On May 25th 2022, the 16th edition of the African Banker Awards Gala Ceremony took place at the Kempinski Hotel, in Accra, Ghana. The event was held under the High Patronage of the African Development Bank, being part of the programme of the Bank’s Annual Meetings. Over 300 banking and financial services professionals joined the gala ceremony.
The Regional Bank of the Year Award for East Africa was given to the Co-operative Bank of Kenya for overall excellence in banking in the region.
This year’s the awards were sponsored by the African Guarantee Fund, Bank of Industry (Nigeria) and the Trade Development Bank as well as Access Bank. The Award Patron is the African Development Bank.
Meanwhile, two women won two of the most prestigious awards: the African Banker Icon and Finance Minister of the Year.
Ms Vera Songwe, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, was awarded the African Banker Icon Award for her tireless work in providing governments with the fiscal solution to deal with the impact of COVID-19.
“It really was a moment to demonstrate that Africa is resilient. I came to the table with an understanding of the menu of solutions because in 2008 I was on the other side [of the table] when SDRs were handed out to European economies [to stave off a financial crìsis]…What we are focusing on at the ECA is prosperity. The ingredients are there for success; there is latent innovation; what we need to do is provide the infrastructure; the soft infrastructure, the hard infrastructure and the human capital to deliver the end game which is jobs, prosperity and a better life for all,” Ms Songwe said in her acceptance speech.
Angola’s Finance Minister, Hon Vera Esperança dos Santos Daves de Sousa, was recognised as the Finance Minister of the Year for her stand-out work in restoring stability and market confidence to her country.
Another notable recognition was for Michael Atingi-Ego, the Deputy Central Bank Governor, Uganda, who won Central Bank Governor of the Year. Earlier this year, his predecessor, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, Ugandan economist and Governor of the Central Bank of Uganda, pássed awáy, leaving a void which will not be easily filled. However, the Central Bank of Uganda was one of the star performers this year, having managed to stave off inflation and achieve currency stability in an extremely challenging environment.
In his speech, Omar Ben Yedder, Chair of the African Banker Awards Organising Committee and Publisher of African Banker magazine, said that it is time we focused our efforts on strengthening our domestic capabilities to finance growth. “We need strong institutions and we need to start with our commercial and development banks. If we have learnt anything from the past two years, and even more so these last two months, it is that we need to achieve financial sovereignty if we are to own our growth agenda.”
Other winners include legendary Nigerian banker Atedo Peterside, founder of IBTC Bank, which he merged with Stanbic 15 years ago, who won Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to banking. The success of IBTC, he said, was built on everyone buying into the mission of the bank and shared values and culture.
WINNERS OF THE AFRICAN BANKER AWARDS 2022
- Energy Deal of the Year
Temane Thermal Power Station
Absa Mozambique and International Finance Corporation
- Agriculture Deal of the Year
US$200 Million corporate facility (the “Facility”) to BUA Industries Limited (“BIL”)
Africa Finance Corporation
- Infrastructure Deal of the Year
The Luanda Bita Water Supply Project
African Trade Insurance Agency
- Deal of the Year – Debt
BANK OF INDUSTRY €750 Million Debut Senior Note Participation Notes due 2027
Bank of Industry
- Deal of the Year – Equity
Prosus’ c. US$15 Billion Accelerated Equity Offering in Tencent
Citi
- Sustainable Bank of the Year
Trade and Development Bank
- FinTech of the Year
Interswitch
- Award for Financial Inclusion
TugendeUganda
- SME Bank of the Year
Ecobank
- DFI of the Year
Trade and Development Bank
- African Bank of the Year
The Standard Bank Group
- African Banker of the Year
Benedict Oramah
- Yaw Kuffour Award for Trade Finance
Coris Bank
- Central Bank Governor of the Year
Michael Atingi-Ego
Deputy Central Bank Governor, Uganda
- Minister of Finance of the Year
Hon. Vera Esperança dos Santos Daves de Sousa, Angola
- African Banker Icon
Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Lifetime Achievement
Atedo Peterside CON, Founder of IBTC Bank
- Best Regional Bank – North Africa
National Bank of Egypt
- Best Regional Bank – Southern Africa
Mauritius Commercial Bank
- Best Regional Bank – West Africa
Fidelity Bank, Ghana
- Best Regional Bank – East Africa
Co-Operative Bank of Kenya
- Best regional Bank – Central Africa
Raw Bank, DRC
