Zenith Bank MD, Dame Adaora Umeoji
Zenith Bank Plc has been honored as the “Bank of the Year, Nigeria” in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2024.
The prestigious recognition, announced by The Banker Magazine, part of the Financial Times Group in the UK, highlights the bank’s robust management, effective business strategy, and commitment to sustainability and ESG banking practices.
The ‘Bank of the Year’ award is one of the most prestigious in the global banking industry, contested by leading financial institutions across multiple regions, including Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe.
Reacting to the accolade, Zenith Bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Adaora Umeoji, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We are delighted and honored to be named the Bank of the Year, Nigeria.
This award is a testament to the trust and loyalty of our customers, the visionary leadership of our Board and Management, and the hard work of our dedicated staff. It reflects our commitment to providing exceptional service and contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.”
Umeoji also praised the bank’s founder and chairman, Jim Ovia, for his visionary leadership in establishing a globally recognized institution known for innovation, performance, and value creation.
As part of its global expansion strategy, Zenith Bank recently launched its Paris branch, following approval from France’s banking regulator, the ACPR. This move is part of the bank’s goal to serve clients worldwide.
Zenith Bank’s commitment to excellence has earned it numerous accolades, including being ranked as the top bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for 15 consecutive years in the 2024 Top 1000 World Banks ranking by The Banker Magazine. The bank has also been named Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Awards for 2020 and 2022, as well as Most Sustainable Bank in Nigeria by International Banker in both 2023 and 2024.
In addition, Zenith Bank has been recognized for its achievements in various sectors, including Best Bank in Nigeria (2020-2024) by Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards and Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria (2021-2024) by the World Finance Banking Awards.
It has also won several awards for corporate governance, including Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria (2022-2024), and was named Best in Corporate Governance in Financial Services in Africa for four consecutive years by the Ethical Boardroom.
The bank has further demonstrated its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction by winning titles such as Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria (Banker Magazine 2020 and 2021), Retail Bank of the Year (2020-2022), and Bank of the Year (2023) at the BusinessDay BAFI Awards.
Zenith Bank has also earned accolades such as Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria (International Banker 2022) and Most Responsible Organization in Africa (SERAS Awards 2021).