Rokel Bank MD Dr. Gilpin Inducted and Honored The Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, has been inducted and conferred with the prestigious Honorary Chartered Institute of Bankers (HCIB) award by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) during its 2025 London International Banking and Finance Conference.

The three-day bi-annual conference, held from April 24 to 26 in London, brought together finance and fintech operators, regulators, policymakers, academics, and industry leaders from across Africa and beyond.

Themed “Enhancing Forex Liquidity Through Export Diversification: The Role of the Banking Sector,” the conference featured expert sessions, training programs, and high-level discussions on topics including export financing, corporate governance, artificial intelligence in financial services, and the evolving risks and opportunities in the digital banking space.

In a significant highlight, Dr. Gilpin was formally inducted as an Honorary Member of the Institute, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to banking and financial sector development in Sierra Leone and the wider African region.

As a key speaker and moderator in the session titled “The Role of Banking in Financing Export-Oriented Industries,” Dr. Gilpin shared compelling insights on the challenges and opportunities surrounding export financing in Africa. He noted the persistent gap between the demand and supply of export financing globally, with the deficit being most acute in African economies.

“There is a clear need for more robust export financing mechanisms,” he emphasized, pointing out that payments, risk mitigation, information gaps, and access to financing are critical areas in need of urgent intervention.

Dr. Gilpin challenged financial institutions to go beyond traditional lending practices, urging banks to fully understand the ecosystems in which their funds operate. “As bankers, we must move beyond merely providing funding — we must deeply understand the ecosystems in which our funds operate,” he stressed.

He also addressed the continued impact of global protectionist policies — including tariffs and non-tariff barriers — which disproportionately affect African exporters. According to him, these obstacles lead to increased costs, limit competitiveness, and hamper the ability of African businesses to repay loans in their local currencies.

The Rokel Bank MD further called for African nations to focus on value addition in their export sectors, stating that remaining at the lower end of global value chains reduces potential returns and economic resilience. He advocated for increased South-South cooperation, enhancement of artificial intelligence and digital platforms in banking, and leveraging Africa’s rich natural resources and arable land to move up the value chain.

The CIBN, in a statement, described the conference as a “knowledge-sharing, thought-leadership, and solution-based forum,” enabling key stakeholders to exchange ideas and offer practical insights into contemporary banking and economic challenges.

Dr. Gilpin’s recognition with the HCIB is widely seen as a testament to his visionary leadership in transforming Rokel Commercial Bank and his unwavering advocacy for inclusive, sustainable banking solutions across Africa.

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