Yemisi Izuora
Since the launch of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy in October 2012, there has been a rapid scaling up of initiatives by a wide range of players aimed at improving access to and uptake of formal financial services in Nigeria.
As a result, increasing attention is being paid to financial literacy in clear recognition that it is a crucial component of increasing financial inclusion.
Against this background, the Financial Literacy Excellence Awards (FiLEX) is being launched by Development Initiatives Network (DIN), one of Nigeria’s leading development sector organizations, to support effective policy and market responses on financial empowerment.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Bola Fajemirokun, DIN’s chief executive officer (CEO), stated that the FiLEX Awards aim to showcase and celebrate leadership and innovations that have improved financial literacy in Nigeria.
She stated that for the winners in the three Awards categories, the FiLEX Awards will be a prestigious platform for demonstrating their strong commitment to delivering brand or social values relating to the empowerment of financial consumers in Nigeria particularly given the rise of digital finance, that is, the cashless revolution.
The FiLEX Awards she noted will celebrate leadership and innovations that have improved financial literacy in Nigeria.
Nominations for the Awards, which can only be made online opened on 30th October 2015 and closes on 30th November 2015.
Winners will be announced in December 2015 and the winners will be presented with their Awards at the inaugural FiLEX Awards Conference in January 2016, which will be attended by high-level government representatives and major corporate and civic leaders.
DIN, an affiliate of the International Network on Financial Education has been working on financial literacy issues since 2006 and pioneered advocacy for a National Strategy to systemize activities in this field.