Access Bank Plc has said that it will continue prioritising infrastructure investments, improving retail banking services, and catalysing the growth of small businesses across Africa to enhance regional trade and development. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna, disclosed this in a recent media roundtable on the trajectory and priorities of the banking and financial services group.
He noted that this was part of the bank’s five-year strategy, covering 2023 to 2027. The Access Bank GCEO stressed that the investments would span physical and digital infrastructure.
He said Access Bank was committed to enhancing financial inclusion through retail banking services by expanding its branch network with fit-for-purpose technology to ensure seamless services and reach the unbanked in rural areas.
“In 2023, we opened 61 banks branched on Nigeria amidst a challenging macro-economic environment, demonstrating our commitment to scaling retail banking services in the country.”
On the plans to improve regional trade through the empowerment of small businesses in the region, he pointed out that economic activities across leading countries worldwide are driven majorly by small businesses. “We plan to provide an enabling environment for small businesses to register and access new markets on the continent. In November 2024, we will host a trade conference to facilitate activities that will boost Intra-Africa trade.”
Mr Ogbonna also noted that Access Bank would increase its investments in technology to provide cutting-edge and innovative services to its customers. This will include developing Bank Branches of the Future that align with new technologies.
Looking at Africa and its global operations, he said, “The bank’s expansion will continue in the next 18 months as it seeks to position itself in New York and Tokyo, in addition to the three other global financial market centres that it has a presence in namely: Hong Kong, London and Paris. In Africa, we want to be the leader in cross-border trade and do business in the 55 countries,” he added.
Speaking further on the plans for the capital market and the possibility of leveraging it for financing, he said the bank is working out modalities for a dollar instrument market issuance and is targeting the first half of 2025 to achieve this.
In her remarks, the Acting GCEO of Access Holdings Plc, Ms Bolaji Agbede, described the forum as an opportunity to engage stakeholders in the media and provide updates on the activities in the bank and financial services group
