Lanre Bamisebi Advocates AI-Led, Sector-Focused Strategy to Transform Corporate Banking in Africa

Lanre Bamisebi Advocates AI-Led, Sector-Focused Strategy to Transform Corporate Banking in Africa

Corporate banking in Africa is shifting rapidly, and the conversation has moved far beyond traditional products like deposits and credit facilities. At the recent Future of Finance Summit, Lanre Bamisebi, Executive Director of IT and Digitisation at Access Holdings, called for a fundamental rethink of how banks serve corporate clients, insisting that institutions must match the sophistication and evolving demands of modern businesses.

Bamisebi stressed that today’s corporates are not merely seeking banking services, but end-to-end solutions. “They want visibility into liquidity, frictionless cross-border payments, and integrated solutions that anticipate their changing needs,” he said. Despite industry-wide progress, he pointed out a persistent disconnect between corporate expectations and what banks currently deliver.

Drawing from Access Bank’s scale—serving more than 65 million customers and handling up to 12.5 million transactions daily—Bamisebi highlighted artificial intelligence and advanced data management as critical tools for closing that service gap. These technologies, he argued, are enabling banks to personalise solutions at a level that was once impossible.

“Retail banking is straightforward; corporate banking is complex,” he explained. “Every company, even within the same sector, has unique needs that require tailored solutions.” He acknowledged that innovation must occur without jeopardising system stability. Comparing the process to “flying a plane while serving meals,” he said banks must maintain steady operations while introducing technology that adapts to changing corporate requirements.

Generic, one-size-fits-all products, he warned, can no longer serve businesses in high-value sectors such as oil and gas, mining, and telecommunications. Instead, banks must build deep sector knowledge and deploy flexible, AI-enabled platforms that evolve with their clients. Institutions capable of delivering predictability and anticipatory service—solving problems before customers raise them—will be the ones that endure.

On the expanding role of artificial intelligence, Bamisebi offered measured optimism. He described AI as indispensable but noted the risks of bias and “hallucinations,” emphasizing the need for strong regulatory and institutional oversight. He likened the current stage of AI adoption to the early Internet era: transformative, inevitable, and requiring prudent safeguards.

Looking ahead, he set out three strategic imperatives for banks seeking leadership in corporate banking across Africa:

1. Model what works: Study successful frameworks, including Access Bank’s customer-centric approach, and adapt them to local realities.
2. Specialize deeply: Focus on niche sectors and deliver superior value instead of trying to serve every industry.
3. Commit to continuous learning: Stay attuned to evolving client needs and invest in technology that anticipates those changes.

Bamisebi concluded that the future of corporate banking in Africa will be defined by the fusion of sector-specific insight, AI-driven intelligence, and relentless adaptability. Banks that embrace this shift, he noted, will not only satisfy the demands of modern corporates but also play a decisive role in shaping the continent’s financial evolution.