by ALEXIS DOUMBIA
ABIDJAN – AFRICAN Banker magazine has announced the shortlist of nominees for this year’s annual awards.
The winners of the African Banker Awards will be announced during the official gala ceremony scheduled for May 28 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The awards will be part of the official programme of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank.
The most prominent accolades to be handed include Bank of Year, Banker of the Year, SME Bank of the Year and Deal of the Year across a number of sectors.
Speaking on the awards, Omar Ben Yedder, Chair of the awards committee commented on the increasing focus on SME, sustainable banking practices and the role of fintechs in the ecosystem.
“Banks have performed strongly last year despite headwinds and currency devaluations in major countries. We also received entries in the deals category that show that there are numerous transformative transactions taking place.”
He noted that small and medium enterprises (SME) proved to be a profitable asset class and one that banks are paying greater attention to.
“The advent of AI and other technological advancements are at the centre of bank strategies too. The continent needs even bigger banks to support our growth agenda.”
African Banker magazine and IC Events under the patronage of the African Development Bank, are organising the awards.
The awards were incepted in 2007.
The shortlist for 2025 was selected from over 200 entries.
