Fidelity Bank’s Kevin Ugwuoke Takes Office as President of Risk Managers Association

Kevin Ugwuoke, Executive Director and Chief Risk Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, has formally assumed office as President of the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI).

Ugwuoke, who also serves as acting President of the Federation of African Risk Management Associations (FARMA), made the pledge during a handover ceremony in Lagos over the weekend. He described his election as a “call to action” and promised to reposition the CRMI as a policy leader and institutional partner in strengthening risk governance across sectors in the country.

L-R: Registrar/Chief Executive, Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI), Victor Olannye; Divisional Head, Risk Management Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Grace Abioye; Immediate Past President, CRMI, Ezekiel Oseni; President, CRMI and Executive Director/Chief Risk Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Kevin Ugwuoke; Director, Enterprise Risk Management, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Amal Haruna; and Rep. Keynote speaker, Deputy Group Management Director, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Chukwuma Nweke; at the CRMI Conferment Handover/Sent-Forth ceremony, held in Lagos recently.

“Our mission is more than just certification; it’s about strengthening the culture of risk governance across sectors. We will collaborate with regulators, raise awareness, and provide practical tools to help organizations embed risk discipline at all levels,” Ugwuoke said.

He outlined a five-pronged strategy for his administration, focusing on strengthening professional education and certification; deepening policy and regulatory engagement; accelerating digital transformation; integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and climate risk into corporate strategies; and mentoring the next generation of risk practitioners.

Ugwuoke explained that the CRMI’s initiatives will align with key policy institutions including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, the National Assembly, and sub-national governments to enable them to contribute to the country’s economic stability and resilience.

He also revealed plans to revise the Institute’s curriculum, introduce specialized certifications to reflect emerging risks, and implement a new National Risk Observatory to provide real-time data to both the public and private sectors.

“Digital innovation will be central to how CRMI operates going forward. We are automating our backend, delivering more virtual training, and employing technology to scale our impact across the country and beyond,” he added.

Outgoing President Ezekiel Oseni challenged the new leadership to consolidate its achievements from securing chartered status and strengthening partnerships to gaining greater international recognition and take the Institute to the next level.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Chukwuma Nweke, deputy managing director of United Bank for Africa (UBA), delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba, described Ugwuoke as a worthy successor. “As Professor Oseni hands over the baton to Kevin Ugwuoke a well-respected leader in the risk management ecosystem  we are assured CRMI is poised for greater achievements under his watch.”

Nweke stressed that growing economic uncertainties from inflation and exchange rate volatility to growing debt highlight the need for a more strategic view of risk. “Risk must be recognized not as a compliance obligation or a cost center but as a key enabler of resiliency and growth. Institutions that embed risk into their strategies will absorb shocks more effectively, unlock value, and inspire investor confidence.”

As part of the ceremonies, 11 distinguished practitioners were conferred with the Fellow of Chartered Risk Manager (FCRMI) award, while 21 new members were formally inducted as Chartered Risk Managers (CRM). Furthermore, a new Governing Council was inaugurated to oversee the affairs of the Institute for the 2025–2027 term marking a decisive step forward in institutional renewal and policy direction