Markie Idowu becomes first female President of NICA, pledges credit sector devt
Nike Popoola
Dr. Mrs Markie Idowu has emerged as the first female President of the Governing Council of the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), marking a significant milestone in the history of Nigeria’s foremost statutory body of credit management professionals and industry stakeholders.
Her investiture ceremony was held in Lagos on Thursday, alongside the induction of other Fellow Governing Council Members and the conferment of NICA Fellowship. The event attracted prominent financial leaders and key figures in Nigeria’s economic landscape.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of NICA, Prof. Chris Onalo, underscored the importance of credit management to national development.
“Unlike other institutes, NICA recognizes that credit economy management is the lifeblood of commerce, influencing every aspect of business, social and economic life, from the way people save and invest to how businesses access capital and thrive. Credit management plays a leading role,” he said.
An economic expert, Dr. Biodun Adedipe, in a presentation titled, “The Role of Credit in Nigerian Economic Transformation,” stressed that countries seeking meaningful transformation must address structural deficits across key sectors.
He identified food, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure and housing as critical areas requiring robust credit support.
“There is hardly any country that overcame these deficits without a big room for credit. The configuration and architecture of the credit ecosystem is crucial, especially at this point of intentional macroeconomic reset and market reforms in Nigeria,” Adedipe stated.
He further called for renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s credit ecosystem and stronger institutions to effectively channel credit into priority sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure and the digital economy.
In her acceptance remarks, Idowu pledged to elevate the credit professional practice within the industry.
“We will elevate professional standards, deepen credit education, embrace digital innovation in credit practice and reinforce ethical discipline across the industry,” she said.
