CIBN, NIBSS introduce professional certification programme on electronic payment

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in collaboration with Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) has introduced a Professional Certification Programme on Electronic Payments to the financial services industry as innovations in payment technology.

Mr. Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director/CEO, NIBSS Plc, said the certification was introduced to codify the Nigeria e-Payments knowledgebase, and determine the knowledge and work experience criteria required to recognize practitioners as Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced levels.

Oiwoh, also said that it would also create a growth roadmap for fledgling e-Payment workers, including the unemployed who has the desire to make a career in the Electronic Payments ecosystem within the emerging and burgeoning banking, payments and Financial Technology industry in Nigeria.

According to him, “the Nigeria Financial Services Industry has come a long way and is currently leading the pace in payments compared to our international counterparts yet to achieve most of the milestones we have. This Professional Certification Programme will in no doubt evolve as a specialist practice in setting the standards for e-payment expertise in e-payments and financial technology profession”, he said.

Mr. Seye Awojobi, Registrar/Chief Executive of the CIBN, said the introduction of the Certification cannot be more timely than now given the recent experience with the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic which created serious disruptions in our professional and personal lives.

Awojobi, said that the Programme is an international outlook, well grounded in the local realities of the Nigerian e-Payment Ecosystem and captured the current dynamics as well as all aspects of the digital financial services’ practices.

The CIBN Registrar/CEO explained that the objectives of the Certification Programme are, to set the standards for e-payment expertise in Nigeria; Foster a category of high performing professionals in the industry and build a resilient, safe and secured e-payment system in Nigeria.

He also said that the Curriculum for the Programme adequately covers the current trends and the required knowledge areas in line with the global best practices.