribution of communication professionals had helped support the growth of Nigeria’s financial services industry, making the 30th anniversary a significant milestone for the association.
Sipe said ACAMB would continue to strengthen the capacity of its members as the communications profession changes, particularly with the rapid growth of AI, data analytics and digital media.
He also highlighted mentorship as an important part of the association’s future, saying young professionals needed to be adequately equipped to operate in an increasingly technology-driven communications environment.
“Though the tools have changed since 1996, the mandate remains the same. We continue to earn trust, one credible message at a time, and we will guard it with the same discipline for the next 30 years and beyond,” he said.
Chairman of the occasion and 24th President of CIBN, Dele Alabi, described ACAMB’s 30-year journey as a demonstration of perseverance and professionalism, saying its contribution to the financial services industry deserved recognition.
Alabi, who also recalled his years working with Sipe at Ecobank Group, commended the ACAMB leadership for sustaining the association and strengthening the role of communication professionals in the banking sector.
“Thirty years of shaping narratives and building trust reflects ACAMB’s critical role in strengthening communication, enhancing reputation and fostering trust across the financial services industry,” he said.
He urged communication professionals to embrace innovation without sacrificing professional ethics.
Alabi linked the call to the CIBN’s IMPACT vision, which emphasises inclusion, membership, professionalism and ethical conduct, accountability, competence and skills, and technology.
Representing the Deputy Governor of the CBN, Philip Ikeazor, the Acting Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Hakama Sidi Ali, said Nigeria’s banking industry was moving beyond stabilisation towards wider institutional transformation.
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She challenged communication professionals to make clarity a priority, rather than relying on complex or clever messaging that could leave customers confused.
She also urged them to regard customers as the ultimate measure of whether financial institutions are communicating effectively and credibly.
“The credibility you carry into a crisis is built in quiet periods,” Sidi Ali said.
Delivering the keynote address, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIBSS, Premier Oiwoh, said the rapid expansion of digital banking had made trust even more important to the future of financial services.
He noted that as banking services increasingly moved to mobile phones and digital platforms, customers were placing greater reliance on technology to make payments, transfer funds and access financial services.
Oiwoh recalled that NIBSS built Africa’s first mature instant payment system 15 years ago, noting that the evolution of digital banking had transformed the way financial services were delivered.
With more transactions now taking place digitally, he said trust remained a fundamental requirement for the stability and growth of the financial system.
“Banking is all about trust. Without trust, banking cannot stand,” Oiwoh said.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Group Managing Director/CEO of UBA, Oliver Alawuba, the bank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, congratulated ACAMB on the milestone.
She said the association had provided a platform through which communication professionals from competing banks could share experiences and strengthen the industry’s collective communication capacity.
“Thirty years is more than a milestone. It is evidence of relevance, resilience and the ability to evolve,” Ladipo said.
She noted that although banks compete for customers and market share, communication professionals have a broader responsibility to protect confidence in the banking industry.
“Competition may separate us in the market, but there are moments when the industry must speak with a shared sense of responsibility,” she added.
The Managing Director/CEO of Optimus Bank, Ademola Odeyemi, also commended ACAMB for its contributions to the banking industry over the past three decades.
He praised the association for effectively articulating the interests and positions of banks and promoting a shared vision among communication professionals in the sector.
According to him, the collective efforts of communication professionals have contributed to better understanding of the banking industry and helped strengthen confidence in the financial system.
The anniversary celebration also featured networking sessions and recognition of professionals who have contributed to the development of corporate communication and marketing in Nigeria’s banking industry over the past 30 years.
As the sector becomes increasingly digital and technology-driven, speakers at the event stressed that communication professionals must adapt to new tools while preserving the core values of accuracy, transparency, professionalism and trust.
