Women were the top winners in the individual categories for the African Banker Awards 2014 with Vivienne Yeda scooping the much-coveted award for African Banker of the Year, HE Linah Mohohlo named Central Bank of the Year and Elizabeth Mary Oleko acknowledged with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The winners of the eighth edition of African Banker magazine’s African Banker Awards were announced at a prestigious ceremony attended on the 21st May at the Kigali Serena Hotel. Guests included HE Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda. The event is supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB), High Patron of the Awards, during the week of their Annual Meetings.
There was a noticeable strong performance from smaller financial institutions that have been operating in challenging post-conflict circumstances. Trust Merchant Bank, an independent commercial bank operating in DR Congo – where financial services was disrupted by years of conflict that ended in 2003 – won Best Bank in Central Africa. Mali, whose government successfully transitioned to a democratically elected President after a 2012 coup that crippled the economy, was celebrated by Ecobank Mali who won Best Bank in West Africa. Zimbabwe’s cash crunch made the headlines last year as unpopular cash withdrawal limits, long queues and scenes of violence and vandalism told of the nation’s monetary decline. Nevertheless, Stanbic Zimbabwe beat tough competition from bigger banks to become Best Bank in Southern Africa.
Two landmark deals were chosen for the two Deal of the Year categories, Equity and Debt, which received particular recognition from the African Banker Awards Committee for the quality of entries submitted this year. The infamous Bob Diamond backed Atlas Mara Co-Nvest $325 million IPO coordinated solely by Citigroup stood out amongst strong competition and was chosen by the judges for Deal of the Year – Equity. Dangote Industries, took a bold investment step in the infrastructure sector when they announced a $3.3 billion financing deal to build continent’s largest oil refinery, petrochemical and fertiliser plant on Nigeria’s Atlantic coast last September 2013. The deal became a win for Standard Chartered who was the lead financier on the transaction.
The African Banker Awards are organised by African Banker magazine and BusinessinAfrica Events. It is a landmark event that celebrates excellence and best practices in African banking and finance.
As well as the AfDB the Awards are sponsored by East African Development Bank as Regional Host, Emerging Markets Payments as Platinum Sponsor and MasterCard as Lead Sponsor.
Other sponsors and supporters include Banque Centrale Populaire, BGFI Bank, GTBank, Development Bank of Rwanda, Bank of Kigali, Oracle Financial Services, Bank of Industry, Ecobank Nedbank Alliance, Travelex, CRDB Bank, Wavetec, Amethis Finance, FirstBank Nigeria, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, BFI, RSwitch, Rwanda Bankers’ Association and Rwanda Development Board.
Winners
• African Bank of the Year
GTBank
• African Banker of the Year
Vivienne Yedda
• Investment Bank of the Year
Rand Merchant Bank
• Award for Innovation in Banking
Nedbank
• Socially Responsible Bank of the Year
Nedbank
• Award for Financial Inclusion
MasterCard
• Deal of the Year – Equity
Citi – Atlas Mara IPO
• Deal of the Year – Debt
Standard Chartered – Dangote
• Fund of the Year
Investec Asset Management
• Best Retail Bank in Africa
State Bank Mauritius
• Best Islamic Finance Initiative*
Islamic Bank of Mauritania
• Best Regional Bank in Africa
North – Banque Centrale Populaire
Southern – Stanbic Zimbabwe
East – Bank of Kigali
West – Ecobank Mali
Central – Trust Merchant Bank, Congo
• Mortgage Bank of the Year*
Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company
• African Banker Icon*
Andrew Alli
• Central Bank Governor of the Year*
HE Linah Mohohlo (Botswana)
• Finance Minister of the Year*
Hon Armando Manuel (Angola)
• Lifetime Achievement Award*
Elizabeth Mary Okelo
