The Chairman of Nigeria’s body of bank chief executive officers, Dr. Herbert Wigwe has been awarded Juris Law award for his contributions to corporate governance and rule of law in the nation’s banking industry.
The prestigious award was presented by the Juris Law Office in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute to Wigwe, who is also the managing director of Access Bank Group at a workshop for judicial officers on recent reforms of the banking financial services sectors in Nigeria: Bank and Other Financial Institutions Act (2020) in Focus.
The workshop was titled: ‘The Role of the Judiciary in Financial System Stability in Nigeria’.
Apart from the Access Bank boss, the award was also presented to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, in recognition of his support towards the development of law for economic growth in Nigeria.
Earlier in his goodwill message, Wigwe said that the Bank and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 would promote a stronger, more transparent, and efficient financial system in Nigeria.
This is even as he noted that the expansion of the CBN’s powers and the other salient provisions introduced by the Act would also help to improve the financial system, prevent bank failures and other systemic issues.
Wigwe urged the lawyers to look into the contemporary issues in the nation’s banking sector and come up with workable ways of resolving financial disputes.
He said: “It is my hope that my Lords will be emboldened in the future to implement the provisions of this Act, admit their errors where necessary and do inestimable good to the banking and financial sector in the country.
“I am, without doubt, that your lordships’ decisions are a vital part in determining how fast and high the economy of this country can grow. It is my hope that the future cases will be decided in tandem with the spirit of this Act and the rule of law. No nation’s economy can develop faster than its rule of law”, the seasoned banker added.
Also, he charged the judiciary to use the opportunity of the workshop to gain the right knowledge and attitude into the contemporary issues in the financial and banking sector in the country.
