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2022 Winners!

About the Awards

The African Banker Awards are a landmark annual event for African banking taking place during the annual meetings of the African Development Bank. Organised by African Banker magazine and IC Events in co-operation with BusinessinAfrica Events, the African Banker Awards celebrate excellence and best practices in African banking.

Recognising the 400 personalities and banks that are driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial sector, the African Banker Awards bring together industry leaders from Africa and the world. They celebrate the achievements of those who are driving growth and development and creating new economic opportunities for citizens and communities all over the continent and inspire new generations of bankers whoare shaping Africa’s future.

When


24th May 2023

Where


Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt

The Awards Categories

Our categories highlight the achievements of companies and individuals that contribute to the transformation and development of Africa’s financial sector. They focus on areas important to the finance community and their stakeholders. We review our categories every year to ensure the Awards remain relevant and take into account the changing realities on the ground. 

This year the committee will continue to put an emphasis on the AfDB’s High 5s. The committee will pay greater attention to criteria such as financial inclusion, access to credit and to institutions that are leading the way in terms of women empowerment through lending to women-led businesses and also by the number of women in positions of seniority within their institutions.

African Banker of the Year

Through their leadership and vision, the winner will have overseen strong financial performance within their organisation and will have successfully guided their institution to new heights in the industry.

African Bank of the Year

This award goes to the bank in Africa that has demonstrated a high performance across various metrics. It will have considerably changed the banking landscape by reaching out to new customers, offering new services, adopting inclusiveness by bringing the unbanked into the banking space, making use of new technologies, and helping to drive growth through a stronger financial sector

DFI of the Year

This award goes to the Development Financial Institution which has demonstrated a high performance across various metrics, both qualitative and quantitative. It will have supported clients, projects and delivered high impact during these unprecedented times.

It will also have considerably changed the development finance landscape by investing in impact-led projects and contributed to the sustainable economic development of the continent.

Regional Bank of the year

This award goes to a bank operating either across a specific region or in one country within a region (North, East, South, West or Central Africa). The winner will have excelled in the banking industry in its region by reaching out to new customers, offering new services, adopting inclusiveness by bringing the unbanked into the banking space, making use of new technologies and contributing to a stronger financial sector.

Infrastructure Deal of the Year

This will be awarded for the deal which has had the most significant impact. The committee will take into consideration the complexity of the deal, its size, its structure and the groundbreaking role it may have played (ie ‘replicability’). The deal may provide a template for such future transactions and will have highlighted new possibilities and new solutions within the sector or industry it relates to.

Agriculture Deal of the Year

This will be awarded for the deal which has had the most significant impact. The committee will take into consideration the complexity of the deal, its size, its structure and the groundbreaking role it may have played. The deal may provide a template for such future transactions and will have highlighted new possibilities and new solutions within the sector/industry it relates to.

Deal of the Year - Debt

This winning deal may provide a template for such future transactions and will have highlighted new opportunities and raised country sector or regional investment profiles, or some other innovation in debt deal financing within Africa.

Deal of the Year - Equity

The winning deal will have highlighted new opportunities and raised sector or regional investment profiles. The judges will consider the size, complexity and impact in terms of changing perceptions of Africa as a place to do business.

FinTech of the Year Award

This award goes to the FinTech hat has brought most innovative practices to the financial services industry. The winner will have demonstrated original and efficient use of technology and/or innovative practices to provide: new, evolving business models; high quality and affordable products and services; faster and more inclusive access to financial services for customers; improved security and reliability of transaction services.

Sustainable Bank of the Year

The panel of judges will be seeking concrete examples of projects and initiatives within the institutions that have had a sustainable impact on the communities they are geared towards. The award is aimed at companies that go beyond the philanthropic use of funds to use their overall knowledge, resources and reputation to improve the lives of the less advantaged in society.

SME Bank of the Year

This award goes to the bank in Africa which has significantly contributed to the development of the SME sector, thus helping contribute to building the economic backbone of the continent. It will have considerably catalysed funding into the private sector in Africa and promoted enterprise development by facilitating credit and access to finance for SEMs. They will have done so by expanding SME-focused lines of credit, providing technical assistance to SME development institutions and built SMEs’ capacity via linkage programmes with private sector investment.

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award goes to an African banker who throughout his or her career has worked tirelessly to strengthen and promote banking as well as the role of the financial services sector on the African continent.

the winner of this category will be chosen by the Awards Committee

Finance Minister of the Year

This award goes to the African minister of finance who has carried through prudent macro economic policies and, through reforms and his or her actions, has shown skill and dexterity to create the conditions of an appealing investment climate.

the winner of this category will be chosen by the Awards Committee

African Banker Icon

The ‘Icon’ category is awarded to an individual or institution for their outstanding contribution in the field of business, banking and finance. They are chosen by the awards committee, who will have noted excellence in their area of expertise and for their work in helping to change the perception of Africa as well as contributing to the establishment of best global practice in the continent. This award in the past has been given to outstanding individuals such as Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who needs no introduction, Adebayo Ogunlesi, one of Wall Street’s most eminent financiers, and Eleni Gabre-Madhin, founder of the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange.

the winner of this category will be chosen by the Awards Committee

Central Bank Governor of the Year

This award goes to the central bank governor who has successfully reformed and transformed the financial sector, through proper regulation and policies, as well as created a stable and predictable environment for investment and growth.

the winner of this category will be chosen by the Awards Committee

AFAWA Bank of the Year

This award goes to the bank that has greatly incorporated the development and growth of Women Small and Medium size enterprises as an integral part of their SME Strategy. The winner will have demonstrated high performance across different metrics.

 

the winner of this category will be chosen by the Awards Committee

Awards Judges

Our independent expert judging panel with extensive expertise across the African regions will then select the winners based on a number of specific criteria from the shortlist. The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony

Rebecca Enonchong

CEO

AppsTech

Zemedeneh Negatu

Global Chairman

Fairfax Africa Fund

Tom Minney

Editor

African Council Markets News

Toyin F Sanni

GCEO

Emerging Africa Capital 

 

Jean-Louis Ekra

Board Member

British Globeleq Group

 

Vivien Shobo

CEO

 FVS Advisory Partners

 

Alain le Noir

Co Founder

Club des banques et établissements financiers africains

 

Christopher Hartland-Peel

Principal

Hartland-Peel Africa Equity Research

 

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