Monrovia, Liberia – The Banking Institute of Liberia (BIL) has raised concern over Liberia’s education system, citing government failure to design and implement curricula aligned with labor market demands, as it graduated 151 candidates from its diploma and certificate professional development programs.
The graduation ceremony was held Friday, January 31, 2026, at the Monrovia Christian Fellowship Church, bringing together officials from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), the Liberia Bankers Association (LBA), private sector actors, graduates, and their families.
BIL serves as the training arm of the CBL and the LBA and was established in March 2014 as a corporate training institute specializing in banking, financial management, and non-financial professional disciplines, focuses on strengthening efficiency, service quality, and technical expertise within Liberia’s banking and financial sectors.
Speaking on behalf of the institution, Assistant Professor Richard S. Panton commended the graduates for taking what he described as a bold and decisive step toward professional growth. He also expressed appreciation to the CBL and the Liberia Bankers Association for their continued support to human capacity development in the financial sector.
“We recognize that Liberia has a young population, most of whom lack employable skills, thereby limiting their access to available jobs. This situation is worsened by the education system’s inability to meet labor market needs. To address this gap, BIL introduced its enterprise program, which provides skills-based education tailored to both the public and private sectors,” Panton said.
According to him, the program equips young Liberians with practical, job-ready skills to enable them to compete effectively in the labor market and the professional space. “Today, we are here to present professional certificates and graduate diplomas to 151 candidates who have successfully completed all training requirements,” he disclosed.
Panton explained that the graduates concluded BIL’s 2025 Enterprise Program, which comprises professional certificate and diploma courses designed to address competency gaps and enhance performance in the public and private sectors, particularly within banking and finance.
He noted that the professional certificate program targets high school graduates and small and medium enterprise operators, while the diploma program serves university graduates and students.
BIL Assistant Professor further revealed that between 2023 and 2025, BIL trained a total of 349 individuals through its enterprise program, challenged the graduates to apply their newly acquired skills effectively, stressing that skilled and trained professionals are critical to improving service delivery and institutional performance in both the corporate and public sectors.
“On behalf of the senior management and staff of BIL, I extend our sincere gratitude to the Chairman and Board of Directors, as well as the President and members of the Liberia Bankers Association, for their continued support. This support demonstrates a strong commitment to capacity building aimed at improving performance and ensuring efficient service delivery in the banking and financial sector,” he added.
Delivering the keynote address, Olalekan Balogun, President of the Liberia Bankers Association and Managing Director of Bloom Bank, lauded BIL for its partnership and cooperation, describing human resource development as central to professional ethics and national growth.
Balogun urged Liberians to develop a strong appetite for continuous professional development, warning that knowledge is rapidly evolving, especially in the financial sector, which is increasingly transitioning to digital banking and artificial intelligence-driven systems.
“Graduates, I commend you for taking this step. Do not stop here. The world is changing, and we must continue to enhance our skills. Academic degrees are important, but professional development training provides practical experience and applied knowledge, which are critical. With this training, you are now better prepared for the banking and financial sector,” Balogun narrated.
Reported by: Prince Saah
