SWIFT
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Central Banks of Nigeria and Ghana to speak at SWIFT Business Forum West Africa

Adelabu Adebayo, Deputy Governor, Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Millison Narh, the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, to discuss key financial and other trends from across the region at the SWIFT Business Forum West Africa

West Africa is a dynamic and varied region that contains some of the largest and highest growth economies in Africa

LAGOS, Nigeria, October 20, 2016/APO/ --

SWIFT (www.SWIFT.com) announces the first names in its speaker line-up of industry leaders set to participate in its first ever Business Forum West Africa on 8 November 2016. The event will bring together more than 200 high-level financial representatives from across West Africa for a day of keynote speeches and interactive panel sessions. It will feature several senior speakers and strategic thinkers from both Nigeria and Ghana. 

Adelabu Adebayo, Deputy Governor, Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Millison Narh, the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, will take part in the panel on Policy in Action: Challenges Facing West Africa, to discuss the impact of the economic downturn, increased expectations around compliance and developments in technology on policy formation in West Africa. The session will focus on FX and liquidity management, financial crime compliance and financial inclusion.

“SWIFT is a key player in the Nigerian financial community and a trusted partner,” said Adelabu Adebayo. “I am delighted that the first ever Business Forum West Africa will take place in Nigeria, one of the leading economies in Africa.”

“SWIFT plays an instrumental role in Africa’s financial markets,” said Millison Narh. “I am delighted to take part in this exclusive event, which is a great opportunity for the Ghanaian financial community to learn, share, network and find common solutions to the challenges facing the region.”

Akpan Ekpo, Director General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management will provide delegates with an economic overview of the region. Epko has published over 200 articles in respected national and international journals and is a consultant to many international organizations such as the World Bank, African Economic Research Consortium and the European Commission. 

The growing roster of experts that will address the Business Forum West Africa includes:

•    Dipo Fatokun, Director of Banking and Payments Systems, Central Bank of Nigeria
•    Joseph Akunyumu Tetteh, Director of Banking, Bank of Ghana
•    Abdoulaye Barry, Director of Financial Integration, West African Monetary Institute (WAMI)
•    Kyari Bukar, CEO, Central Securities and Clearing Systems
•    Segun Sani, CEO, Lakewood Investments and Trust
•    Tayo Asupoto, General Manager of Settlements at GT Bank
•    Ike Williams, CIO at Heritage Bank
•    Sam Okenye, Chief Information Security Officer    at the United Bank for Africa
•    Tunji Alabi, Chief Information Officer, Fidelity Bank Ghana

Sido Bestani, Head of the Middle East, Turkey & Africa, SWIFT, says: “West Africa is a dynamic and varied region that contains some of the largest and highest growth economies in Africa. The Business Forum West Africa provides a unique platform for leading experts from across the continent to discuss the most significant issues facing the region”.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of SWIFT.

Media Contacts:  
Cognito
SWIFT@CognitoMedia.com  
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Claire Williams
Account Director
Atmosphere Communications
+21 11 215 0010
Claire@Atmosphere.co.za

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About SWIFT:
SWIFT (www.SWIFT.com) is a global member-owned cooperative and the world’s leading provider of secure financial messaging services. We provide our community with a platform for messaging, standards for communicating and we offer products and services to facilitate access and integration; identification, analysis and financial crime compliance. Our messaging platform, products and services connect more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories, enabling them to communicate securely and exchange standardised financial messages in a reliable way. As their trusted provider, we facilitate global and local financial flows, support trade and commerce all around the world; we relentlessly pursue operational excellence and continually seek ways to lower costs, reduce risks and eliminate operational inefficiencies. Headquartered in Belgium, SWIFT’s international governance and oversight reinforces the neutral, global character of its cooperative structure. SWIFT’s global office network ensures an active presence in all the major financial centres.
For more information, visit www.SWIFT.com.