African Banker Award Committee Announces Nominees

Taarek Refaat

The African Banker Award 2019 Committee announced on Monday the selection of nominees from more than 400 Figures and banks that drove Africa’s financial growth.

The annual event draws business leaders from all over the African continent and the world to honor their potential toward generating unique economic opportunities, inspiring new generations to shape Africa’s business future.

This year’s event, which is held Under the Patronage of the African Development Bank (AFDB), will witness the nominations of new banking entities, as well as business tycoons from the sector.

Taking place on June 11 in the Equatorial Guinean capital Malabo, a judging board of bankers and business experts will select the finalists.

The award will carry ten categories including the African Bank of the Year, Central Bank Governor of the Year, Investment Bank of the Year, Best Regional Bank in Africa, Best Retail Bank in Africa, Innovation in Banking, Lifetime Achievement Award, Finance Minister of the Year, African Banker Icon, as well as Deal of the Year, and the Award for Financial Inclusion.

For the time being, the Bank of Industry got nominated in the Award for Financial Inclusion category, and Coronation Bank for the Investment Bank of the Year award while Stanbic IBTC got nominated for the Deal of the Year category.

In addition, Access Bank was suggested for Socially Responsible Bank of the Year and Guaranty Trust Bank for the category of the Best Retail Bank in Africa.

List of nominees in various sectors:

Best Retail Bank in Africa:

QNB AlAhli (Egypt)

Coris (Burkina Faso)

Ecobank (ETI)

Guarantee Trust Bank (Nigeria)

KCB (Kenya)

Socially Responsible Bank of the Year:

Bank Misr (Egypt)

Qalaa Holdings (Egypt)

Access Bank (Nigeria)

Equity Bank, KCB (Kenya)

Omar Ben Yedder, Chairman of the Awards Committee said earlier today that he was impressed by the excellence and magnitude of listings this year.

"We have received a record amount of entries this year and once again it’s been insightful seeing the work banks and financial institutions are doing. The banking industry is disrupted by technology and one could sense that the sector is embracing this technology to develop solutions that will truly benefit the real economy," Yedder said

The chairman further added, "Financial inclusion lies at the heart of formalizing our industries and fintech is playing a role in bringing finance to the masses. Banks have had to be more prudent following the recent downturn but they managed to post solid growth and the sector seems buoyant despite some setbacks in certain countries."

Deal of the Year [Equity]:

Al Ahly, Canal Sugar Equity

EFG Hermes, ASA IPO

RenCap, CiplaQCIL IPO

Standard Bank / RMB, Vivo Energy IPO

Standard Bank IBTC, Flour Mills of Nigeria Rights

Deal of the Year [Debt]:

CIB ($389m Egyptian Refining Company)

Absa ($350m Old Mutual Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme)

Afrexim ($500m ChinaExim Syndicated Loan)

Rothschild ($2.2bn Republic of Senegal Dual-Currency Eurobond)

TDB ($1bn Sovereign Loan to GoK)