AI won’t replace bankers, but those who shun it – Experts

By Usman Aliyu

An engineer, Akohamen Agenmonmen, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the SurfSpot Communications Limited, says Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not replace bankers except those who refuse to embrace it.

Speaking at TechGrid 4.2, a landmark event in Benin City, Agenmonmen said that the financial sector was entering a new era where human collaboration with machines would determine winners and losers.

The event which drew participants from leading finance executives, technologists, and innovators, explored how AI is reshaping trust, value, and opportunity across global and Nigerian financial ecosystems.

Opening the discussion, Agenmonmen explained both the promise and perils of AI adoption.

“AI won’t replace bankers; it will replace bankers who refuse to work with AI.

“The winners will be professionals and institutions that learn to collaborate with the technology, turning it from a threat into a formidable partner.

“Money makes the world go round. But with AI in the mix, it’s spinning faster, smarter, and sometimes in ways that make regulators sweat!” he said.

Agenmonmen emphasised that the true disruption in finance lied not in machines replacing people, but in people refusing to adapt.

“The real disruption in finance is not machines replacing people, but people who learn to work smarter with machines,” he said.

“The future TechGrid is all about humans and AI, working side by side to build a stronger, more inclusive financial ecosystem.”

In a keynote, Tomiwa Akinbile, Senior Finance Executive and Branch Manager at Globus Bank, Benin City, lauded the success of financial technology in Nigeria.

Akinbile spoke on “The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Finance: Innovation, Intimidation, and Inclusion.”

He cited the 2010 U.S. Flash Crash as a cautionary tale of AI gone wrong, while pointing to Nigerian fintech successes such as PiggyVest and Tala/Branch as proof of AI’s inclusive potential.

“AI in finance empowers better decisions, but trust remains the ultimate currency — and humans are its guardians,” Akinbile stressed, underscoring the irreplaceable role of human judgment in financial systems.

The forum, now in its 4th edition, reinforced the need for innovation, inclusion, and integrity in navigating the fast-changing financial landscape.

Participants agreed that human-AI collaboration will shape the next phase of the industry. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joe Idika