Banks in Nigerian ahead US, S/Africa, Europe, Australia, Canada in quality

Nigerian banks rank well in the world in terms of their overall quality, according to Lafferty Bank Ratings, which scores banks world- wide for their overall quality.

A cross border comparison shows that Nigeria ranks about 34.0, higher than South Africa which ranks 30.0, Canada 23.0, US 20.0, Australia 22.0, and Europe 18.0.

Nigerian banks financial ratios are particularly good and their overall ratings will improve considerably when they devote more attention to the qualitative aspects of their annual reports – including clear statements on their strategies (and how they will be achieved), culture, customer satisfaction and so forth, Michael Lafferty, chairman, Lafferty Group said in Lagos yesterday.

Lafferty who was delivering a paper at the Annual Guest Lecture organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN),further said Nigerian banks are at about the same stage of development in retail banking as their Indonesian counterparts, though they lag when it comes to cards and payments.

However, Nigerian banks future potential lies primarily in retail banking, he said.

On the other hand, Nigeria is said to be the largest market for Retail Banking Academy (RBA), accounting for around 20 per- cent of the current body of RBA candidates.

The Retail Banking Academy was launched in 2011, in re- sponse to the request by client banks all over the world who had been complaining for years that professional retail banking education was not available Presently, over 5,000 bankers in some 80 countries are studying for the Academy qualifications in retail banking and cards and payments.

The designations are Certified Retail Banker (CRB) and Certified Cards and Payments Professional (CCPP). Nigeria already has one fully qualified Certified Retail Banker, who has successfully completed the requirements to achieve full certification.

In the coming year, that number will potentially rise to 30 and in two years’ time, Nigeria will have up to 74 Certified Retail Bankers working in the sector, Lafferty said.

“We are now entering another phase in this market – and are proud to be partnering with the CIBN to bring world-class retail banking education to the entire industry in Nigeria. We have similar partnerships in many other countries and all are contributing to the mission of professionalising retail banking around the world”, he said.

Senior retail bankers from 14 African countries who met in Cape Town last week, agreed to establish Retail Banking Councils for Africa (RBCA) with the aim of promoting the development of retail banking across the continent – particularly through the growth of deposits and banking penetration.

Speaking on the theme, “How competitive Nigeria is in the global retail banking landscape”, Lafferty said retail banking can only reach its full potential if it is run through a separate bank – whether this be stand-alone or within a broader banking group.

If it is part of the latter, the group CEO must also be a believer, he observed.

“Nigeria is now well-placed for the take-off of transparent consumer lending. Central bankers should build on this by learning as much about retail banking, as you already know about the capital markets, investment banking and corporate banking. 

“Study the lessons of the many banking crises we have been through, reflect on how other (wholesale) financial industry cultures can corrupt retail banking and do great damage to society, and put Nigeria on the road to having the world’s first truly professional retail banking system”, he said.