Dr Chizor Malize is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC).FITC, with over four decades of institutional legacy and trust, is redefining capacity building, governance, and digital innovation, empowering leaders and organisations to thrive in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. In this interview with ADEYEMI ADEPETUN, Dr Malize shares insights on how the institution is shaping the future of finance and others through innovation, leadership, and knowledge excellence. Largely, she spoke on the importance of cyber resilience to organisations’ health.
FITC has been around for over four decades, with a unique institutional ownership by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and the Bankers Committee.Can you shed light on this journey thus far?
FITC’s story is one of legacy, leadership, and lasting impact. Established over 40 years ago, FITC was conceived as a bold institutional response to a critical need to build the human and institutional capacity that would power the growth and resilience of Nigeria’s financial system.
Our ownership structure, backed by the apex bank and the industry itself, gives us a unique vantage point. We are positioned right at the intersection of policy, regulation, and practice, enabling us to understand the full spectrum of the financial ecosystem. This alignment has been instrumental in ensuring that our knowledge solutions are world-class, dynamic, relevant and industry-focused.
Over the past four decades, FITC has consistently shaped the evolution of the financial sector knowledge by training over 300,000 financial services professionals, influencing corporate governance practices, nurturing ethical leadership, and advancing institutional excellence through innovative knowledge solutions. But beyond the numbers, our real legacy lies in the transformation stories of the leaders we have built, the individuals who now sit at the helm of banks, regulatory bodies, and financial institutions across Africa.
As we mark this era of innovation and growth, FITC continues to stand as a beacon of knowledge, integrity, and transformation, leveraging our heritage to shape the future of finance, not just in Nigeria, but across the African continent.
Digital transformation is changing the global ecosystem in finance, technology, humanities, among others, forcing a regulatory rethink. How is FITC helping professionals navigate this complex landscape and stay competitive in an evolving digital economy?
At FITC, we see digital transformation not just as a technological shift, but as a strategic redefinition of how institutions think, operate, and lead. Our mission has been to ensure that every financial institution and professional we engage with is fully equipped to thrive in this fast-evolving digital economy.
We have taken bold steps to embed digital literacy, innovative thinking, and future-readiness into every one of our knowledge solutions. Our programmes now focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, RegTech/Suptech, and FinTech Innovation, helping organisations understand their strategic relevance and operational applications.
Through our flagship initiatives — such as the thought leadership programmes and the Future of Work Academy (FOWA)- we provide a unique convergence point for thought leaders, regulators, and innovators to exchange insights, co-create solutions, and accelerate digital transformation within the sector.
What distinguishes FITC is our ability to translate complex digital trends into actionable knowledge. We help financial institutions move from awareness to adoption and from adoption to measurable impact. Whether through immersive learning, executive coaching, or strategic advisory services, FITC ensures that Africa’s financial professionals are equipped with the tools, agility, and mindset required to lead confidently in the digital age.
In essence, our goal is to make Africa’s financial ecosystem digitally intelligent, globally competitive, and sustainably transformative with FITC at the centre, driving that evolution.
What is FITC’s assessment of the current cyber-resilience maturity level across the Nigerian financial services sector, and what specific new strategies is FITC championing to help institutions move from a reactive security posture to a proactive one?
FITC’s assessment indicates that the current cyber-resilience maturity level across the Nigerian financial services sector (including banks, fintechs, and other FIs) is characterised by an urgent need to transition from a largely reactive security posture to a proactive, forward-looking model.
While there is a high level of awareness and compliance with regulatory frameworks like the CBN’s Cybersecurity Guidelines, operational security is often constrained by resource limitations, the global shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals, and a high volume of sophisticated attacks.
The prevailing state is one where institutions excel at detection and recovery but still struggle with prediction and pre-emption. FITC champions a shift to an ‘Intelligent Defence’ model against sophisticated, cross-border attacks, focused on three core areas. These are systemic resilience via collaboration. Secondly, there is the adoption of advanced security technologies and cyber resilience as culture and governance.
As technology advances, so do the tools used by fraudsters. How is FITC advising financial and tech companies to effectively leverage AI, Machine Learning and others, not just for detection, but for predictive fraud analytics and real-time anomaly blocking?
FITC advises financial and tech companies to leverage AI and ML to evolve their fraud management from transactional inspection to predictive, contextual intelligence.
For us, moving beyond simple rule-based systems, institutions should use supervised and unsupervised ML models to analyse historical data and complex transaction networks to generate risk scores that predict the likelihood of fraud before a transaction is executed.
There is also the need to implement AI/ML to establish normal user profiles (known as ‘behavioural biometrics’) based on login patterns, device types, typing speed, and geolocation. Any significant, real-time deviation from this profile triggers an immediate, dynamic friction measure (e.g., a challenge question or temporary block).
We advise on the development of AI models that continuously learn and retrain on new fraud data to adapt to the rapidly evolving tactics of fraudsters, making the defence mechanism fluid and self-improving.
How is FITC shaping knowledge leadership and capacity building within the ecosystem?
FITC’s evolution has been intentional, strategic, and purpose-driven. We recognised early that the financial services sector was entering a period of unprecedented disruption driven by technology, regulation, and shifting customer expectations. To remain relevant and ahead of the curve, we had to transform from a traditional training institution, the focus at the foundation, into creating what has become today, a world-classinnovation-led and technology-driven knowledge hub.
Our strategy has been anchored on three critical pillars. They are Innovation, partnership and impact. These pillars guide how we design learning experiences, build partnerships, and shape thought leadership across the African continent. We have reimagined our programmes to focus on future finance, risk management and compliance, governance, digital transformation, regulation and supervision innovation, sustainability, and leadership agility, ensuring that we are developing financial services professionals who are not only competent, but also visionary and adaptable.
Through our digital learning ecosystem and innovative delivery platforms, FITC has transcended geography, reaching participants in over 40 countries globally, delivering immersive, tech-driven learning experiences, and hosting signature thought leadership conferences that define the industry agenda. We are deeply proud that our thought leadership initiatives, such as the FITC ThinkNnovation Cybersecurity conference, the Technovation FinTech Conference, the Sustainability & ESGconference, the well-acclaimed FITC Risk Roundtable and Summit, and the FITC Executive and Board Leadership programmes are now global references in the financial education landscape.
Ultimately, FITC’s evolution is powered by our belief that knowledge is the most powerful catalyst for transformation. We are not just curating learning, we are equipping leaders to anticipate change, embrace innovation, and drive sustainable transformation across the financial ecosystem.”
How have strategic collaborations and international partnerships amplified FITC’s influence in Africa and globally?
FITC’s mandate is continental in ambition and global in perspective. We understand that the challenges and opportunities shaping Africa’s financial landscape are interconnected with global developments and that to remain relevant, our impact must transcend borders.
Over the years, we have deliberately pursued strategic international partnerships that strengthen our thought leadership and expand the reach of our transformative work. They include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Finance Accreditation Agency of Malaysia, the Egypt Institute of Finance, extending to collaborations with leading global institutions, such as New York Institute of Finance (NYIF), CFTE and global technology firms to co-create cutting-edge learning experiences, research and Advisory solutions that reflect international best practice while addressing Africa’s unique realities.
Through these partnerships, we have been able to bring world-class expertise into Africa and, equally important, export African insights and innovations to the global stage. Our participants now come from over 40 countries across five continents, and our programmes are benchmarked against global standards in finance, technology, leadership, governance, risk, innovation, and sustainability.
We also play an active role in international knowledge exchange platforms — sharing the FITC experience at global conferences, multilateral forums, and regulatory summits. These engagements have reinforced FITC’s position as a strong voice in global financial transformation, a thought leader shaping conversations around digital innovation, ethical leadership, and financial inclusion.
What innovative knowledge platforms, programmes, or thought leadership initiatives has FITC pioneered that have significantly influenced governance, leadership, and innovation across the financial ecosystem?
At FITC, we believe that knowledge is the true currency of transformation. Knowledge shapes leadership, informs governance, and ignites innovation. Over the years, we have redefined the role of a learning institution by building platforms that not only transfer knowledge but also influence policy, drive products and service innovation, and inspire leadership excellence across the financial ecosystem.
Our programmes convene global and continental thought leaders from financial services professionals, regulators, innovators, policymakers, and directors to shape conversations on the future of finance, emerging technologies, and sustainable transformation.These programmes align with international frameworks while being deeply contextualised for today’s realities, ensuring that leaders are equipped with the competencies, values, and agility needed to lead innovatively.
Through these high-impact and innovative programmes, we continue to serve as the ideal laboratory for the financial services sector, where innovation is inspired, governance is strengthened, and the next generation of transformative leaders is built.”
In today’s world, leadership, ethics, and governance excellence remain central to sustainable financial systems. How does FITC integrate ESG principles, ethical leadership, and governance excellence into its learning and advisory agenda to build resilient and responsible institutions?
“At FITC, we believe that sustainability is a leadership imperative. The future of finance must be built on integrity, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to responsible governance. That is why ESG, ethics, and corporate governance are not peripheral topics for us; they are woven into the very fabric of our learning, advisory, and leadership development agenda and the reason we set up the FITC Sustainability and ESG Institute.
As the knowledge and capacity-building arm of Nigeria’s financial system, FITC has long championed the values of transparency, ethical conduct, and governance excellence, all of which form the curriculum for the FITC Sustainability & ESG Institute. We work closely with regulatory institutions, boards, and senior executives to build systems and cultures that balance profitability with purpose, ensuring that financial growth is both inclusive and sustainable.
What guided your approach to repositioning the FITC brand, and how does this refreshed identity align with your vision to empower professionals and institutions across the financial ecosystem?
“When I assumed leadership at FITC at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of my core priorities was to reignite the brand’s purpose, to ensure that what the heritage FITC brand embodied and how the brand engaged with the industry ecosystem and stakeholders reflected the scale of our impact and the audacity of our vision. FITC had a rich legacy, but we required a refreshed brand identity that mirrored its evolving role as a bold, innovative, and globally relevant knowledge institution. Our brand transformation journey was driven by some key guiding principles: Vision, Relevance, Experience, Innovation and Agility.
We began by redefining our purpose: to inspire, impact, and transform Africa’s financial ecosystem through knowledge and innovation. This became the North Star that informed every decision, from our visual identity to our learning architecture, communications, and stakeholder engagement.
We then focused on relevance, ensuring that our programmes, thought leadership platforms, and strategic collaborations addressed the real needs of today’s financial institutions. This meant embracing technology, expanding our digital footprint, and positioning FITC as a leader in future-oriented learning. From our digital learning environments to our international conferences and partnerships, every FITC interaction now embodies excellence, energy, and innovation.
Today, the FITC brand stands for credibility, creativity, and continental impact. It’s a brand that carries the confidence of our history and the dynamism of our future. We are proud that our transformation has not only elevated how the industry perceives FITC.
What is your long-term vision for FITC, and how do you see the organisation shaping the next decade of financial innovation and institutional excellence across Africa?
“Our vision at FITC is to be Africa’s foremost knowledge and innovation powerhouse, shaping leaders, institutions, and ideas that will drive the continent’s financial future.
This vision is grounded in our heritage. FITC was established by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Deposit Money Banks. A good number of these institutions today operate across more than 24 African countries.
This gives FITC a strong continental foundation and credibility to scale our impact beyond Nigeria’s borders. Currently, we follow the footprints of these strong institutions as we support the continental expansion through learning and knowledge intervention across the continent.
We are building on this legacy by deepening our digital learning ecosystems, expanding strategic partnerships, and creating thought leadership platforms that connect insight to transformation. Our goal is to equip financial institutions with the tools, agility, and leadership mindset needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.
