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The African Banker Awards 2023 Gala Ceremony, essentially the most prestigious occasion within the African banking calendar, was held on 24 Could at Rixos Lodge in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on the sidelines of the African Growth Financial institution Annual Conferences. The ceremony was attended by over 300 of the continent’s main bankers, regulators, and policymakers from throughout the continent.
Now in its seventeenth version, the African Banker Awards have a good time the achievements of people and establishments which have contributed considerably to the expansion and improvement of Africa’s banking sector over the previous yr.
Maybe one of the coveted prizes of the night, the African Banker of the Yr award, went to Esther Kariuki, head of agriculture enterprise on the Co-op Financial institution of Kenya. She has been a central determine in advancing agriculture as a key asset class for her establishment. Not solely a pacesetter and function mannequin, she was additionally liable for significantly rising 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 a better value for his or her produce.
Afreximbank scores a brace of awards
The African Export-Import Financial institution (Afreximbank) received two prestigious awards in recognition of its rising management inside Africa’s monetary providers sector. The Cairo-based establishment was celebrated as each African Financial institution of the Yr and Growth Monetary Establishment of the Yr, making it the only establishment to win multiple award throughout this yr’s ceremony.
Afreximbank’s chairman and president, Dr Benedict Oramah, mentioned that the financial institution had received the award on behalf of all DFIs. “We’re all companions. None of that is potential with out you and profitable collaboration,” he mentioned as he acquired the award.
The youngest-ever serving governor of Mauritius Central Financial institution, Harvesh Kumar Seegolam, was awarded Central Financial institution Governor of the Yr. Appointed on the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, he leveraged Mauritius Funding Company (MIC) to supply vital monetary help to key sectors of the financial system by investing in non-public sector operators. Its newest returns report demonstrated that the investments made via the MIC have elevated in worth, regardless of the difficult financial circumstances confronted.
South African Enoch Godongwana received the Minister of Finance of the Yr award. He was rewarded for his steadfast administration of the financial system as finance minister in addition to the work he has performed to encourage funding to speed up the power transition.
New award recognises ladies entrepreneurs
The African continent has the very best proportion of ladies entrepreneurs on the earth. Letshego Nigeria was awarded 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 Ladies in Africa (AFAWA) is a pan-African initiative to bridge the $42bn financing hole dealing with ladies in Africa.
Personal sector financing
The Awards Ceremony happened on the sidelines of the Annual Conferences of the African Growth Financial institution (AfDB), which centered on mobilising non-public sector finance in the direction of inexperienced development.
AfDB president, Akinwumi Adesina, drew consideration to the best way the worldwide monetary structure is failing Africa and growing international locations. “There may be an pressing must reform the worldwide monetary and debt structure to cut back the prices, time and authorized issues for debt restructuring for African international locations,” he informed delegates.
He additionally signalled that for the multilateral monetary structure to be simpler, there’s want for higher leverage of personal sector financing for improvement.
The energy of African banking
“This yr’s award ceremony is a testomony not solely to the vibrancy and dynamism of Africa’s banking trade but additionally its rising variety,” mentioned Omar Ben Yedder, committee chairman and group writer at IC Publications, informed company on the awards ceremony. “The monetary providers trade continues to show excellence, innovation and affect of their respective markets and areas. Fintech, local weather finance, cross-border funds are all being formed by the leaders we’re recognising right now.”
The ceremony is organised by African Banker journal with the African Growth Financial institution as its Excessive Patron. The 2023 version was sponsored by the African Assure Fund, the Commerce and Growth Financial institution (TDB) and Tanzania’s CRDB.
Full listing of winners
Banker of the Yr Ms Esther Kariuki – Co-operative Financial institution of Kenya
Financial institution of the Yr Afreximbank
African Banker Icon Miguel Azevedo, Citi
Lifetime Achievement Hisham Ezz Al-Arab, Industrial Worldwide Financial institution
Central Financial institution Governor of the Yr Harvesh Seegolam, Financial institution of Mauritius
Minister of Finance of the Yr 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 Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC), Tunisia
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
Agriculture deal of the Yr $78m funding facility for the Southern Oil Structured Commodity Finance Transaction – Absa
Infrastructure deal of the Yr $900m debt funding facility for Scatec Photo voltaic PV plus Battery Storage Venture – Normal Financial institution
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – North Financial institution of Africa
Regional Financial institution of the Yr – Southern Zambia Nationwide Industrial 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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