Zenith Bank Wins Top Africa, Nigeria Banking Honours

Zenith Bank Plc has been named “Africa’s Best Bank” and “Nigeria’s Best Bank” at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, securing the continent’s highest banking honour alongside the Nigerian title for the second consecutive year.

The awards were presented on 16 July 2026 at The Peninsula London Hotel in London, recognising the bank’s strong financial performance, outstanding customer service, digital innovation and contribution to economic growth across Africa. This year’s competition attracted more than 770 entries from leading global financial institutions, including HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Barclays, Standard Bank and DBS Bank.

Reacting to the achievement, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adaora Umeoji, said: “We are deeply honoured by these recognitions from Euromoney. Being recognised as Africa’s Best Bank and Nigeria’s Best Bank reflects the trust of our customers, the dedication of our unicorn workforce, and our unwavering commitment to building a truly African global financial institution. These awards inspire us to do even more to deliver superior value, drive financial inclusion, and support the growth of businesses across Africa.”

She also thanked regulators across the countries where the bank operates for creating an enabling environment and dedicated the awards to Zenith Bank founder, Jim Ovia, in recognition of his vision and leadership.

In the 2025 financial year, Zenith Bank increased gross earnings by six per cent to ₦4.19 trillion and recorded a profit after tax of ₦1.04 trillion. The bank also reduced its non-performing loan ratio from 4.7 per cent to 3.8 per cent and rewarded shareholders with a record ₦10.00 dividend per share, representing a 100 per cent increase from the previous year.

The latest recognition adds to Zenith Bank’s long list of international and local awards, reinforcing its reputation as one of Africa’s leading financial institutions through sustained innovation, sound corporate governance and strong financial performance.

What do you think has been the biggest factor behind Zenith Bank’s continued success across Africa?