As Nigeria’s microfinance sector continues to expand its role in financial inclusion, it becomes increasingly important to elevate the leadership capacity and institutional strength at the very top. In May, MLDC directed its focus to strengthening corporate governance, strategic leadership, and operational transformation, ensuring that decision-makers of microfinance institutions are equipped to navigate evolving regulatory expectations, economic volatility, market disruption, and technological innovations within the sector.
Our efforts this month were crowned by the successful implementation of our flagship Board and Executive Program (BEP) 2.0, alongside other engagements that reinforced our mission to professionalize and empower institutions across the country.
Board and Executive Program (BEP) 2.0
Held from April 21–23 at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos, the Board and Executive Program (BEP) 2.0 brought together over 30 board members, managing directors, and senior executives from microfinance institutions across the country in what is now regarded as one of the most high-level leadership and governance forums in the sector this year.
BEP 2.0 was specifically crafted to address the strategic challenges and opportunities confronting institutional leadership in an era defined by regulatory tightening, technological disruption, and elevated market expectations. The three-day non-residential workshop featured a rigorous lineup of expert-led modules, strategy clinics, board simulations, and interactive roundtables.
Some of the key themes explored at the BEP included:
- Building strategic governance frameworks for agile and high-performing boards
- Understanding CBN’s evolving regulatory expectations and preparing for 2025–2026 reforms
- Navigating the digital imperative: how boards can lead transformation in MFBs
- Crisis and risk leadership: embedding sustainability, resilience, and ethical decision-making at the top
- The board’s role in financial innovation, inclusivity, and social performance
With a mix of real-world case studies, policy insights, and practical group work, participants were immersed in a hands-on learning environment. They left with actionable frameworks to immediately begin board and institutional reforms within their organizations.
A Catalyst for Sector-Wide Impact:
BEP 2.0 was not only a learning experience but also a leadership movement. Institutions represented have begun adopting board review exercises, governance benchmarking practices, and strategic oversight planning tools shared during the program. Feedback indicated a significant rise in confidence among board chairs and MDs to challenge assumptions, oversee institutional innovation, and drive long-term stability.
The program further reinforced MLDC’s role as a catalytic platform for executive capacity development, anchoring strategic transformation at the very top of the microfinance leadership chain.
Special Recognition Moment: The final day of BEP 2.0 was made even more memorable with the presence of Dr. Tokunbo Martins, PhD, Board Chair of Mldc NG , a former Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and current Chairperson of GTBank. She presented certificates and awards to participants, celebrating their dedication to governance, excellence, and sector leadership. Her closing remarks underscored the need for bold, visionary leadership in Nigeria’s evolving microfinance landscape.
May Training Spotlight: Internal Control & Audit for Microfinance Banks
On May 28–29, MLDC delivered a focused technical training on Internal Control and Audit for Microfinance Banks, attracting 23 professionals from internal control and audit departments of microfinance institutions across the Southwest, East, and North Central regions. This program was timely and essential, considering rising regulatory scrutiny and the increasing demand for accountability across microfinance institutions. According to recent NDIC and CBN assessments, internal control weaknesses account for over 60% of reported compliance breaches in the sector. This training emphasized:
- Best practices in internal audit reporting
- Strengthening internal control environments
- Aligning audit frameworks with CBN’s supervisory expectations
- Tools for risk-based audit planning and fraud detection
Representatives from the institutions that participated gained actionable insights to reinforce internal governance, reduce compliance violations, and build operational trust with regulators, stakeholders, and clients.
A New Frontier: MLDC x James Hope University Launch Postgraduate MBA in Microfinance
In a transformative milestone for the microfinance industry, the Microfinance Learning and Development Centre (MLDC) and James Hope University(JHU) have entered into a groundbreaking academic partnership to launch a Postgraduate MBA in Microfinance—the first of its kind in Nigeria. This program is designed to confer both academic distinction and professional credibility, blending rigorous MBA-level coursework with practical insights tailored to the realities of microfinance operations. This initiative will:
- Equip students with strategic, analytical, and ethical competencies to lead in the sector
- Create a steady pipeline of certified professionals tailored to Nigeria’s development finance needs
- Raise the intellectual and operational bar for future leadership within the microfinance industry
This initiative will enjoy sector-wide benefits such as:
- Certification: Formal academic recognition for mid-career and senior professionals
- Capacity Development: Structured learning that merges theory with real-world execution
- Employability: Enhanced opportunities for upward mobility and global recognition in finance
This partnership marks a new dawn in professional development for Nigeria’s financial inclusion agenda and is set to redefine career trajectories across the entire microfinance ecosystem.
Ongoing Capacity Development & Sector Partnerships
In addition to BEP 2.0 and our postgraduate partnership, May also marked continued progress in our collaborative initiative with a major global eductech partner, focused on the digital transformation of professional development across the Nigerian microfinance landscape.
This strategic partnership is aimed at:
- Democratizing access to training through scalable online platforms
- Boosting employability and upskilling through AI-curated learning pathways
- Enabling MFBs to deploy customized learning for staff at all levels, directly from their mobile devices or desktops
The initiative is expected to significantly increase the professional competency and organizational agility of Nigeria’s microfinance institutions, equipping them for sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving global environment.
Following the momentum of May, MLDC will continue to roll out high-impact trainings, sector dialogues, and strategic partnerships that speak to sector needs and matters arising in June and beyond, with special focus on loan recovery and credit mobilization, risk management, financial innovation, and digitization of rural lending.
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