Bankers Seek Balance Between Cash, Digital Payments

Banking operations leaders are taking steps to reposition cash for efficiency and inclusion as Nigeria deepens its digital payments transformation. In this regard, the Committee of Heads of Bank Operations (CHBO) on Monday said it plans to examine the evolving role of cash in a rapidly digitising economy at its 2026 Banking Operations Conference.

The Communication Executive of CHBO, Ms Hope Okpara, said the annual conference, scheduled for Friday at the Bankers House, Lagos, would bring together key decision-makers across the banking and payments ecosystem.

Okpara said the theme of the conference is “Re-imagining the Future of Cash in a Digital-First Economy.”

She said the conference would interrogate how the financial system could balance the push for faster digital payment adoption with the continued relevance of physical cash.

This, Okpara maintained, would be especially within informal sectors and communities with limited access to digital infrastructure.

According to her, discussions will focus on repositioning cash to coexist more efficiently, securely and sustainably alongside digital payment channels.

Speaking ahead of the conference, the Chairman of CHBO, Mr Abraham Aziegbe, said the 2026 edition comes at a defining moment for the financial services industry.

“As Nigeria deepens its digital payments infrastructure, cash remains an indispensable part of economic activity.

“This conference is about confronting operational realities head-on and charting a future where cash is smarter, more efficient and better integrated with digital systems,” Aziegbe said.

He noted that the conference would explore practical strategies for redefining cash operations, including leveraging technology to improve traceability and security, strengthening interoperability between cash and electronic channels, reassessing cost and risk frameworks, and enhancing customer experience across payment touchpoints.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Mr Tolulope Ogundipe, said the agenda had been deliberately designed to deliver actionable outcomes.

“This year’s theme reflects the industry’s shared responsibility to rethink cash beyond legacy processes.

“Our objective is to provide a platform where banks, regulators, switches and service providers can align on sustainable models for cash management in a digital-first era,” Ogundipe said.

He added that CHBO expects the conference outcomes to shape industry thinking, inform policy discussions and support more resilient, forward-looking banking operations as digital adoption continues to accelerate nationwide.

Ogundipe said registration details and programme highlights would be communicated to invited participants ahead of the event.