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The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) is set to recognise 755 bankers, business executives, government officials and other distinguished professionals at its 2026 Fellowship Investiture scheduled for Saturday, October 31, in Lagos.
The ceremony will bring together influential figures from Nigeria’s banking and financial services industry, government institutions, the private sector and academia to celebrate professional achievements and examine the future of banking in the country.
Among the prominent personalities expected to receive recognition are billionaire businesswoman Folorunsho Alakija, Lagos State Deputy Chief of Staff Sam Egube, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Managing Director Thompson Oludare Sunday, and Bank of Sierra Leone Governor Ibrahim Stevens.
Other notable recipients include Dangote Cement Chairman Emmanuel Ikazoboh, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku, and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Chairman Segun Ogunsanya.
According to the CIBN, the 2026 investiture will recognise individuals whose professional contributions, leadership and commitment to ethical standards have supported the development of banking and the wider economy.
Beyond the presentation of professional honours, this year’s ceremony will address one of the most important issues facing Nigeria’s financial services industry: how banks can use the additional capital raised through the ongoing recapitalisation exercise to finance industrial development.
The event will feature a keynote address by Dr Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), under the theme, “Bank Recapitalisation: Leveraging New Bank Capital for Nigeria’s Industrial Transformation.”
The discussion comes at a significant period for Nigerian banks as lenders adjust to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s higher minimum capital requirements, which are intended to strengthen their financial capacity and improve their ability to support the economy.
The investiture is scheduled to take place at Harbour Point, 4 Wilmot Point Road, off Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
CIBN to Recognise 755 Professionals at 2026 Investiture
The 2026 Fellowship Investiture will recognise 755 individuals through three categories of professional honours.
According to the institute, 18 distinguished individuals will receive Honorary Fellowship awards, while 460 Associates will be elevated to elected Fellows of the Institute.
Another 277 senior management staff of banks and members of the academic community will receive Honorary Senior Membership.
The three categories reflect different forms of recognition within the institute’s professional structure.
Honorary Fellowship is reserved for distinguished individuals whose achievements and contributions have earned recognition from the banking profession, including prominent figures from outside traditional banking roles.
Elected Fellowship recognises professional advancement among eligible members of the institute, while Honorary Senior Membership recognises selected individuals whose leadership and contributions have supported the banking and academic communities.
The CIBN explained that the awards are intended to recognise meritorious service, professional integrity, leadership and contributions to the development of banking in Nigeria and internationally.
Taofik Sanni, the institute’s Team Lead for Corporate Communication and Brand Management, said the recognition reflects the recipients’ commitment to ethics, professionalism and the advancement of the financial services industry.
The large number of awardees also highlights the institute’s engagement with different parts of Nigeria’s financial and economic environment, extending beyond commercial banks to include public institutions, businesses and academic organisations.
Folorunsho Alakija, Emmanuel Ikazoboh and Other Prominent Personalities Among Honourees
Several well-known figures from Nigeria’s business and public sectors are expected to receive honorary recognition at the ceremony.
Folorunsho Alakija, Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, is among the prominent honorary fellows. Her inclusion reflects the institute’s recognition of influential business leaders whose activities extend beyond conventional banking.
Emmanuel Ikazoboh, Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc and former Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, is also among those scheduled to receive honorary fellowship recognition.
His professional background connects the banking industry with Nigeria’s wider corporate and industrial environment.
Other notable honorary fellowship recipients include Sam Egube, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, and Thompson Oludare Sunday, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Ibrahim Stevens, Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, is also listed among the honourees, giving the ceremony an international dimension.
Afolabi Olorode, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Quest Merchant Bank, will also be recognised.
Other personalities expected to receive honorary fellowship awards include:
- Tokunbo Talabi, Secretary to the Ogun State Government.
- Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
- Siraju Salisu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Bank Limited.
- Ada Chukwudozie, Chairman of Keystone Bank Limited.
- Mohammed Mustapha Bintube, Chairman of Jaiz Bank Plc.
- Akin Ogunranti, Executive Director of Zenith Bank Plc.
- Segun Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority.
- Tosin Runsewe, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AfyA Care.
The list also includes Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founding Partner of Future Africa, and Faith Tuedor-Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of TEKLA Factoring & Finance Limited and former Managing Director of Mainstreet Bank.
Their expected recognition demonstrates the institute’s intention to acknowledge contributions from banking, entrepreneurship, financial technology, corporate management and other areas of economic activity.
The involvement of professionals from different sectors is particularly relevant because the banking industry plays a central role in financing businesses, supporting investment and facilitating economic transactions.
More Bankers to Become Fellows of the Institute
Beyond honorary recognition, 460 Associates of the CIBN are expected to become elected Fellows during the ceremony.
Among those listed are Nixon Iwedi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Signature Bank Limited; Osiyemi Oluwaseun, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation; and Oyeneyin Hakeem, Founder of FelDams Limited and Chairman of Visiblevalue Chain Limited.
Olatunbosun Ajala and Ben-Obi Onyewuchi, both Deputy Directors at the Central Bank of Nigeria, are also scheduled to be elected Fellows.
The Fellowship designation represents professional recognition within the institute and reflects an individual’s progression through its membership structure.
For banking professionals, professional development and recognition can play an important role in strengthening industry standards, improving technical knowledge and promoting responsible financial management.
The CIBN has historically placed considerable emphasis on professional examinations, continuing development and ethical conduct among banking practitioners.
The institute was established in 1963 as the Nigerian Institute of Bankers and received its charter in 1990. Its current statutory framework is governed by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria Act, 2007.
Its responsibilities include promoting professional standards, conducting banking examinations and supporting ethical practices across the financial services industry.
Why Bank Recapitalisation Is Central to This Year’s Investiture
One of the major discussions at the 2026 CIBN Fellowship Investiture will be the relationship between stronger bank capital and Nigeria’s industrial development.
The Central Bank of Nigeria introduced new minimum capital requirements in March 2024 as part of efforts to strengthen the financial system and improve the capacity of banks to finance the country’s growing economy.
Under the revised framework, international commercial banks are required to maintain a minimum paid-up capital of ₦500 billion. National commercial banks face a minimum requirement of ₦200 billion, while regional commercial banks are required to maintain ₦50 billion.
The requirements also cover merchant banks, non-interest banks and other categories of financial institutions under different capital thresholds.
The recapitalisation exercise has encouraged banks to explore several options, including new share issues, rights offers, private placements, mergers and acquisitions.
The policy is particularly important because banks play a central role in providing credit to businesses, financing infrastructure and supporting economic activities.
However, increasing a bank’s capital does not automatically guarantee that more money will reach manufacturers, agricultural businesses or small enterprises.
Lending decisions also depend on credit risk, economic conditions, interest rates, regulatory requirements and the financial strength of prospective borrowers.
This is why the CIBN’s chosen theme is relevant to the industry’s current challenges.
The keynote address by Dr Tayo Aduloju is expected to examine how banks can translate stronger balance sheets into productive financing that supports industrial expansion, job creation and economic diversification.
The discussion also creates an opportunity for financial institutions to consider how additional capital can be directed towards sectors that contribute to long-term economic growth.
The Central Bank’s recapitalisation framework and banking sector policy information are available on the CBN official website.
Sanwo-Olu, Doris Uzoka-Anite and Other Dignitaries Expected
The 2026 ceremony is expected to attract senior government officials, banking executives, policymakers, investors, academics and representatives of professional organisations.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning Doris Uzoka-Anite are expected to attend as Special Guests of Honour.
Bello Maccido, Chief Executive Officer of Crosse Pointe Capital & Advisory Limited and Wakil of Sokoto, will chair the event.
The President and Chairman of Council of the CIBN, Dele Alabi, will serve as Chief Host.
He will be supported by Mojisola Asieru-Sweet, First Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Fellows and Practice Licence, alongside Akin Morakinyo, Registrar and Chief Executive of the institute.
The hybrid format is expected to accommodate participation from banking and finance professionals within Nigeria and internationally.
The presence of government representatives is also significant because banking regulations, fiscal policy, industrial development and financial stability are closely connected.
Banks require a stable regulatory environment to attract investment, mobilise savings and extend credit to businesses. At the same time, government policies can influence borrowing costs, investment decisions and the overall demand for financial services.
The event therefore provides an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the responsibilities of financial institutions in supporting Nigeria’s wider economic objectives.
The event’s timing also coincides with broader efforts to strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s banking system following the recapitalisation policy and changes in the financial services environment.
For the institute, recognising professionals who have contributed to banking and economic development provides an opportunity to reinforce the importance of leadership, integrity and professional competence.
As Nigeria’s financial sector continues to evolve, the ability of banks to maintain strong capital positions while financing productive businesses will remain an important measure of their contribution to national development.
The official CIBN website provides further information about the institute, its professional programmes and the 2026 Fellowship Investiture.
The 2026 ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Premium Times Nigeria+3
