Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has been named ‘African Bank of the Year’ at the African Banker Awards
The Togo-based bank took home the accolade at the sixth edition of the awards ceremony, which was held alongside the 2012 Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the African Development Bank Group (AfBD) in Arusha, Tanzania.
Ecobank, which beat off competition from six other financial institutions in its category, was awarded extra credit by the judging panel for its continued expansion across Central Africa.
Olusegun Agbaje, managing director of Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank, took home the ceremony’s flagship individual prize of ‘African Banker of the Year’.
African Banker publisher Omar Ben Yedder remarked, “We have recognised some superb individuals and institutions [at the awards].
“Africa’s financial sector is a major vehicle for driving the economic growth that has become the talk of the investor community around the world.”
Held under the patronage of the AfBD, the annual awards aim to honour individuals who Ben Yedder said were “prepared to take the bull by the horn” and were unafraid to make difficult decisions.
“The winners this year represent a good mix between francophone and Anglophone Africa, big and small countries. They reflect the achievements in banking and finance all over Africa,” he added.
Among the five ‘Regional Bank of the Year’ winners were Attijariwafa Bank from Morocco, Gabon’s BGFI, Access Bank from Nigeria, Rwanda’s Bank of Kigali and Mozambique financial institution BCI.
Renaissance Capital was named ‘Investment Bank of the Year’, ‘Socially Responsible Bank of the Year’ went to Morocco’s BMCE Bank Group, while ‘Deal of the Year’ was awarded to Standard Bank Group for Jinchuan’s acquisition of Metorex.
Guinea’s Kerfalla Yansané was named ‘Finance Minister of the Year’ and the ‘Central Bank Governor of the Year’ accolade went to Tunisia’s Mustapha Kamel Nabli.
Dr Eleni Gabre-Mahdin, the founder and chief executive of Ethiopia Commodities Exchange, was named ‘African Banker Icon’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ went to Arnold Ekpe.
