The National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF), a premier training arm of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), successfully held a specialized training session titled “Next-Level Excel & AI Tools for Data Analytics” on July 15, 2025, at its Karachi Campus. This session aimed at equipping banking professionals with practical, advanced tools to manage and interpret complex financial data more effectively in the evolving digital finance landscape.
The workshop was led by Ms. Sumaira Ghouri, a recognized expert in data analytics and financial technology tools. With her extensive industry experience, Ms. Ghouri delivered a comprehensive, hands-on session that focused on leveraging Excel’s advanced functions and integrating artificial intelligence-driven analytics in day-to-day banking operations. Her focus remained on enabling participants to transition from traditional data processing to more dynamic, automated, and insightful analysis methods.
Participants included officers from both the State Bank of Pakistan and various commercial banks operating across the country. The session was structured to address real-world challenges faced by finance professionals, especially in areas such as risk assessment, forecasting, reporting automation, and decision-making support using AI.
The one-day intensive training covered critical topics such as the use of Power Query, advanced pivot tables, data visualization techniques, and AI-powered Excel plugins that are increasingly being adopted by financial institutions globally. In addition to Excel-based techniques, the session also introduced participants to emerging AI tools that enhance the speed and quality of financial data analytics, demonstrating how machine learning models can be integrated into existing spreadsheets.
NIBAF’s initiative is part of its broader mission to support the upskilling of financial professionals in Pakistan, aligning with the central bank’s agenda of fostering technological readiness and digital adoption within the banking ecosystem. By empowering officers with cutting-edge tools, NIBAF aims to support better financial governance, data transparency, and faster reporting mechanisms.
This training marks a continuation of NIBAF’s ongoing series of specialized programs tailored to meet the needs of an increasingly tech-driven financial environment. With data-driven decision-making becoming essential in modern banking, such focused sessions are vital in helping banking professionals remain competitive and effective in their roles.
The event received positive feedback from attendees, many of whom expressed appreciation for the relevance and applicability of the tools shared during the session. There is growing interest within the financial sector in adopting smart analytics platforms, and NIBAF’s efforts contribute meaningfully to this shift.
As digital transformation reshapes financial institutions across Pakistan and beyond, training programs like this play a crucial role in ensuring that the country’s banking workforce remains not only informed but also skilled in utilizing the tools that define the future of finance.