Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not set to displace bankers but will inevitably edge out professionals who resist adapting to it, experts have said.
Speaking at TechGrid 4.2, a landmark event in Benin City that gathered finance executives, technologists, and innovators, Mr. Akohamen Agenmonmen, Chief Executive Officer of SurfSpot Communications Limited, described the financial sector as entering a new era where human collaboration with machines would define competitiveness.
“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,” Agenmonmen said.
He noted that the integration of AI into financial systems was accelerating the pace of transactions and innovations, while also posing regulatory challenges. “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 added.
Agenmonmen stressed that disruption would not come from machines replacing humans, but from individuals and institutions that failed to adapt to smarter ways of working. “The future TechGrid is all about humans and AI working side by side to build a stronger, more inclusive financial ecosystem,” he said.
Delivering a keynote, Mr. Tomiwa Akinbile, Senior Finance Executive and Branch Manager at Globus Bank, Benin City, said the rise of AI in finance was redefining innovation, inclusion, and risk. Citing the 2010 U.S. Flash Crash as a cautionary tale of unregulated AI use, he contrasted it with Nigerian fintech successes such as PiggyVest and Tala/Branch, which have demonstrated the inclusive potential of AI-driven finance.
“AI in finance empowers better decisions, but trust remains the ultimate currency — and humans are its guardians,” Akinbile said, emphasising that human judgment remains indispensable despite technological progress.
The forum, now in its fourth edition, underscored the need for financial institutions to adopt AI responsibly, balancing innovation with integrity. Participants agreed that the next phase of the industry will be shaped not by technology alone but by the ability of humans and machines to work together in building trust, inclusion, and resilience.
