Okobi, Esomeju, Otaigbe join global leaders to discuss sustainable finance, others

Access Holdings Plc is amongst the leading participants in the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for Africa and Middle East.

Taking place from May 6-7, 2025, in Marrakech, Morocco, the event brings together regulators, policymakers, and key stakeholders from the financial sector to discuss and shape critical sustainability issues, including climate mitigation and adaptation, nature-positive finance, just transition and financial inclusion, carbon finance, among others.

Amaechi Okobi, chief brand and communications officer, Access Holdings; Edmund Otaigbe, Group Head of Credit Administration, Governance & Project Monitoring, and Njideka Esomeju, Group Head of Products and Segments, will contribute insights from their extensive experience in driving sustainability within the financial sector.

Among the discussions will be sessions dedicated to accelerating the transition of real economy sectors towards sustainability, addressing climate risks, and ensuring financial inclusion. One of the focal points will be how financial institutions can support climate adaptation and resilience, particularly in vulnerable sectors across Africa and the Middle East. The event will further tackle the challenge of unlocking private finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), exploring innovative ways to align capital flows with regional sustainability needs.

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Other high-level dialogues will explore regional collaboration to support sustainability goals, advancing action on climate adaptation, and the regulatory developments promoting sustainable finance across the region. Panels will focus on topics such as financing and insuring MSMEs for climate resilience and fostering an inclusive transition by ensuring that vulnerable communities and underserved populations are not left behind in the push for green growth.

Prominent speakers at the event include Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda; Louise Gardiner, Senior Operations Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Lily Burge, Policy Manager, Climate Bonds Initiative; Samuel Tiriongo, Director of Research and Policy, Kenya Bankers Association;

Walid Ali, General Manager, Sustainability Department, Central Bank of Egypt; Yasser Mounsif, Director of Issuers, Moroccan Capital Market Authority, alongside other leaders in sustainable finance.

The UNEP FI Regional Roundtable promises to be a critical platform for deepening collaboration among stakeholders across Africa and the Middle East, with the shared goal of creating a resilient, sustainable future for the region.

Iheanyi Nwachukwu

Iheanyi Nwachukwu, is a creative content writer with almost two decades journalism experience writing on banking, finance, capital markets, and tax. The multiple awards winning journalist is Assistant Editor, BusinessDay. Iheanyi holds BSc Degree in Economics from Imo State University; Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Management from University of Lagos. Iheanyi has attended several work-related trainings including (i) Advanced Writing and Reporting Skills (Pan African University, Lagos); (ii) News Agency Journalism (Indian Institute of Mass Communication {IIMC}, New Delhi, India); and (iii) Capital Markets Development and Regulations (International Law Institute {ILI} of Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA). Other trainings Iheanyi attended include: Economic/Political Risk Analysis (By Thomson Reuters Foundation); International Financial Journalism (IFJ) (By PMA Media Training, UK); Effective Business Writing Skills (By Phillips Consulting); Reporting on Corporate Governance (By International Finance Corporation (IFC) & Thomson Reuters Foundation UK); etc. In addition, he has participated in high-level economy & markets events in Dubai, South Africa, Morocco, and other African countries like Zambia, Ghana and Gambia.