The Role of Mentoring in Employee Career Development in the Nigerian Financial Sector: Evidence from Stanbic IBTC Bank

This study examines the role of formal mentoring programmes in facilitating employee career development at Stanbic IBTC Bank, a leading Nigerian financial institution with nationwide operational coverage. Mentoring is increasingly recognised as a high-impact human capital investment, enabling knowledge transfer, career acceleration, and succession pipeline development. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, with 140 employees who have participated in Stanbic IBTC's formal mentoring programme serving as respondents. A validated Career Development Inventory and qualitative interview data from ten mentor-mentee pairs provide complementary primary data. Kram's Mentoring Relationship Model underpins the theoretical analysis, distinguishing career-related and psychosocial mentoring functions. Findings reveal that employees who participated in structured mentoring programmes are twice as likely to have received promotions within a three-year window compared to non-participants, suggesting a strong mentoring-advancement nexus. The study also finds that the quality of the mentor-mentee relationship, particularly the frequency and depth of interaction, is a stronger predictor of career outcomes than programme duration alone. Female employees benefit disproportionately from psychosocial mentoring support in navigating gender-related career barriers within the banking environment. Recommendations include expanding the mentoring programme to include cross-departmental pairings, integrating mentoring into the formal performance management cycle, and providing training for mentors on active coaching methodologies. This research contributes evidence on mentoring effectiveness within Nigeria's financial services sector. Keywords: Mentoring, Career Development, Banking, Stanbic IBTC, Human Capital.