• Saturday, November 23, 2024
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CIBN sees career development as key to boost organization performance, retain talents

We exclusively focus on SME lending – Auto Bucks CEO  Olasukanmi Olaoye CEO, Auto Bucks Lenders Limited, one of the subsidiaries of Alert Group, in this interview with Hope Moses-Ashike, speaks on challenges facing lending to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and other issues, excerpt.   What specific risk management strategy did you implement to maintain portfolio at risk below 1 percent?   In our inaugural year of operation, we disbursed over N80 million in loans. The income generated from these disbursements, coupled with the fact that they constitute a healthy portfolio, mitigates any risk associated with our portfolio. Therefore, the revenue derived from fees and charges enables us to generate income without exposing our portfolio to risk. The robust health of these portfolios significantly contributes to the achievement of our income targets.  How did you manage costs and operational efficiency to achieve profitability within seven months?   To achieve profitability within seven months, we implemented several strategies. Firstly, we focused on securing cheaper funds, as lower financing costs enhance operational efficiency significantly. Secondly, while maintaining competitive pricing, we ensured that our rates were adequate to cover our cost of funds and other operational expenses.  Moreover, we kept our management expenses minimal, contributing to overall cost reduction. Leveraging technology was another key aspect of our approach. By deploying advanced technological solutions, we streamlined various business processes. For instance, our electronic collection system eliminated the need for manual cash transactions, enhancing efficiency and reducing the need for field officers.  Through these measures, we optimized operational efficiency and effectively managed costs, resulting in positive outcomes within the initial six months of operation.  You mentioned disbursing approximately N80 million; how many individuals or businesses were beneficiaries of this loan?  We exclusively focus on SME lending. To date, we have successfully disbursed loans to over 1,000 SMEs. This achievement underscores our deliberate commitment to positively impact the Nigerian economy through targeted support for SMEs. Since our inception, every loan disbursed has been directed towards SMEs, reaching a total of over 1,000 beneficiaries.  How do you ensure that the beneficiaries are utilizing the loans provided to them for business growth and to contribute to the economy?  The primary way we ascertain the proper utilization of the funds we disburse is through their repayment behavior. If beneficiaries have diverted the funds and not invested them in their businesses, it would reflect in their repayment patterns. Additionally, we implement rigorous monitoring mechanisms once the loan is disbursed. This ongoing monitoring allows us to assess the impact of the funds on their businesses and on the economy as a whole.  Furthermore, maintaining a positive credit appraisal is crucial. A strong credit record not only facilitates future loan requests but also enables beneficiaries to potentially access larger loan amounts. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of maintaining a favorable credit history.  When you mention that your portfolio at risk is below 1 percent, does that imply that you do not encounter other challenges?  The strategy we’ve employed acknowledges that some clients may face difficulties in repayment, particularly during certain business cycles such as festive or fasting periods. For instance, clients in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector may experience reduced returns during fasting periods due to decreased consumption levels. Our proactive monitoring of these clients helps mitigate potential challenges and aids in the recovery of funds.  As previously mentioned, we exclusively provide loans to SMEs with a minimum of 12 months of consistent business operation and cash flow. This ensures that our borrowers have a track record of financial stability, as evidenced by their bank records. We do not extend loans to startups but rather focus on established businesses with a proven track record.  Our credit analysis process is thorough and detailed, assessing the borrower’s financial history and ability to repay. For instance, if a borrower has transacted less than N500 million in the past 12 months and seeks a N5 million loan, we evaluate their monthly turnover to ascertain their repayment capacity. This rigorous process ensures that loans are utilized effectively and that borrowers can comfortably meet repayment obligations.  Additionally, we implement regular monitoring to ensure that funds are used appropriately and not diverted for non-business purposes. We are mindful of seasonal factors, such as festive periods, to prevent misallocation of funds. Our commitment to responsible lending practices and diligent monitoring safeguards against potential diversions and ensures that our support truly benefits the MSMEs we serve.  What are some of the other challenges your business faces?  In the current macroeconomic landscape, businesses encounter various hurdles. The high cost of operation is a prominent issue, compounded by volatile market conditions. Fluctuations in prices, especially due to foreign exchange (FX) challenges, pose significant obstacles. Even after procuring goods, market dynamics can swiftly impact prices, leading to uncertainties.  Moreover, macroeconomic indicators like inflation rates, currently at 33.2 percent, further complicate business operations. Elevated inflation affects purchasing power and overall business viability. Additionally, the cost of funds presents a considerable challenge. While securing financing is crucial, prevailing market conditions have increased the cost of capital, with investors demanding higher returns on their investments.  Despite these challenges, we actively seek solutions to mitigate risks. This includes sourcing affordable and stable funding options while prioritizing long-term relationships with fund providers. We also recognize the importance of stable economic policies in fostering a conducive business environment. Efforts by the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria to stabilize the economy, particularly in areas like FX markets, are crucial for SMEs to plan and navigate business operations effectively.

Ken Opara, President and Chairman of Council, CIBN

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has pointed to career development as a key factor to determine the performance of organisations and retaining talents as innovations and technology evolve.

Experts who spoke at the CIBN graduates induction and price awards day held in Lagos at the weekend disclosed that both employees and employers of labour especially in the banking sector must adapt to the changes in technology and innovation to thrive and meet up with organisation demand.

Ken Opara, president and chairman of council, CIBN, during his opening remarks said, “Today we live in a world characterized by the new normal. Change and massive disruption are understood to be the defining factors in how we live, work and operate. The global economy is buffeted by headwinds of change sweeping across national borders and traditional industry boundaries, the financial services industry not exempted.”

“Driving these changes are factors such as Fintech, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, Cloud Computing and Internet of Things. Essentially, technology has been the major driver of change. Therefore, the need for Career development for Professionals in today’s VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) has become a very important subject that cannot be over emphasized”

Similarly, Kadilat Araoye, chief executive officer of Lotus bank while delivering the keynote speech at the event themed ‘Career development in a changing world: strategies for financial service professionals’ elaborated various ways in which career development can benefit firms and employees.

Read also: Why human resources development is vital for organizational leadership

According to her, Career development to the employer is the support an organisation provides to an employee’s career, professional and personal growth, including training, coaching, mentoring, skills development, networking, attachment, and career pathing. It helps the organisation prepare for future talent needs, while to the employee remains a process of self-knowledge, exploration, and decision-making that shapes one’s career which requires successfully navigating one’s occupational options to choose and train for jobs that suit one’s personality, skills, and interests.

“Career development serves to attract and retain talent, utilise human resources, optimally enhance organisational effectiveness and performance, provide an assessment of the strengths, weaknesses and potentials in an organisation,” Araoye said.

On the side of the employee, the CEO stated that career development makes them adaptable to changes, promote a higher knowledge of self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses in employees, enhance the self-confidence and competencies of employees, encourage corporate and individual development, growth and promotion, sensitize employees to various career prospects or options available in the organisation, improve internal morale, motivation and engagement and produce a credible succession pipeline while creating a learning culture.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,857 graduates were inducted, 1099 Associates through the Regular Examination route, 47 Associates through the CBMBA route, 21 Associates via the MSc/ACIB route and 690 Microfinance Certified Bankers.

Also, awards of recognition were given to best practicing graduates and examiners who distinguish themselves to mark the celebration.

The event also has many dignitaries from the banking sector in attendance including Babatunde Lemo, former deputy CBN governor/chairman Titan Trust bank, Abdullahi Ahmed, chairman FBN Holdings/former director, banking supervision at CBN represented by Oyewale Ayibiri, chief financial officer at FBN Holdings and host of others who joined both physically and virtually.

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