Nigeria bank partners UN agency on sustainable financing - The first edition of the Nigeria Sustainable Finance Week put together by one of country’s leading financial institutions, Access Bank Plc in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and Finance For Development (FMO), would be held in Lagos from 7-9 September, according to a statement from the organizers.

“In the aftermath of a historical financial crisis, there is a deepening understanding that low carbon, energy security, resource efficiency and secure global supply chains for strategic materials are the market and financing drivers of the coming decades,” the statement said.

It added that sustainability was emerging as an increasingly critical but, at times, elusive factor to consider for sound business.

Some of the speakers for the conference include Sustainability Thought Leader, Herman Mulder, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of FMO, Nanno Kleitern, Head of United Nations Environment Programme Financial Institutions, Paul Clement-Hunt and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

With the theme 'Moving Frontiers - Sustainable Finance', the Nigeria Sustainable Finance Week aims to explore and offer a unique opportunity to get a wide-angle perspective on global trends and local opportunities in the fledgling sector of sustainable finance. 

It also seeks to invigorate the interest of the African finance sector into the potential of sustainable markets.

The week will culminate with a CEO roundtable during which heads of selected Nigerian banks will spell out their visions and hopes for the growth of the sustainable finance sector in Nigeria.

Pana 07/09/2011