African Banker Awards Lauds Winners’ Innovation, Resilience
African Banker Awards Lauds Winners’ Innovation, ResilienceStandard Bank Group was on Wednesday named African Bank of the Year by a leading publication in recognition of the banking giant’s achievements in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and empowering women.African Banker magazine announced the winners of its 2021 Awards at a virtual ceremony held on the side-lines of the African Development Bank’s 2021 Annual Meetings. The African Development Bank is a high patron of the event.The 2021 virtual event featured performances by African diva Angelique Kidjo and Adina, a Ghanaian-South African singer.The award for African Banker of the Year went, for the second consecutive year, to Hebert Wigwe, Managing Director and co-founder of Access Bank Group, which has grown rapidly to become one of the largest retail banks in Africa over the last decade, with over 40 million customers.The 2021 edition of the awards set out to recognize institutions that have contributed to women’s empowerment on the continent and to the real economy, which has suffered from the impact of Covid-19.Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Mohammed Benchaâboun, was named Finance Minister of the Year in recognition of his ministry’s exemplary response to the economic crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher of African Banker, commended the banking sector for its responsiveness to clients’ needs, and for setting up gender programs, supporting women-led businesses and promoting women within their organizations.“Fintechs are really the flavor of the year and we’ve seen plenty of money from venture capital, from private equity wealth, going into the fintech space in Egypt, Kenya and in Nigeria, and to some extent crypto and blockchain, although those are at very early stages,” Ben Yedder said.The continued strength and resilience of the banking sector would be critical to support economic recovery from the pandemic across Africa, he said.Complete list of 2021 African Banker Award winners:Sustainable bank of the yearCommercial International Bank (CIB) EgyptInfrastructure deal of the yearTanzania Standard Gauge Railway $1.46bn loan facility Nedbank | Standard Chartered | TDBDeal of the year – EquityPrivatization of Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power LtdFBNQuestDeal of the year – DebtAfrican Export-Import Bank, COVID-19 Support FacilityMUFG Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial GroupAward for financial inclusionTrust Merchant Bank, DRCAfrican Banker IconCharlie Robertson, Chief Economist, Renaissance CapitalFinance Minister of the yearThe continued strength and resilience of the banking sector would be critical to support economic recovery from the pandemic across AfricaH.E Mohammed Benchaâboun, Minister for Economy and Finance, MoroccoAward for Innovation for Financial ServicesBank of Industry, Government Enterprise Empowerment ProgrammeEnergy deal of the yearNkhotakota Solar Power Plant in Malawi / 7.5 MW Solar PV Power Plant in BurundiAfrican Trade Insurance Agency (ATI)Agriculture deal of the year$400m Revolving Trade Finance Facility in favour of ETC GroupAfrican Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)African SME Bank of the YearEcobankBest Regional Bank in AfricaNorth: Attijariwafa Bank, MoroccoWest: Banque de Développement du MaliEast: Equity Bank, KenyaCentral: BGFI, GabonSouthern: Mozabanco, MozambiqueInvestment Bank of the YearABSACentral Bank Governor of the YearH.E. Lesetja Kganyago, Governor Reserve Bank of South AfricaLifetime AchievementFelix BikpoAfrican Bank of the YearStandard Bank GroupAfrican Banker of the YearHerbert Wigwe, Group CEO, Access BankAfrican Banker Awards Lauds Winners’ Innovation, Resilience
