Ecobank named 2012 African Bank of the Year

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has been adjudged 2012 African Bank of the Year at the 6th edition of the African Banker Awards, held on the sidelines of the just-ended Annual General Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Arusha, Tanzania.

The transcontinental bank headquartered in Lome, Togo with a subsidiary in Ghana was said to have won the award due to its continued expansion across Africa as well as the recent $200 million investment agreement it signed with South Africa’s Public Investment Corporation.

Ecobank Group Chief Executive Officer Arnold Ekpe also received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event organised by the African Banker magazine, IC Events and BusinessinAfrica Events.

The African Banker of the Year went to the Managing Director of Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr Olusegun Agbaje.

Full list of winners of the various awards:

African Bank of the Year: Ecobank (ETI), Togo

African Banker of the Year: Olusegun Agbaje, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria

Best Regional Bank in Africa: Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco (North Africa); BGFI, Gabon (Central Africa);
Bank of Kigali, Rwanda (East Africa); Access Bank, Nigeria (West Africa); BCI, Mozambique (Southern Africa).

Investment Bank of the Year: Renaissance Capital

Award for Innovation in Banking: Equity Bank, Kenya

Socially Responsible Bank of the Year: BMCE Bank Group, Morocco

Award for Financial Inclusion: Groupe Banque Populaire, Morocco

Deal of the Year: Jinchuan’s Acquisition of Metorex – Standard Bank Group

Best Bond Deal: Republic of Senegal: Sovereign Bond Issue – Standard Chartered Bank

Investment Fund/Private Equity Fund of the Year: Citadel Capital, Egypt

Best Retail Bank in Africa: Coris Bank International, Burkina Faso

Central Bank Governor of the Year: Mustapha Kamel Nabli, Central Bank Governor, Tunisia

Finance Minister of the Year: Kerfalla Yansané, Minister of Finance, Guinea

Lifetime Achievement Award: Arnold Ekpe

African Banker Icon: Dr Eleni Gabre-Mahdin, Founder and CEO, Ethiopia Commodities Exchange