Stanbic IBTC Bank, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings and a member of Standard Bank Group, has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing trade and economic growth in West Africa following the successful conclusion of GTR West Africa 2026, where the Bank served as lead sponsor.

 

The two-day conference, held recently in Lagos, featured policymakers, financial institutions, corporates and fintech players to discuss the evolving landscape of regional and global trade.

 

The event attracted over 400 delegates from more than 200 organisations, spanning sectors including banking, fintech, agribusiness and logistics; underscoring its position as a critical platform for shaping trade finance dialogue in the region.

 

The conference, which  opened with a keynote address by Founder & Chief Narrative Officer, Kleos Advisory Ltd, Tedd George, focused on harnessing improving macroeconomic stability to drive sustainable trade growth across West Africa, saw subsequent sessions explore export diversification, supply chain finance and agribusiness-led trade, supported by practical case studies highlighting real-world applications.

 

Day two centred on digital trade and financial inclusion, with discussions on Africa’s mobile-first economy and contributions from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Digital Standards Initiative, which emphasised the importance of accelerating the digitisation of global trade finance.

 

Stanbic IBTC Bank’s participation followed closely on the heels of Standard Bank Group’s engagement at the GTR Africa Conference in Cape Town, reinforcing the Group’s pan-African approach to advancing trade and financial integration across key markets.

 

Commenting on the Bank’s role at the conference,  Head of Transaction Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Jesuseun Fatoyinbo assured of the  institution commitment to  delivering innovative solutions that respond to the shifting needs of businesses engaged in trade.

 

“At Stanbic IBTC Bank, we are steadfast in our commitment to driving economic growth through innovative transaction banking solutions. The trade finance landscape is evolving rapidly, and it is our responsibility to continuously adapt and strengthen our offerings to support our clients,” Fatoyinbo said.

 

Also reflecting on the conference, Executive Director, Corporate and Transaction Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Eric Fajemisin highlighted the strategic importance of GTR West Africa to the region’s trade ecosystem.

 

“We leave this year’s GTR even more inspired as always, by the quality of engagement and the opportunities identified; and more committed than ever to enabling trade and economic development across Nigeria and the wider West African region. Trade finance is not peripheral to development, it is fundamental to it,” Fajemisin said.

 

Delegates from Stanbic IBTC Bank and Standard Bank Group contributed actively to the programme. Adedayo Adesanmi, Senior Vice-President, Structured Trade Finance, Standard Bank Group, shared insights on scaling supply chain finance and strengthening domestic value chains, while identifying cross-border growth opportunities.

 

In a dedicated agribusiness case study session, Seun Ogundolapo, Head of Trade Transaction Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, alongside Sreenivas Alagonda, Chief Financial Officer, Robust International Commodities, examined the practical delivery of structured commodity trade finance solutions.