The Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks has officially commenced activities marking its landmark 30th anniversary celebration with a symbolic tree-planting exercise on Providence Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Despite a heavy downpour, the event went ahead as scheduled on June 11, drawing prominent leaders from Nigeria’s banking and financial sectors who braved the weather to champion environmental sustainability.
The green initiative was designed to promote environmental sustainability while honouring three decades of corporate communications and marketing excellence within the nation’s banking industry. In a unique display of industry unity, representatives from various financial institutions planted individual trees, each named after their respective banks.
The exercise was led by the ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, alongside the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Akin Morakinyo.
They were joined by the ACAMB Vice President 1, Chinwe Bode-Akinwande; Vice President 2, Morolake Onifade; and a turnout of both past and present executive committee members, alongside group heads of marketing and departmental heads from across the banking sector.
Welcoming dignitaries to the event, Sipe reflected on the foundation laid by the association’s pioneers and its evolving role in the financial ecosystem.
“Thirty years ago, a handful of professionals chose to put the reputation of the banking industry above rivalry,” Sipe stated.
“We are standing today on the foundation they laid, and every tree we plant here is a promise to keep building and, most importantly, deepen credibility by proactively addressing issues which directly improve our collective brand image and customer loyalty,” he added.
Sipe emphasised that the green initiative serves a dual purpose for the milestone year, saying, “What ACAMB is doing also coincides with our 30th anniversary celebration. One of the best ways to celebrate this milestone is to contribute to the environment by planting trees that will, in the long run, be environmentally and economically impactful to society at large. We are planting trees in honour of banks in the country, and each of the trees will be named after them.”
Unveiling the official anniversary logo, Morakinyo commended ACAMB for its long-standing collaboration with the institute and challenged members to uphold the core tenets of their profession.
“This anniversary is dedicated to the glory of God and the service of humanity. I charge every member to hold firmly to professionalism and ethics in the discharge of their duties,” Morakinyo said.
The anniversary also provided an opportunity for reflection on how far the banking communications landscape has progressed. A founding member of the association, Dr Nkechi Ali-Balogun, shared insights into its historical origins in 1996, which began with representatives from five institutions: IBWA (later Afribank), Union Bank, NEXIM Bank, First Bank, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The late Mr Dangogo of the CBN gathered us at Kuramo Lodge with a simple idea, that banks could compete and still respect one another,” Ali-Balogun recalled.
A member of ACAMB’s Board of Trustees, Ogie Eboigbe, elaborated on the critical industry crisis that triggered the formation of the body in the mid-1990s.
“Banks were winning customers by tearing down their rivals, and it was hurting public confidence in all of us,” Eboigbe explained, noting that the destructive practice of “de-marketing” threatened the stability of the entire financial ecosystem before ACAMB intervened to restore professional boundaries.
Originally founded to combat negative industry perceptions and restore public trust, ACAMB continues to serve as the primary reputational voice for the banking sector as it expands across sub-Saharan Africa and international markets.
According to the anniversary programme outlined by Sipe, the tree-planting exercise is just the first step in a celebratory rollout running through September 2026. Upcoming events include a Golf and Networking Experience scheduled for 27 June 2026, at the Ikoyi Club, Lagos, with the anniversary events culminating in a grand Gala Night on 30 September 2026.
“We are marking three decades the way they should be marked, with substance and with joy,” Sipe concluded.
