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.

The Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana)

Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana) is the statutory professional body established under the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana Act, 2019 (Act 991) to promote the study of banking and regulate the practice of the banking profession in Ghana. Since its establishment in 1963, the Institute has played a central role in developing trusted professionals for the financial sector, with a strong emphasis on ethics, professionalism and leadership.