By Boluwatife Oshadiya | August 12, 2026
Key Points
- CIBN urges banks to channel recapitalisation funds into MSMEs and other productive sectors
- The institute plans MSME forums, SME clinics and clusters to improve access to finance
- CIBN says stronger monetary-fiscal coordination and financial inclusion remain critical to economic resilience
Main Story
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has urged banks to deploy funds raised through the recapitalisation exercise to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other productive sectors.
CIBN President, Dr Dele Alabi, made the call in Lagos while announcing the institute’s 2026 Annual Banking and Finance Conference, scheduled for September 8–9 at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Alabi said the additional capital would strengthen banks’ buffers against economic shocks, but argued that the funds should also be deployed strategically to support businesses and households.
He said declining yields on government securities and thin margins among top-tier corporate borrowers were creating the need for banks to identify new lending opportunities, particularly among MSMEs.
“The banking sector has a critical role to play in supporting Nigeria’s ambition to build a resilient economy and achieve a one-trillion economy,” Dr Dele Alabi, President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
According to Alabi, CIBN plans to organise MSME forums that will connect businesses with banks, alongside SME clinics aimed at addressing weak corporate governance, inadequate financial records and poor accounting systems.
The institute also plans to establish SME clusters across Nigeria, with discussions already held with some state governors on providing land for the first SME hub.
Alabi said CIBN remained aligned with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s target of achieving 95 per cent financial inclusion.
He also disclosed that the institute was strengthening its Generation Next Programme, with the fourth edition scheduled for August 12 and digital participation available to young people across universities in the six geopolitical zones.
What’s Being Said
“The fresh capital would provide banks with stronger buffers against economic shocks but should also be strategically deployed to support businesses and households,” Dr Dele Alabi, President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
The supplied material does not include an independent industry or analyst response to the CIBN position.
What’s Next
- CIBN’s fourth Generation Next Programme is scheduled for August 12, with digital participation for youths across universities in the six geopolitical zones
- The institute’s 2026 Annual Banking and Finance Conference will hold on September 8–9 in Abuja
- CIBN is expected to continue discussions with state governments on establishing SME clusters and its first SME hub
The Bottom Line:
The recapitalisation exercise will have greater economic impact if stronger bank balance sheets translate into productive lending rather than simply larger capital buffers. CIBN’s proposed MSME forums, clinics and clusters could help address some of the structural barriers preventing smaller businesses from accessing formal finance.
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