CIBN accredits CBN Learning Centre, 27 others

• Rolls out new syllabus for banking, finance education

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has awarded Certificates of Accreditation to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Learning Centre, its Bank Examiners Course, and 27 other institutions, including one Bank Academy, and 26 Education Training Service Providers (ETSP).

According to CIBN, the accreditation was an affirmation that the organisations have adopted and complied with the required standards by scoring above the minimum threshold on all the parameters of measurement, noting that the organisations gained the mark of quality and distinction.  

Specifically, President and Chairman of Council, CIBN, Bayo Olugbemi, said the event marked a significant milestone in the history of the Institute, and its continued quest to strengthen the intellectual resources and capabilities of the human capital in the banking and finance industry.  

According to him, the exercise goes beyond the accreditation of the organisations, as it was an investment in the quality of the workforce and ultimately the safety, stability and security of the banking and finance industry at large. Speaking at the virtual presentation of Certificates of Accreditation to the Bank Academies (BA) and ETSPs, Olugbemi said the occasion was a major step in the Institute’s efforts towards addressing competency challenges, thereby enthroning a minimum standard for practitioners in the banking industry.

He said the CBN, subjecting its Learning Centre as well as its Banking Examiners Course to the process, undoubtedly serves as a beacon in the right direction, as it sets the pace for others yet to comply with the provisions of the Competency Framework to do so without delay.

Meanwhile, Olugbemi congratulated the Bank Academies and ETSPs for their commitment, dedication, and professionalism, evident in the time, energy, and scarce resource they employed towards attaining their current standards and charged them to continually strive for even greater improvement in the standard and quality of their programmes.  

Commenting on the mode of accreditation for the ETSPs, he said the process involves the extensive review and evaluation of their programmes and faculties to ascertain their adequacies and competencies.

In the case of Bank Academies, he said apart from complying with the required provisions of Competency Framework, the accreditation would enable their graduates to be eligible for generous exemptions from some subjects in the banking professional examinations, thereby facilitating their early completion of the programme.  

Meanwhile, to ensure that its professionals are equipped with the contemporary skills in recognition of the dynamic changes and current disruptive realities of banking practice, CIBN also recently reviewed and standardised its Banking Professional Examination and Certification Programmes syllabus in line with the global best practices.

The institute said the new syllabus will greatly revolutionise banking and finance education, not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa, noting that it would continue to play its role in the deepening of requisite knowledge as well as further entrenchment of ethics and professionalism in the financial services industry.