Robert Dzato
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) Ghana has hosted a highly engaging thought leadership webinar on ‘Non-Interest Banking and Finance: A Pathway to Ethical Banking and Inclusive Growth’, attracting over 400 participants from Ghana, Nigeria, and other parts of Africa.
The session, brought together key industry leaders, regulators, and financial practitioners to explore the prospects of non-interest banking and finance in Ghana’s evolving financial landscape.
Moderated by Robert Dzato, Chief Executive Officer of CIB Ghana, the webinar featured a distinguished panel including Prof. John Gatsi, Advisor to the Governor on Non-Interest Banking and Finance, Bank of Ghana; Dr. Shaibu Ali, Director-General, Islamic Finance Research Institute of Ghana and Mr. Attahiru M. Maccido, Managing Director/CEO, One 17 Capital Ltd, Nigeria.
The others were Mr. Sina-Kamagate, Executive Head, Retail Banking, GCB Bank PLC and Mr. Kwame Abbey, Deputy Managing Director, Société Générale Ghana.
In his presentation, Prof. John Gatsi reaffirmed the Bank of Ghana’s commitment to a secular and neutral approach to non-interest banking.
“We are deploying this within a secular economy, and therefore there are rules to ensure that the market remains neutral,” he said, explaining that the Bank of Ghana will begin implementation on a phased basis, initially excluding microfinance, rural, and community banks.
Drawing from Nigeria’s experience, Mr. Maccido, said Ghana’s measured approach was prudent and well-timed.
He noted that Nigeria’s own non-interest banking sector, anchored by institutions such as Jaiz Bank and TAJBank, had faced early skepticism but has since demonstrated strong performance and resilience.
Mr. Abbey stressed that non-interest banking aligns closely with sustainable finance and could attract new investment flows into Ghana’s economy.
“Non-interest finance prohibits speculative activities and encourages real-asset linkages, which fit perfectly with global ESG priorities,” Mr. Abbey noted.
Mr. Dzato, thanked participants and reiterated the Institute’s commitment to professional development and ethical banking standards.
“CIB Ghana will continue to champion thought leadership and capacity building as the industry embraces emerging trends such as non-interest banking,” he said. “This conversation is a crucial step toward a more inclusive and ethically grounded financial system.”
A Business Desk Report