By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The Chartered Institute of
Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana) has launched the 2026 edition of the Ghanaian Banker
Magazine, its flagship publication chronicling
the state of the country’s banking industry and the Institute's role in shaping
professional standards within it.
The launch took
place at the CBEL Connect,
an evening event held on
Friday, 21st August 2026 at Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, which brought together alumni of the Institute's
Chartered Banker Executive Leadership (CBEL) programme, bank chief executives,
council members and officials of the Bank of Ghana around pertinent issues in
the industry.
Welcoming
guests, Dr. Mrs Ellen Ohene-Afoakwa, FCIB, President-elect of CIB Ghana,
explained that the launch reflected the Institute’s ongoing commitment to
strengthening professional standards across the banking industry. “The 2026
edition of the Ghanaian Banker Magazine reinforces CIB Ghana's position as a
thought leader and a standard bearer for professionalism in banking,” she said.
She was full of gratitude for members
and partners for their continued support of the Institute's work, stating:
“When bankers connect with purpose, the entire banking industry and the economy
moves forward.”
CIB Ghana Chief
Executive Officer, Mr. Robert Dzato, FCIB, walked guests through the contents
of the new edition, describing it as one of the most comprehensive yet produced by the Institute.
“This edition captures where our industry stands today and where it is headed,”
he said, noting that the magazine was designed to speak to bankers, regulators
and the wider public alike.
The 2026
edition carries messages from the outgoing President, Mr. Benjamin Kwabla
Amenumey and the President-elect, alongside a perspective piece from the Bank
of Ghana’s Second Deputy Governor, Mrs. Matilda Asante-Asiedu, ACIB, on the
future of banking. It features a leadership interview with a former Managing
Director of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Mr. Albert Essien, a
“profit with purpose” piece from the Managing Director of GCB Bank, Mr. Farihan
Alhassa and a personality profile of the Managing Director of Consolidated
Bank, Dr. Naomi Wolali Kwetey.
The edition
also carries economic outlook and budget-highlights content, alongside
comparative reviews of bank performance across key industry indicators, and
reflections on CIB Ghana's history and its work developing trusted
professionals for the sector. Beyond its editorial content, the magazine
spotlights CIB Ghana’s professional development programmes, including the
Associate Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) qualification and the CBEL
programme, as well as the Institute's financial literacy outreach in secondary
schools nationwide.
Speaking at the
launch, Mrs. Matilda Asante-Asiedu,
ACIB, a member of the first CBEL cohort, commended CIB Ghana for the initiative
and for its continued investment in professional development.
“It is a great
pleasure to join you this evening to launch the Ghanaian Banker. No amount of
innovation, as we have seen, will serve this industry well without the right
foundation. Banking has always been built on a currency of trust. Trust is not
granted, it is earned over time, and it must be protected through integrity,
professionalism and responsible conduct at every level of banking, whether it
is from the CEO level, to the branch manager, to even the security officer who
welcomes you first into a bank branch,” she said.
She added that
publications of this kind play a valuable role in strengthening the sector’s
institutional memory and public accountability, and encouraged CIB Ghana’s
continued investment in initiatives that raise professional standards across
the industry.
CIB Ghana said
the Ghanaian Banker Magazine will continue as an annual publication, with the
Institute inviting members, bank executives and industry stakeholders to
contribute perspectives to future editions.
Mr. Dzato noted
that the evening also touched on the Institute’s broader ambitions, including
its successful bid to host the 2028 World Conference of Banking Institutes, on
which he said the Institute would provide further details on in due course.
