The Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa Plc and Chairman of the Body of Bank CEOs in Nigeria, Oliver Alawuba, has outlined a blueprint for building a resilient Nigerian economy, calling for deliberate policies and stronger public-private collaboration to transform economic stability into inclusive prosperity.
Alawuba made the call while delivering a goodwill address at the 19th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Building a Resilient Economy in an Era of Disruptions: Imperatives for the Banking and Financial Services Industry,’ he noted that resilience must be intentionally embedded across national policies, institutions, infrastructure, supply chains, energy systems, and human capital.
According to him, a resilient economy is not one immune to shocks, but one capable of absorbing, adapting to, and advancing through disruptions without shifting the financial burden onto vulnerable citizens.He highlighted ongoing global macroeconomic headwinds, including geopolitical tensions, shipping market volatility, and persistent inflationary pressures, as factors underscoring the need for proactive structural buffers.
Alawuba commended the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria for improved fiscal and monetary policy coordination, noting that positive trends in key economic indicators represent vital steps toward stabilisation.
He, however, stressed that macroeconomic recovery must translate into broader commercial opportunities and improved living standards for citizens.