THE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has advised young bankers to get prepared for the current and future trends in the financial sector, as worries over the ‘japa’ syndrome unsettle many banks.

The CIBN president and chairman of council, Ken Opara, gave the advice at the graduation ceremony of the 2023 edition (second stream) of the institute’s mentorship programme, according to a statement the institute on Thursday, May 4.

The ICIR had reported of the wave of resignation witnessed in the banking sector which attracted the attention of stakeholders in the sector.

At the CIBN 15th Annual Banking and Finance Conference, the Chairman, Conference Consultative Committee, Abubakar Suleiman, had described the wave of resignation in the banking sector as an opportunity, rather than a crisis.

A Yoruba locution, ‘japa’ is used to refer to a situation where Nigerians leave for other countries for greener pastures.

The brain drain development was not restricted to only the banking sector; it is a problem affecting talents across all sectors.

Opara, asserting that the industry was rising to the ‘japa’ challenge, spoke of CIBN’s intention to introduce a human resource centre to help in skills acquisition and transfer in the banking industry.

The institute’s mentorship programme this year was anchored on the theme, ‘Staying Ahead of the Curve in a Competitive Environment: Prerequisite for Career and Personal Advancement.’

Introduced in 2012 and re-launched in 2020, the programme aims at providing a platform for young bankers to be groomed and nurtured by senior and experienced professionals in the banking industry.

The programme is also aimed at delivering CIBN’s mandate of building capacity for the Nigerian banking industry.

‘’Staying ahead of the curve can simply be put as being aware of and prepared for current and future trends. It is about being proactive instead of reactive.

“In today’s fast-paced business landscape, where technological advancements, market disruptions, and unpredictable events are increasingly becoming the order of the day, staying ahead of the curve for relevance has become more critical than ever before, not only for organisations but for employees as well,” Opara said.

He stressed that staying ahead, in reality, requires impartation by experienced and successful individuals to influence the thinking pattern, professional character and relational attitude of the young ones.

Enhancing learning and career development for young bankers, reducing the incidence of professional misconduct among practitioners, enhancing bonding and building of new long-term professional relationships, assisting in acquiring competencies and professional experience and strengthening the talent pipeline into senior leadership roles in the banking industry, were the touch points in Opara’s statement.

He admonished young bankers that prioritising their all-around development was essential for long-term personal and career success.

He added, “By setting aside dedicated time, using technology to your advantage, and attending knowledge-sharing events, you can ensure that you are investing in your growth and development.”