At a press briefing in Lagos, CeBIH Chairman Ajibade Laolu-Adewale outlined the dual objectives of the conference. “Our goal is audacious but necessary,” he said. “First, we want to lead a national mindset shift. Credit must be seen not as a burden or a debt trap, but as a strategic tool for economic growth. It can fuel education, entrepreneurship, and home ownership—it bridges ideas with execution and paychecks with secured futures.”
Laolu-Adewale emphasized that the transformation requires more than consumer awareness. “The shift cannot happen in isolation. It requires the industry to operate responsibly, with transparency and fairness, leveraging technology not just to assess risk, but to build trust. By using alternative data, we can give millions of credit-worthy Nigerians—previously invisible to the traditional system—a financial identity.”
The 2025 conference, themed “Reimagining Financial Inclusion through Cultural Shifts in Consumer Credit,” is expected to convene bankers, fintech innovators, regulators, policymakers, behavioural scientists, and government agencies. Together, participants aim to produce a practical blueprint for transforming the nation’s credit system.
CeBIH Vice Chairman Abidemi Asunmo described the event as a solutions-driven platform rather than a theoretical forum. Top government officials and industry leaders—including the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and executives from Credicorp, NCGC, NIMC, and major banks—will headline the opening session. Technical sessions will tackle critical pillars such as alternative data for credit scoring, consumer-focused product design for the informal sector, digital infrastructure to build trust, and integrating financial literacy into lending practices. “The outcomes will shape Nigeria’s credit future,” Asunmo said, urging active participation from stakeholders and the media.
Members of the CeBIH Advisory Council, Wunmi Ogunbiyi and Tunde Kuponiyi, reinforced the importance of collaboration in building a stronger credit culture and expanding financial inclusion. Ogunbiyi highlighted the structural challenges limiting access to even small loans, citing mistrust and weak systems as major barriers. “Credit is more than borrowing. It involves data integrity, credit scoring, and alignment across banks, fintechs, insurance, and consumer protection institutions. Poor repayment on past government schemes shows that something fundamental is missing,” she said.
Kuponiyi stressed the timeliness of the conference theme, noting the ongoing digital transformation of banking in Nigeria. He highlighted that financial inclusion is crucial not only for economic growth but also for tax efficiency and the expansion of SMEs, many of which still operate without bank accounts. “Meaningful inclusion requires cultural shifts that encourage responsible credit use, supported by technology for analysis, disbursement, and repayment,” he said.
By linking policy, technology, and cultural change, the CeBIH 2025 conference aims to lay the foundation for a more inclusive, responsible, and innovative consumer credit ecosystem in Nigeria.