Credit management is a vital profession that impacts individuals, businesses, and economies worldwide. Its importance cannot be overstated, and its relevance extends to various sectors, industries, and households, making credit management a profession for everyone.
From micro, small, medium to high-brow human and corporate business activities, credit plays the role associated with economic growth, prosperity and sustainability. No economy grows, expands or is active without the use credit. Since this is the universal model of growing and expanding an economy, credit, if well managed, is the key to global economic diversification and sustainability, making life better for the people and a people-centered economy.
The people skilled in the art and science of credit management are referred to as credit professionals. They determine who is qualified to be extended credit; be it consumer credit, business credit, financial credit (which is taking a loan), or credit extended or guaranteed by the government; credit professionals are responsible for determining creditworthiness of a person or corporate organization. The parameters they use to arrive at their judgement has to do with the life-style antecedent of an individual, corporate organization or government. Let’s share this toast, this tribute to credit management profession across the world.
Regardless of anyone’s primary profession, credit management requires that whether you are a credit provider, credit grantor or a guarantor of credit business product/services, a receiver of credit facilities, or a manager of credit that has been extended or allowed, all the parties to the credit transactions need to keep affinity with the credit management profession. When an economy carry the face of “Credit”, it becomes compelling that both the giver, taker, and manager of credit immerse themselves with all the nuances of credit economy and credit management.
The universal applicability of credit management endeared the profession to individuals, businesses, and organizations, essentially enabling them to manage their finances effectively, making informed decisions, and achieving their goals.
In Nigeria, the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on October 22nd, 2024 at the national credit managers conference held in Lagos, formally proclaimed credit management as a national profession, and its qualifications nationally recognized. This development further affirmed the legitimacy of the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA) Act No 26 of 2022, which empowers the institute to control, supervise and regulate credit management profession in Nigeria. With the proclaimation, credit management has been admitted into the “basket of profession” in the country.
The evolution of credit management revolves around assessing and mitigating credit risk, which is crucial for business credit grantors, financial lenders, investors, and businesses to minimize losses and maximize returns. Also, credit management plays a key role in promoting access to credit and financial literacy by stimulating credit access appetite for individuals and businesses, thereby fostering economic growth and development across all segments of the broader economy.
According to Professor Chris Onalo, the man instrumental for the emergence of credit management profession in Nigeria through decades of sustained advocacy, resource mobilization, and legislation, credit management offers a wide range of career opportunities, from credit control officers, credit managers, credit analysts, credit risk managers, credit advisors to directors in charge of credit transaction matters.
The skills and knowledge acquired in credit management are transferable across industries and sectors, making credit management a versatile and resilient profession. The field of credit management is constantly evolving, with new technologies, regulations, and best practices emerging regularly; it is really an exciting, challenging, and lucrative profession. This means that effective credit management contributes to economic growth by promoting responsible credit business transactions, reducing bad debt, increasing financial stability, encouraging industrialization and balanced consumptions, as well as instigation of access to credit which leads to financial inclusion.
It is safe therefore to submit that credit management is a vital function in industries, providing job security and opportunities for career advancement. This involves working with diverse clients, industries, and financial products, making it a dynamic and engaging profession.
Needless to emphasize that credit management professionals can advance to senior roles, such as credit directors or credit risk managers, chief credit risk officer, senior credit and financial analysts, credit controllers, credit managers, receivable managers, debt recovery managers, export credit managers, etc., with experience and expertise. These professionals are often well-compensated, reflecting the importance of their role in managing credit risk and optimizing financial performance.
Generally, credit management workforce enjoys a robust working relationship with top management leaders ostensibly for their role as cash-flow drivers in corporate organization; they are eminently recognized, constantly receive performance rewards, and regularly engage in training and retraining for capacity building and keeping abreast in credit management. Their membership of credit management professional bodies and/ or associations, such as the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA) chartered, catapults them extensively into recognition by players in the credit and financial industry.
The indispensability of credit management in the anal of human endeavors can be briefly summarized as helping to mitigate credit risk by assessing customer’s creditworthiness, setting credit limits, and monitoring accounts; ensuring timely payment, reducing the risk of bad debt and maintaining a healthy cash flow; contributing to financial stability by reducing the risk of financial losses and promoting responsible corporate and consumer credit transactions.
In conclusion, credit management is a profession that offers a wide range of career opportunities, challenges, and rewards. Its universal applicability, transferable skills, and impact on economic growth makes it a profession for everyone and a mother of other professions.
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