Women now form the majority of newly qualified chartered bankers in Ghana, as the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana) inducted and graduated 186 professionals at its 17th Induction and Graduation Ceremony in Accra. Of the 186 inductees and graduates, 55 percent were women, extending a trend that has gathered pace in recent years.
In the previous two years, women accounted for 51 percent and then 60 percent of new chartered bankers, a shift that Institute leaders described as a sign of growing sustainability and inclusion in the country’s financial talent pipeline.
The latest cohort brings the total number of chartered bankers produced by CIB Ghana over the past six years to 1,313, a figure the Institute said reflects sustained investment in professional standards, ethics and leadership within the financial sector.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chief executive of CIB Ghana, Robert Dzato, said the growing female participation was not incidental but the outcome of deliberate policies aimed at widening access to professional banking education while maintaining rigorous standards. “We are building a profession that reflects society and is fit for the future. The numbers show that women are not only participating but excelling, and that is essential for the long-term health of the financial sector,” he said.
The event, held under the theme ‘Building Future-Ready Banks: Ethical Leadership, Sustainable Finance and Currency Stability amid Disruption’, brought together regulators, industry leaders, bankers and families to mark what was repeatedly described as both an end and a beginning; the completion of a demanding programme of study and the assumption of new professional responsibilities.
Beyond gender balance, the 2025 cohort also illustrated the Institute’s emphasis on inclusiveness across age and career stage. The youngest graduate was 23 years old, having enrolled through the Institute’s Best and Bright Programme, which targets high-performing university students and offers conditional exemptions to accelerate their professional journey. The oldest inductee was 59, demonstrating the Institute’s message that professional development in banking is not limited by age.
“These stories matter. They show that you can start early or return later, but what matters is commitment to learning, ethics and professionalism,” Mr. Dzato added.
The President of CIB Ghana, Benjamin Amenumey, told inductees and graduates that their qualification went beyond technical competence.
In a speech read on his behalf by CIB Ghana’s Vice President, Samuel Asiama, he described the chartered banker designation as a public trust, rooted in the Institute’s statutory mandate under Act 991 to promote the study of banking and regulate professional practice in Ghana. “Today’s achievement is not just a credential,” he said. “It is a call to uphold honesty and integrity in your institutions and in your dealings with customers and society,” he further stated.
The CIB representatives linked the growing number of chartered bankers, particularly women, to broader national priorities, including financial stability, governance and sustainable economic growth. They argued that a deeper pool of ethically trained professionals was essential in a sector whose decisions directly affect households, businesses and public confidence.
Thomas Atta John, managing director of Guaranty Trust Bank Ghana and keynote speaker, said the increasing participation of women and younger professionals should be matched by an equally strong commitment to ethics and continuous learning. “Banking decisions shape lives in ways that are not always visible. That is why professionalism, integrity and relevance are non-negotiable,” he said.
Among the inductees was Eyram Amenyo Klutse, a relationship manager with First National Bank, who emerged as the overall best inductee. Speaking after the ceremony, she described the programme as demanding but transformative, offering exposure to the full breadth of banking beyond individual roles or departments. “It has not been easy combining work, study and family. But it gives you a broader understanding of the industry and reinforces the importance of ethics and professionalism,” she said.
For Rosemary Quansah, the youngest graduate, the ceremony marked the culmination of persistence after early setbacks. She urged students and young professionals to begin their professional qualifications early, warning that delaying often made the process more difficult later in life.
