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By Adedapo Adesanya
The African Banker Awards 2023 Gala Ceremony, probably the most prestigious occasion within the African banking calendar, occurred final evening on the Rixos Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on the sidelines of the African Improvement Financial institution Annual Conferences and noticed African Export-Import Financial institution (Afreximbank) profitable two awards.
The ceremony was attended by over 300 of the continent’s main bankers, regulators, and policymakers.
Now in its seventeenth version, the African Banker Awards rejoice the achievements of people and establishments which have contributed considerably to the expansion and growth of Africa’s banking sector over the previous 12 months.
The highest spotlight of the ceremony was Ms Esther Kariuki changing into the second lady to win the African Banker of the Yr Award. The Head of Agriculture Enterprise on the Co-op Financial institution of Kenya has been a central determine in advancing agriculture as a key asset class for her establishment.
She was additionally answerable for significantly growing lending to the agriculture sector and oversaw the roll-out of the platform Co-op Financial institution Soko, a digital market that connects the agriculture worth chain and ensures, amongst different issues, that small-holder farmers obtain the next worth for his or her produce.
Afreximbank gained two prestigious awards in Sharm El Sheikh in recognition of its rising management inside Africa’s monetary companies sector. The Cairo-based establishment was celebrated as each African Financial institution of the Yr and Improvement Monetary Establishment of the Yr, making it the only establishment to win multiple award throughout this 12 months’s ceremony.
Mauritius’ Mr Harvesh Seegolam wins Central Financial institution Governor of the Yr. The youngest ever serving governor of Mauritius Central Financial institution was appointed on the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He leveraged Mauritius Funding Company (MIC) to offer crucial monetary assist to key sectors of the economic system by investing in personal sector operators. Its newest returns report demonstrated that the investments made by the MIC have elevated in worth, regardless of the difficult financial situations confronted.
South African banks swept lots of the Deal of the Yr classes. South Africa’s Mr Enoch Godongwana gained the Minister of Finance of the Yr Award. He was recognised for his steadfast administration of the economic system as finance minister in addition to the work he has finished to encourage funding to speed up the power transition.
Nigeria was additionally within the highlight as Letshego Nigeria took the inaugural AFAWA Financial institution of the Yr Award, a class spotlighting monetary establishments empowering feminine entrepreneurs throughout the continent.
The Affirmative Finance Motion for Girls in Africa (AFAWA) is a pan-African initiative to bridge the $42 billion financing hole dealing with girls in Africa.
The African Banker Icon was gained by veteran dealmaker, Mr Miguel Azevedo, head of funding banking for sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa at Citi. The lifetime achievement award went to a different veteran banker, Mr Hisham Ezz Al-Arab, former Managing Director and present Non-executive Chairman of CIB Financial institution, Egypt’s largest personal sector financial institution.
Talking on the occasion, Mr mentioned Omar Ben Yedder, Committee Chairman and Group Writer at IC Publications, publishers of African Banker, mentioned this 12 months’s award ceremony is a testomony not solely to the vibrancy and dynamism of Africa’s banking trade but additionally its growing range.
“The monetary companies trade continues to show excellence, innovation and affect of their respective markets and areas.
“FinTech, Local weather Finance, and Cross-Border funds are all being formed by the leaders we’re recognising at the moment.”
The ceremony is organised by African Banker journal, with the African Improvement Financial institution as its Excessive Patron. This 12 months’s AfDB Conferences targeted on mobilising personal sector finance in the direction of inexperienced development. The 2023 version was sponsored by the African Assure Fund, the Commerce and Improvement Financial institution (TDB) and Tanzania’s CRDB Financial institution.
Full record of winners:
Banker of the Yr
Ms Esther Kariuki, Co-operative Financial institution of Kenya
Financial institution of the Yr
Afreximbank
African Banker Icon
Mr Miguel Azevedo, Citi
Lifetime Achievement
Mr Hisham Ezz Al-Arab, Business Worldwide Financial institution
Central Financial institution Governor of the Yr
Mr Harvesh Seegolam, Financial institution of Mauritius
Minister of Finance of the Yr
Mr Enoch Godongwana, South Africa
Sustainable Financial institution of the Yr
Nedbank, South Africa
DFI of the Yr
Afreximbank
Fintech of the Yr
MFS Africa
SME Financial institution of the Yr
La Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations – CDC
Deal of the Yr – Debt
Concord Gold Firm syndicated multi-tranche, multi-currency, mortgage facility of $400m and R4bn – Absa & Nedbank
Deal of the Yr – Fairness
$298m Infinity Power fairness funding and Lekela Energy acquisition – Africa Finance Company
Deal of the Yr – Agriculture
$78m funding facility for the Southern Oil Structured Commodity Finance Transaction – Absa
Deal of the Yr – Infrastructure
$900m debt funding facility for Scatec Photo voltaic PV plus Battery Storage Challenge – Normal Financial institution
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – North
Financial institution of Africa
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – Southern
Zambia Nationwide Business Financial institution (Zanaco)
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – East
CRDB Financial institution
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – Central
Belief Service provider Financial institution
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – West
Vista Financial institution
AFAWA Financial institution of the Yr Award
Letshego, Nigeria
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