I am delighted to be here and to participate in this very important conference put together by the Chartered institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Permit me to express my appreciation to the leadership of these three (3) institutions for the invitation to be part of this historic event that could not have come at a better time than now when there is need to leverage the educational system in the development of the economy.

The theme of the conference – THE DYNAMICS OF STABILIZING THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY THROUGH BANKING AND FINANCE EDUCATION is wisely chosen, as the numerous challenges facing our economy show that the only path to achieving sound economic advancement is through human capacity development. I must therefore, applaud the organizers for choosing the conference theme.

I wish to restate the commitment of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation to work closely with relevant Government Agencies and Professional Organisations towards the promotion of confidence in our banking system. Permit me to state that since the inception of NDIC in 1989, we have enjoyed had commendable collaboration with the CIBN which has assisted enormously in the professional development of our employees.

Our partnership with the CIBN, which is long standing, was taken to a new level in the past three (3) years following their assistance in aiding our senior staff acquire crucial skills in banking and finance through a blended learning approach involving the University of Bangor, Scotland and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Scotland in the United Kingdom. So far, eight (8) staff have already graduated while seventy seven (77) are presently enrolled in the programme. With an average enrollment of twenty (20) per annum, we project that about one hundred and seventy seven (177) staff will benefit in the next five (5) years. Furthermore, in our effort to enhance staff training and development, we have engaged the CIBN to certify our training academy at Utako, Abuja.

As employers of labour, the NDIC is always concerned about the quality of its graduates. This concern therefore makes it necessary for the Corporation to devote a lot of time and resource to improve their quality.

Ladies and gentlemen, experience, the world over, indicates that the economic power of a nation is unlocked by the quality of education available to its citizens. There is therefore, huge expectation that synergy between the three (3) organisations will provide a fertile ground for breaking new grounds in the management of the economy so that our leaders will be availed with the type of policies and strategies they require to make informed decisions. Also, it is expected that the outcome would add substantial value to the debate on the appropriate routes to building a more virile national economy.

Once again, I congratulate all stakeholders at this conference and wish us fruitful deliberations.

Thank you and God Bless.