Nigeria’s Aina becomes first chairman of Global Banking Education Board

Olusegun Aina, Nigerian banker and former president of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has been elected as the pioneer chairman of the Global Banking Education Standards Board (GBEStB).

The election, which held on Tuesday, July 25, saw the emergence of three vice chairs from the UK, Hong Kong and Ghana.

“It is not by accident for the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to get this global recognition and acknowledgment,” Aina said in his acceptance speech.

“This feat is attributable to the selfless services rendered over the years by the various leaders, especially founding fathers and all presidents (present and past) of the CIBN without exception.

“This indeed for us is a call to service as CIBN is now in the eyes of the world. By the grace of God and the support of all, we will excel in the tasks ahead.

“Thank you for nominating me to serve on the global council as representative of CIBN, which provided the platform for my emergence as chairman of the global council, the highest decision making organ of the GBEStB.”

Before his election, Aina had represented CIBN on the 12-nation task force setup in 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which midwifed the birth of the GBEStB, formally inaugurated on Apri 26, 2017 with its secretariat in Central London.

GBEStB consists of 26 member-countries across the world and is expected to spread to not less than 100 countries in the next five years.

Members will be saddled with the responsibility of developing clear, internationally agreed standards for the education of professional bankers and enhance ethics and professionalism in banking worldwide.

GBEStB will be to the banking profession what the International Bar Association is to the law profession.