What if banks didn’t just lend money but also played a pivotal role in building a cleaner, greener future? That’s precisely what’s happening with green bonds—serving as financial instruments that provide funding for sustainable initiatives ranging from renewable energy development to sustainable transportation and climate-adapted agricultural programs. These investments have dual impacts because they deliver financial gains yet also facilitate enduring environmental protection and social responsibility.
Behind these transformative initiatives are visionary leaders who understand that finance has vast potential to create positive impact. One such leader is Dr. Gregory Jobome, whose work goes beyond traditional. In addition to handling financial risks, he dedicates his efforts to creating banking systems that combine sustainable practices with responsible financial operations. Through strategic leadership, Dr. Gregory has helped Access Bank PLC embed environmental and social governance (ESG) into its core operations, proving that financial success and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. Today, as Executive Director and Chief Risk Officer, he leads a team of 400 experts while collaborating with nearly 30,000 employees to embed risk awareness across the organization.
From driving the launching of Africa’s first corporate green bond to pioneering sustainable finance programs, his career demonstrates progressive commitment to develop banking beyond its financial foundation into an instrument that supports positive evolution. The journey shows how banks are increasingly becoming important entities in global challenges as ethical leadership through smart policies and innovation drives lasting effects on finance and social systems.
Let’s explore the future of banking with Dr. Gregory—where financial success meets sustainability and innovation for a greener tomorrow!
Can you share with us your journey into the field of risk management and how it has shaped your approach to leadership at Access Bank PLC?
Upon completing all the necessary educational qualifications, I landed my first job at GT Bank where I gained experience in financial control and treasury activities. After GT Bank, I subsequently broadened out into research and analytical work on issues around operational risk, fraud issues, and financial crimes. On that basis, I picked an interest in risk management, risk controls, understanding the drivers of fraud and the most effective ways to mitigate fraud in the financial system. From that early period, my interest grew, and I kept exploring the topic. I had the opportunity to return to GT Bank as a consultant, and at the time, Basel II was becoming a key topic in the banking industry, making it the perfect moment to explore risk management further and understand what Basel II was all about.
I immersed myself in all the relevant materials and, as a consultant, played a role in clarifying what Basel II meant, how it worked, and its implications for banks. I examined what financial institutions needed to invest in to comply with Basel II, what will it mean for the industry and its stakeholders. Through this process, my passion for risk management grew, and I invested in developing my expertise, to build that interest into a tangible professional endeavor.
By the time I joined Access Bank, I had already built a strong foundation in risk management, particularly in the context of large financial institutions. Access Bank had an existing Risk Management Framework established by the MD/CEO at the time, including enterprise-wide risk policies and frameworks as well as what was required to drive execution and implementation, and I was fortunate to be one of the people responsible for driving that forward. That was how my journey in risk management gathered steam.
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to contribute significantly to the field. As Chief Risk Officer, my role goes beyond technical expertise – it involves leadership as well. Leading a Risk Management group of around 400 people requires a deep understanding of people, teamwork, and communication. Enterprise-wide Risk Management covers the entire bank, touching managerial and operational aspects across various departments. Beyond my immediate team, I work with nearly 30,000 staff members across the bank, ensuring a strong second line of defense. My responsibilities include shaping policies, guiding compliance, strengthening risk controls, and ensuring regulatory adherence. All of these elements are critical to keeping the bank operating optimally and in the best interest of our wide range of stakeholders.
My leadership role was well-grounded and embedded in my earlier experiences, and I was able to build on that. This involves effectively communicating risk frameworks, policies, controls, and risk archetypes while ensuring that the bank’s risk ethos remain ingrained across all levels. Leadership and communication are crucial in making this happen.
Additionally, I leverage my extensive risk management experience to guide teams and drive cultural transformation. My role extends beyond being the Executive Director of Risk Management – I also serve as the Executive Compliance Officer, overseeing compliance and championing sustainability initiatives within the institution. Wearing multiple hats has allowed me to contribute to various facets of the organization.
What inspired you to specialise in corporate risk management, compliance, green finance, and corporate governance?
Of course, I can speak to what piqued my interest to specialise in green finance, sustainable finance and so on. This dates back to around 2015 or 2016; at that point, the bank had interacted significantly with the likes of IFC, FMO, DEG, and more. Having worked with these DFIs for a good number of years prior to that point, we had progressed on providing banking products around gender, sustainability and so on, being typically the covenants that were part of the deal structures at the time. That inspired me to start looking at how we can make those DFI requirements part of the business model as opposed to compliance checks that you must surmount because you are already funded from those DFIs. So, at that time, we worked with the sustainability unit, and we came up with a business case for sustainable finance and for the bank to have a sustainability-driven model at the heart of its business beyond complying with DFI requirements.
From that point, things snowballed. We brought in consultants to help formalize the business case, which we then presented to management. Around the same time, we also started tracking our operational footprint more systematically. For the first time – around 2015 – we were able to monitor key environmental metrics across all our branches, which at the time numbered around 400. This included tracking diesel and petrol consumption, public electricity usage, and business travel. We implemented an electronic platform that allowed us to gather and analyze data across the entire country. This experience reinforced what could be achieved with the right mix of inspiration, determination, and collaboration with strategic partners.
By 2018, we decided to take things a step further by launching a green bond. Given our significant lending in the green space, issuing a green bond felt like a natural progression.
It required a lot of effort, but with strong support from partners like IFC and FMO, who shared their expertise, we were able to make it a reality. This collaboration led to the issuance of Africa’s first corporate green bond, certified by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI). A major milestone.
My early interactions with IFC and FMO had a profound influence on my passion for green finance and sustainability. From that initial green bond issuance in 2019, we went on to issue another green note in 2022. In 2024, we launched the Sustainable Finance Accelerator Program and expanded our initiatives around gender and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We also institutionalized our sustainability efforts by establishing an ESG committee, chaired by the CEO and co-chaired by me. This step ensured that environmental and social considerations became central to our business operations, rather than being treated as side projects. Ultimately, what started as an interest grew into a mission – to integrate sustainability, corporate governance, green and sustainable finance into the mainstream of banking.
Could you elaborate on Access Bank PLC’s mission and vision regarding sustainable business practices, and how these align with your personal values and professional goals?
What I described previously, that was my own personal journey, my encounter with the world of sustainability through our early interactions with the DFIs, as well as with other people. From there, I worked closely with my colleagues at the bank to transition from a compliance-based approach to fully integrating sustainability and environmental considerations into our business model. Today, sustainability is embedded in how the bank operates.
For example, when a loan request is made, it typically originates from the business team and then goes through the bank’s management for approval. However, since 2015 or 2016, we have incorporated environmental and social risk assessments as part of the credit approval process. Every single credit request undergoes a thorough review based on the highest performance standards, ensuring that environmental and social risks are properly evaluated. Additionally, each credit request is flagged based on its green potential.
This entire process aligns with my thought process and personal journey in sustainability. In particular, the Green Bond issuance process demonstrated the power of initiative, conviction, and passion in driving meaningful change. When we launched the first Green Bond in Nigeria – and in Africa – it wasn’t immediately clear to many banks and corporates why we were doing it. Even today, some still ask, “What is a Green Bond?” and “Why did we issue one?” So, the vibe is strong, and we have proven it as well.
Look at where we are today, Nigeria’s largest bank, a major force on the continent, and a leader in sustainability. We’ve become one of the biggest magnets for foreign currency funding from DFIs and other international partners and a top player in genderbased lending. And it’s all built on a model driven by sustainability. Clearly, it’s working.
On a personal level, this journey has been just as transformative. It aligns with my values, my way of thinking, and how I see the role of business in the world. Beyond just banking, it’s about being human, how we interact, how we impact our communities, how we bring more people into the financial system. Access Bank has given me the platform to make this kind of difference, to move the needle in ways that matter. What started as an initiative has now become part of our everyday way of doing business. That, to me, is real progress.
What unique leadership qualities or approaches do you believe are essential for navigating the complexities of sustainability within a financial institution?
Sustainability, at its core, is just like any other aspect of life or business – it’s about people. It’s about working together, sharing ideas, and building strong communities and institutions that create lasting value.
To truly lead in this space, teamwork and empathy are non-negotiable. We can’t talk about sustainability without considering its impact on people, how it shapes lives, creates opportunities, and fosters inclusion. This is especially important in Africa, home to one of the youngest populations in the world. Young people need motivation, guidance, and support to build their businesses, chase their dreams, and contribute meaningfully to society. Helping them succeed isn’t just an act of goodwill; it’s an investment in the future.
But beyond youth empowerment, there’s another pressing reality –—gender inclusion. Women play a massive role in our economies, yet they remain underrepresented in financial structures and opportunities. It’s not enough to recognize their potential; we must create pathways for them to thrive, ensuring they have the tools, resources, and access they need.
When you recognize the needs of your community, leadership becomes clearer. It’s not about power, it’s about service. It’s about working with people, not just for them. Because at the end of the day, sustainability goes beyond policies and programs – it’s about the real lives we impact. That starts with people, as you must work with them to deliver the impact. It’s about your team, your organization, your partners. No one drives impact alone. It takes collaboration, shared goals, and the right partnerships to create real change. That’s why one of the SDGs (No. 17) highlights the importance of partnerships and collaboration, —because progress happens when we work together.
But beyond partnerships, things around sustainability and climate change require something deeper, determination. We know that human activity has contributed to certain degrees of global warming, and the evidence is clear. Yet, some people still believe it’s a distant problem, something for future generations to worry about. That kind of thinking is not helpful.
We didn’t just inherit this planet; we are responsible for what we leave behind. Leadership in this space means having the courage to act now, even when others delay. It means pushing forward when people say, “We’ll deal with it in 20 years. Or 2100 or 2070 as the case maybe.” The reality is, sustainability isn’t about the future, it’s about the choices we make today. And as leaders, we must have the conviction to make those choices count.
As leaders in this space, we must remain committed to pushing forward, to advocating, and to demonstrating the real impact of sustainability, climate risk management, and sustainable development. We cannot afford to slow down or lose focus because there are still many who have yet to recognize the urgency of this work. Every platform, every opportunity we have must be used to shift mindsets and drive policies that turn sustainability from a conversation into a reality.
Take, for example, our first green bond in 2019, followed by the second in 2022. No other bank has taken similar action in Nigeria. That tells us something, that the level of commitment to sustainability is not evenly spread. But that is exactly why we must keep going. We must lead by example, keep investing, and continue proving that sustainability is not just good ethics, it’s good business, good governance, and good leadership.
Eventually, others will have to come to the table because sustainability is not a one-man job. No single organization can transform a nation. No single institution can manage an entire country’s environmental footprint. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, whether it’s reducing poverty, improving education, or advancing gender equality requires collective action. It takes businesses, governments, and individuals working together at local, national, and global levels.
That’s why real leadership in sustainability requires resilience, courage, and unwavering determination. Those of us who are pioneers in this space must keep pressing forward, not just for today but for the future we are building. And along the way, we must inspire others to step up and take ownership because true change only happens when we all move together.
What steps has Access Bank PLC taken to ensure that its growth strategy remains sustainable, profitable, and socially relevant?
Well, I think I’ve touched on that already in some ways. The business model has been sustainability driven for a long time. I guess my example earlier on was with respect to our lending approach. Every loan we approve goes through a sustainability filter, ensuring that projects align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. We carefully monitor our carbon footprint, track the fuel used across our branch network, and set internal targets to minimize emissions. With over 600 branches, this is no small feat, but it’s a commitment we take seriously.
This focus on sustainability is about impact, it’s also about growth. We’ve built one of the largest and most diversified funding portfolios in Nigeria and across the continent, attracting global partners who recognize our commitment to responsible business. The result? A steady inflow of foreign currency funding on favorable terms, a testament to the trust we’ve earned.
It’s not just about funding, though. We’re actively creating sustainable assets – loans and projects that directly support the environment, businesses and communities. We are the largest lender in Nigeria and around Top 10 lender in Africa. This means we’re making positive change on both sides of the balance sheet while also maintaining strong profitability. In fact, we’re one of the most profitable banks in the country, proving that sustainability and financial success go hand in hand.
The recognition speaks for itself. We’ve been rated among the best in ESG performance and are commended by leading agencies. Simply put, sustainability isn’t an add-on, it’s a core part of our business model, and the results show that it’s working.
What role do financial institutions like Access Bank PLC play in addressing global challenges such as climate change and sustainability?
Financial institutions like ours play a major role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and sustainability. Well, global financial institutions have a big role to play. Our role is twofold: we influence both through our operations and through the way we support our clients.
On one hand, we directly impact the environment through our physical presence, our branch network, offices, buildings, vehicles, and the everyday operations that come with running a business. These operations contribute to emissions, which, if left unmanaged, can worsen the planet’s condition. That’s why we take great care to minimize our operational footprint and keep emissions as low as possible.
On the other hand, our biggest impact is through our lending activities. While our own operations account for a small portion of our emissions, the bulk of our environmental footprint comes from the businesses we lend to, which fall under what we call Scope 3 emissions. These are the indirect emissions tied to our clients’ activities. As a bank, we have a vital role in helping manage these emissions.
To do this, we need to truly understand our clients and their operations. Every industry has its own environmental impact, depending on factors like the technologies they use, the age of their plants, their transportation methods, and the materials involved in their processes. It’s not just about lending money; it’s also about partnering with our clients to help them reduce their emissions and transition to more sustainable practices.
Banks have to understand what each of the top clients are also doing with respect to their own transition towards the net zero position. By understanding and supporting our clients’ efforts, we’re not just helping them, we’re also managing our own emissions. After all, the emissions from the businesses we support become part of our own environmental footprint. So, the better we can help them manage their emissions, the better we manage ours too.
That’s a key requirement. And a lot of the climate risk modelling that’s going on within the bank involves significant client interaction so that we better understand how each of our significant emitting customers will impact the institution in different scenarios.
As a leader at Access Bank PLC, how do you inspire and motivate your team to actively engage with climate risk management initiatives and integrate sustainability into their daily practices?
A lot of what we do is now integrated into our day-today practices, whether it’s in terms of lending, whether it’s in terms of our branch network, in terms of managing our emissions and going across wherever we operate and being able to set targets to manage them. We have developed a pipeline of activities and initiatives over the years and are now looking to go forward. But to get there, of course, we have to inspire, we have to educate, we have to engage both internally and with our clients, and externally with other players and partners, to ensure that we take the actions that we can move in that direction.
A major driving force behind our success is the commitment from the top. Our Board has fully embraced a sustainability-led model, which is crucial for embedding any new way of thinking into an organization. When leadership is fully aligned, it becomes easier to develop policies, frameworks, and risk management strategies that prioritize sustainability. This strong backing has allowed us to weave sustainability into everything we do, making it a natural part of our decision-making rather than just a box to check.
As we’ve deepened our commitment, we’ve had to update our policies and frameworks to reflect our sustainability goals. Where certain practices didn’t exist before, we introduced them, ensuring that ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainability principles are embedded across all aspects of the institution. Today, nearly every policy in our organization touches on sustainability in some way, whether it’s financial control, procurement, business services, or product development.
Inspiration also comes from showcasing powerfully impactful initiatives like W, Women Banking, as we call it, it’s a whole team devoted to developing creative products and services aimed at tackling challenges that are largely unique to women; from supporting women SMEs to enabling fertility treatment to complete families, among others. All of these initiatives took several years to make the point that it works as a business case.
For example, our Enterprise Business Services (EBS) team ensures that administrative and procurement processes align with sustainability goals, while our product teams focus on developing financial solutions that support a greener and more sustainable economy. Our commitment to women’s banking, as mentioned earlier, is another key area, with a dedicated team focused on creating financial products tailored to women, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive.
All of this has taken years of effort, but it’s working because the tone at the top is very strong and it is cascaded through the different functions of the institution, the different products, the different processes.
Another example is the Bank’s launching of a Sustainable Finance Accelerator program – which enables us to fast-track the development of a pipeline of clients and operators that would otherwise have limited access to the mainstream financial services like loans – we have thousand enrolled on this via a capacity uilding, lending,seed funding and partnership program.
This purely shows that our leadership is fully committed, sustainability is now embedded across all levels of the institution, influencing our products, processes, and partnerships. By staying focused, we’re not just setting goals, we’re achieving them.
Can you share any specific challenges you’ve encountered while mainstreaming sustainable business practices into Access Bank PLC’s operations, particularly in relation to climate risk management?
One of the biggest challenges we faced in the early days wasn’t resistance – it was the fact that so much of what we were doing was completely new. We had to take time to understand it, internalize it, and figure out how to make it work within our institution. It wasn’t just about adopting sustainability principles, it was about getting the entire organization on board, helping people see why this mattered, and integrating it into our way of working.
Knowledge was key. Once people were engaged and understood the vision, things started to pick up. But in the beginning, we were navigating uncharted territory. When we issued the first green bond, for example, we were the first bank on the continent to do it. There was no blueprint, no example to follow. The only reference points were green bonds issued in other parts of the world – places with different regulatory systems, different market conditions, and different investor expectations.
To cite an example, when you’re doing things like a green bond, you’re the first bank on the continent to do a green bond. You don’t have any compass; you don’t have anyone else who has gone on that journey before. The closest that you have are other green bonds from other parts of the world, that have a different regulatory system, different market system, different investor system.
Therefore, you have to invent the wheel for yourself to be able to run successfully through that process. And of course, There was no “green bond team” in the bank at the time, so we had to pull together about 15 different departments to create the necessary frameworks, processes, use of proceeds, and verification mechanisms, to create a way of delivering results that they’ve never done before.
That meant we had to build everything from scratch. We had to align policies, hold workshops, and ensure every stakeholder understood the role they had to play. Because this was a first for the continent, we weren’t just learning for ourselves, we were setting a precedent.
So, that was a heavy lifting at the time. And of course, as I said, during the first time, there were challenges of getting people to understand all the concepts, to understand why something must go in such a way. But we were quite fortunate that we had strong partners in the likes of IFC and FMO, that were able to leverage their own experiences to try and carve out an approach that worked for our unique environment.
Today, we’ve successfully completed two major green bonds, and we’re now working on a sustainability bond. The process has become much smoother because we’ve built the right frameworks, policies, and teams to support it.
What once felt like an uphill battle is now second nature, and that’s the beauty of progress.
As an Executive Director at Access Bank PLC, what do you consider your greatest achievement in terms of advancing risk management and financial system stability?
There are many things. The main thing is that when you work for an institution like Access Bank, it offers you a platform to make a real impact – on people, on the industry, and on society at large. The bank isn’t just a financial institution; it’s a platform that allows people to drive meaningful change, both within and beyond its walls. Through partnerships across the continent and beyond, we’ve been able to expand our influence, pushing for best practices and global standards in several markets across the continent rather than limiting ourselves to local benchmarks.
You find us in the UK, Hong Kong, in UAE, in Paris, you find us in Malta, it’s part of the EU. So, that’s the beginning, that once you’re in a place like Access Bank, it gives you wings to fly, it gives you a platform to impact society. And in this period, I’ve been with the bank, definitely I’ve been afforded the opportunity to contribute in ways that truly matter.
When I first joined the bank, we had what we called Head of Credit, Head of Market Risk, and Head of Operational Risk. I was the first formal Chief Risk Officer, which meant that I had a responsibility to support the CEO and the Board in building a risk culture, a moderate risk environment, an environment where risk-based performance, risk-based measurement, risk-based everything was at play, where risk was aligned with strategy and performance. That required considerable investment of time and effort.
Over the years, we were able to get to a place where we enjoyed top ratings from rating agencies, in our markets, we enjoyed top ratings from our investors, top ratings, we were all happy with it. So, I would say that is in terms of within the risk ethos, in an enterprise-wide sense, that means that we’re able to take it to any market and any country we operate in, and it’s strong and robust enough to be taken to Botswana. That Enterprise-wide Risk Management Framework can be taken to Rwanda, the UK, Hong Kong, and almost any market. This was supported by several “firsts” that were notched up in this period first ICAAP, ILAAP, risk-based performance system, lowest non-performing loans, etc.
It’s strong enough to withstand the stress of time.
The Central Bank of Nigeria used to award banks for sustainability efforts, and year after year, Access Bank would sweep the awards – whether for ESG, the Green Bond, or broader sustainability initiatives. Internationally, we’ve also been recognized, consistently winning multiple awards annually for our work in sustainability, gender inclusion, environmental and social risk management, and SDGs. And those are things that I’m very proud of because I’ve been lucky to be part of this platform that Access Bank provides and been able to play a role in achieving those milestones for the institution.
Beyond the bank, I’ve also had the privilege of shaping the industry. As a former President of the Risk Management Association of Nigeria, I led efforts to professionalize the field, spearheading the country’s first-ever Risk Management Professional Certification exam. Before this, Nigerians who wanted to pursue a career in risk management had to rely on foreign certifications. We changed that by developing a rigorous three-stage certification process, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, that not only met global standards but also incorporated local and regional contexts. Today, many certified risk managers and fellows have emerged from this program, strengthening the profession in Nigeria and beyond.
These are just some of the milestones I’ve been fortunate to be part of. Looking back, I’m grateful for the opportunities Access Bank has provided to drive impact, to shape industries, and to contribute to a legacy of excellence.
Could you share any personal philosophies or principles that guide you in your role as Executive Director and in your commitment to advancing sustainable business practices within Access Bank PLC and beyond?
Well, leading by example is one of the most powerful ways to inspire change. People are more likely to embrace an idea when they can see it in action – when they see the impact, the transformation, and the tangible benefits it brings. It’s beyond talking, but also about showing. When people witness real results, when they see how a particular approach can improve lives, they are more willing to follow that path.
For me, certain values have guided my work and shaped my approach. Fairness is one of them. Life may not always be fair, but we should strive to create environments where equity and justice matter – whether in the workplace, in decision-making, or in the way we interact with others. It’s about ensuring that opportunities are open to everyone, and that people are treated with dignity and respect.
Accountability is another core value. If you work in risk management or sustainability, accountability is non-negotiable. It’s about recognizing your impact, owning your decisions, and taking responsibility for the resources you use. In sustainability, for example, we don’t just acknowledge our carbon footprint—we take active steps to reduce it. And the beauty of accountability is that it often leads to better outcomes. When businesses operate responsibly, they don’t just protect the planet, they also gain trust, attract investment, and build stronger communities.
Being community-minded and impact-driven is also key. It’s not just about executing projects—it’s about asking, what difference are we making? What does this initiative mean for the people on the street, for the underserved, for the communities we aim to support? or whatever the case may be. So those are some of the values that I treasure and which I hope have been helping me in what I do.
There are things around that we’ve done with respect to gender that have been transformational. One initiative I’m particularly proud of is our Maternal Health Support Scheme, part of Access Bank’s W Initiative. I refer to that because this is a health magazine, apart from having a wider sustainability agenda, health is a critical part of sustainability – it’s even one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This scheme was designed to help women they have fertility challenges that they’re trying to overcome medically, through medical procedures, or they have fertility-related or gynecologically related conditions they want to overcome. The bank is able to step in with finance to support them through that journey. Through this program, Access Bank has helped over 100 families welcome healthy babies into the world. That’s more than just a financial service, it’s a life-changing intervention.
This speaks to a larger truth: women are the cornerstone of progress and development, especially in Africa. Women play a pivotal role in raising families, supporting communities, and driving economic growth. The data supports this – when women have access to financial resources, they not only invest in their businesses but also uplift those around them. Even in lending, women loans are the safest with a lower non-performing loan (NPL) ratios compared to men, proving that they are reliable borrowers who drive economic stability.
This is why I believe in continuously championing women’s empowerment. When women thrive, society thrives. When they are given the right support, they don’t just improve their own lives—they create a ripple effect that benefits entire communities. That’s a value I deeply share with Access Bank, and it’s a mission we will continue to drive forward.
What are your aspirations for Access Bank PLC in terms of its leadership role in climate risk management and sustainable finance, both within Africa and on the global stage?
So, what’s next? What’s the next level?
Right now, we’re in the middle of a major transformation, moving our branches toward renewable energy sources. We’re already about halfway there, and the goal is to ensure that every one of our branches is powered by solar energy, significantly reducing our carbon footprint. This is a major step, but we won’t stop until every branch runs on clean energy.
Beyond our own operations, we’re also working hard to reduce emissions through our loan book. Our netzero aspirations are not just plans on paper, we’ve done the climate risk modeling, engaged with our clients, and mapped out the necessary steps to get there. Now, it’s all about execution – translating those models into real-world impact.
Another key focus is bringing more players into the conversation. Right now, there aren’t many financial institutions in Nigeria or even across Africa, fully embracing sustainability at the scale that we are.
But real progress requires collective action. One bank alone cannot achieve the national or continental sustainability goals we aspire to. That’s why I’ve been actively participating in conferences, panels, and other speaking engagements to encourage more banks and financial institutions to step up. The more of us that come to the table, the greater the impact.
Global collaboration is also a big part of the journey. We’re strengthening partnerships with both local and international organizations to support a just transition, ensuring that our shift to sustainable practices is fair and inclusive. Whether it’s working with institutions in the U.S. or other global finance leaders, we’re leveraging every opportunity to bring in expertise, technology, and innovative solutions.
This isn’t just about Access Bank; it’s about the people we serve. We have hundreds of thousands, even millions, of clients – scientists, engineers, developers, entrepreneurs, who are looking for solutions in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Through sustainable finance, we are creating opportunities for them to access the technology and partnerships they need to thrive.
The work doesn’t stop here. Over the next months and years, we’ll continue scaling up, pushing boundaries, and ensuring that sustainability isn’t just an agenda item, it’s the foundation of how we operate.
