The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) said it would deepen its existing partnership with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to further enhance the growth and development of the Nigerian financial market.

The President/Chairman, Council of CIBN, Dr Ken Opara, said this when he sounded the closing gong as part of activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the institute, at the Nigerian Exchange Limited trading floor, on Monday in Lagos.

Opara also expressed the institute’s desire to collaborate with the NGX to promote ethical business practices in the Nigerian capital market.

He said, “So it is very important that collaboration with this very important institution will continue as much as possible to drive that.

“We will continue to foster relationships with the NGX group because collaboration is at the heart of what we do.

“We have done that with Fintech, we have partnered with the Lagos Business School for dual qualification (ACIB/SMP OR ACIB/AMP OR ACIB/MBA).

“We have just signed a trade certification with the African Export–Import Bank to run a joint specialized Certification programme and capacity building in the area of Trade for the players and operators in the ecosystem.’’

Speaking on the institute’s notable achievements, Opara said the institutes had consistently built competent and ethical banking professionals globally, in line with its vision of becoming a global reference point for skills and conduct in the banking and finance industry.

 In this regard, he said that the Institute’s Banking Professional Examinations was currently being written in six countries in Africa including: Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia, Ghana, Rwanda and Zambia.

He also said that the institute had witnessed a quantum leap in its membership numerical strength adding over 20,000 members in one year with 84 per cent of this number below the age of 27years which according to him, collaborates with his FUTURE agenda as the 22nd President of CIBN, among others.

The Chief Executive Officer of NGX, Oscar Onyema, who welcomed the CIBN team, said that the exchange recognizes the CIBN contribution to the overall ecosystem of the Nigerian capital market.

Speaking on the demutualization of the NGX , Onyema said that before the demutualization, the exchange was a semi-government owned entity.

He said that post demutualization, the exchange had now transformed into a non-operating holding company with three subsidiaries.

According to him, this has made the exchange a fully owned shareholder entity, whose objective is to try and create value not just for the stakeholders and partners, like CIBN, but more importantly for the shareholders of the company.

“The exchange recognizes your partnership in all that we have been doing in creating the right ecosystem from the Nigerian capital markets.

“We are slightly above 60 and 60 is an elder anywhere; But the exchange recognizes the contribution of CIBN to the overall ecosystem of Nigerian Capital Market and we are truly delighted to welcome you today to Nigeria Exchange,’’ he said.

Onyema was represented by Mr Jude Chiemeka, Executive Director, Nigerian Exchange Limited.

The President, Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, Oluwole Adeosun, described the meeting as historic as it showed the nexus between the financial institution and the entire financial ecosystem of Nigeria.

He said, “definitely, the CIBN working with the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers and the NGX, and other exchanges will be able to make the very best of our financial system.

“Once the confidence in our financial system is continuously there as a reassurance to the community of investors, we will keep on mobilizing, we will keep on giving them the necessary confidence to keep on investing in this economy and not to take their money out the other way.

“So, the cooperation is necessary. We will keep on working toward it, and sustain it to make sure that we constantly create value to our customers and investors.