By Amaka Ifeakandu
Lagos
At the recent Bloomberg Africa Business Summit, some of the continent’s most influential banking leaders convened to address a defining question for Africa’s economic trajectory.
They looked at How can the continent sustainably fund its own growth in an increasingly interconnected world.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Roosevelt Ogbonna, delivered a compelling perspective on this theme, offering a forward-looking view of what banking in a “Global Africa” must become.
Speaking to an audience of global investors, policymakers, and private-sector executives, Ogbonna began by highlighting the underlying resilience of African markets despite prevailing geopolitical uncertainties.
Citing Nigeria’s most recent Eurobond issuance, which was oversubscribed multiple times, he noted that investor appetite continues to respond positively to reform-driven environments.
“Markets are more intelligent than the narratives that often surround Africa,” Ogbonna stated. He emphasised that transparency, disciplined governance, and sustained policy reforms are sending clear signals that resonate with global capital pools. These conditions, he added, are laying a stronger foundation for financing Africa’s next phase of growth.
Looking ahead, Ogbonna, who spoke alongside Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Bank Group and Kenny Fihla, Group Chief Executive Officer of Absa Group, articulated a bold vision of Africa not merely as a consumer market, but as a global hub for trade, innovation, and production. With abundant talent, natural resources, and emerging technological infrastructure, the continent is ideally positioned to move up the value chain, from exporting raw materials to manufacturing and delivering value-added products domestically.
For Access Bank, he explained, this translates into a commitment to full-spectrum banking that supports every layer of economic activity: retail, SMEs, corporate entities, and investment-driven sectors such as renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and industrial processing.
“The objective goes beyond profitability, it is about catalysing growth, strengthening ecosystems, and driving development across regions and sectors,” he said.