Abstract

Over the years, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has enjoyed partnerships and linkages with a number of reputable institutions, both locally and internationally. The outcome of this has continued to impact positively on the institute, the banking industry and, indeed, the Nigerian economy. Since the Institute found out that it needed to synergize to get more positive results that would help promote professionalism in the banking industry, it has wasted no time in forming strategic alliances with reputable institutions across the globe. This has been the global trend since the early 1990s. There was indeed a need for synergy in producing highly-skilled workforce for the fast developing banking industry by ensuring that operators complied with best global practices. The institute, therefore, devoted a good deal of time during the period to reaching out to other organizations and institutions within and outside the country that shared the same vision with it. What is the need for these linkages and partnerships? One way to answer this question is to say, ‘ no man is an island’. Indeed, no one can live in total isolation, and this also applies to organizations, especially an institution such as CIBN that is an umbrella organization that came out of and was modelled on similar organizations in other countries. Moreover, every organization needs the support it can get from other organizations that share its deals. This support is required for the furtherance of its goals, vision and mission. Institutions around the world thus need these partnerships to attain optimal efficiency resulting from possible cross-fertilization ideas.