Miriam Chidiebele Olusanya and Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Chief Executives of Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank and Fidelity Bank, are among three women shortlisted for Banker of the Year category and 55 nominees in the 2026 African Banker awards.
Other five nominees for the Banker of the Year are: Ecobank Group’s Jeremy Awori, Mukwandi Chibesakunda of Zanaco, Zambia; Serge Ekué of the West African Development Bank (BOAD); Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group, Kenya; and Dr. Abdulmajid Nsekela, CRDB Bank, Tanzania.
Organisers of the award, the African Banker magazine and IC Events under the high patronage of the African Development Bank, said the 55 nominees emerged from a consideration of over 250 entries submitted in nine categories by banks spread across the African continent.
Winners, it said, will be announced and celebrated for their innovative, transformative, sustainable and inclusive banking initiatives, deals and products in the preceding year, on the sidelines of African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Brazzaville on May 27.
It particularly noted that this edition, the 20th, had a record number of entries submitted in the Debt and Infrastructure Deal of the Year, and among others to recognise and celebrate leading institutions and bankers making great strides in the continent’s banking and finance sectors.
The African Guarantee Fund, a fund created to share risks with commercial banks to encourage them to lend to the SME sector returns as the ceremony’s platinum sponsor while African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), which provides facilities to ensure against country risks and other associated insurance services, is the exclusive cocktail sponsor. Rounding up support for the 2026 edition of the awards are Afreximbank and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) as gold sponsors.
Commenting on the important role banks are playing in structuring groundbreaking transactions across the continent, Omar Ben Yedder, Chair of the Awards committee said: “Over the last 20 years, we have seen a significant evolution in the work of banks. They’re now structuring groundbreaking transactions and using domestic capital and their own balance sheets to finance transformative projects. The Deals categories continue to show innovation to deliver much needed homegrown solutions.”
Also nominated for the African Banker Awards 2026 include: the Arab African International Bank, Bank of Africa, and Co-Operative Bank of Kenya.
Nominees for the Development Financial Institutions of the Year are: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), African Guarantee Fund (AGF), Afreximbank, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Bank of Industry (BOI), Credit Corp Nigeria, and West African Development Bank (BOAD). SME Bank of the Year award nominees are: Co-operative Bank of Kenya, Equity Group, Kenya; GCB Bank, Ghana; Trust Merchant Bank, DRC; and Uganda Development Bank
Nominated for the Sustainable Bank of the Year are: Access Holdings and Bank of Industry, both in Nigeria; Commercial International Bank Egypt (CIB); Co-operative Bank of Kenya; Nedbank, South Africa; and Rawbank, DRC.
Infrastructure Deal of the Year nominees are: Abu Qir Port and new Abu Qir City – National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr; Aksa Enerji – African Finance Corporation (AFC); Genser Energy – Standard Bank; Craneburg EKSG Motorway 20-Year Infrastructure – Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit), Nigeria; Mota-Engil multi-country multi-sector LoC – Trade and Development Bank; New Bugesera International Airport project in Rwanda – African Trade & Investment Development Investment (ATIDI); and Red Rocket Holdco – Rand Merchant Bank.
Those nominated for Deal of the Year – Equity are: Africa Capital Alliance Divestment of 16% Stake in Nigeria’s Aradel Holdings – Cardinal Stone Partners; Arise IIP Exit/Equity Raise – African Finance Corporation; AXA/Apis/EIB Sale of Baobab Group Stake to Beltone Holding – Enexus Finance; Diageo Sale of EAB Plc and UDV Stakes to Asahi– Bank of America; IFC $100M Investment – Raxio Group; Deal of the Year – Debt; Project Nexxus – Afreximbank and African Finance Corporation (AFC); Al Barakah Sukuk Islamic Finance Transaction – CRDB; and Nigeria’s NBET Transaction – Cardinal Stone Partners; Côte d’Ivoire JPY50bn ESG Samurai Bond – SMBC; Crossboundary – Standard Bank; Drive Finance long term syndicated facility – National Bank of Egypt; and Project Oak: Kenya Roads Board – Absa.
