Trust, professional competence and ethical conduct will remain critical to the stability and growth of Ghana’s banking sector despite the rapid changes brought by technology, the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana) has said.
The Institute made the point at the launch of the 2026 edition of The Ghanaian Banker magazine in Accra.
The launch, held in Accra brought together bank chief executives, Bank of Ghana officials, members of the Institute’s council and alumni of the Chartered Banker Executive Leadership programme.
President-elect of CIB Ghana, Dr. Mrs Ellen Ohene-Afoakwa, said the Institute would continue to support professional development within the banking industry.
She said closer interaction among banking professionals could help improve the sector and its contribution to the economy.
Chief Executive Officer of CIB Ghana, Robert Dzato, said the latest edition of The Ghanaian Banker looks at developments in the industry and issues that could shape its future.
The magazine features contributions from the Bank of Ghana and senior banking executives, as well as articles on the economy, the national budget, bank performance, leadership and the history of the Institute.
Trust at the heart of banking
Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Matilda Asante-Asiedu, said technology and innovation could not replace the need for trust in banking.
She said customers needed to have confidence that banks would handle their money responsibly and that this confidence had to be earned through integrity and professionalism.
“Banking has always been built on a currency of trust,” she said.
She said professional conduct should be expected at every level of a bank, from the chief executive to the branch manager and other frontline employees.
Mrs Asante-Asiedu, who was a member of the first CBEL cohort, also commended CIB Ghana for its investment in professional development.
She said publications such as The Ghanaian Banker could help preserve the industry’s institutional history while providing a platform for discussion about issues affecting banking.
Focus on professional development
The 2026 edition also highlights the Institute’s professional programmes, including the Associate Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) qualification and the Chartered Banker Executive Leadership programme.
CIB Ghana said developing professionals with the right technical and leadership skills was important to the future of the banking industry.
The magazine also features the Institute’s financial literacy programme in secondary schools across the country.
Among the contributors to the edition are former Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Managing Director Albert Essien, GCB Bank Managing Director Farihan Alhassa and Consolidated Bank Managing Director Dr Naomi Wolali Kwetey.
The publication also includes an outlook on the economy, budget highlights and comparisons of bank performance using selected industry indicators.
Looking beyond Ghana
CIB Ghana also announced that it had secured the opportunity to host the 2028 World Conference of Banking Institutes.
The Institute said more details about the conference would be announced later.
Established in 1963, CIB Ghana is the statutory professional body responsible for promoting the study of banking and regulating the practice of the banking profession in Ghana under the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana Act, 2019 (Act 991).
The Institute said The Ghanaian Banker would continue to be published annually as a platform for discussions on banking, leadership and professional practice.
