Development Finance Institutions were the big winners at the African Banker Awards Gala Ceremony 2025, which was recently held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
At least five Development Finance Institutions received plaques at the event, which took place during the African Development Bank’s Annual Meetings.
According to a release by AfDB, the dominance of DFIs like Ugandan Development Bank, TDB, ATIDI, Afreximbank, AFC and Bank of Industry in this year’s winners’ list shows the increasingly important role these banks are playing in catalysing investments and deals on the continent.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, was named Central Bank Governor of the Year, on the back of some tough decisions the CBN had made under his leadership, which have assuaged markets, and renewed investor confidence.
The Finance Minister of Morocco, Nadia Fettah, was recognised as the Finance Minister of the Year due to her effective macroeconomic management, which has made Morocco a leader in Africa, particularly in terms of economic diversification.
Also, pan-African commercial lender, Ecobank, won this year’s AFAWA Award, which recognises gender lens lending and banks supporting women-led businesses.
The Secretary General of the AfDB, Prof. Vincent Nmehielle, paid tribute to IC Publications and New African magazine for representing the voice of Africa internationally, when back in 2007 it was the only magazine presenting an African perspective on international affairs.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chair of the Awards Committee, Omar Ben Yedder, identified the private sector and banks as critical to transforming the continent.
“Thomas Sankara said the ones that feed you, rule you. To paraphrase him, we could easily say the ones that finance you, rule you. We need strong African-owned banks. The private sector is the key to unlocking scale, and banks are the fuel for driving Africa forward. African DFIs have won big because of the catalytic role they are playing in transforming the investment landscape, as well as working more closely with the African private sector to support SMEs and other asset classes that are underfunded,” he stated.
This year’s awards, which was attended by 500 of the continent’s leading lights in banking and finance, also had Ivorian sprinter and silver medallist Murielle Ahouré-Demps, a multiple medal winner at world events, as a special guest.
While presenting the African Banker of the Year award to the Managing Director of Ugandan Development Bank, Patricia Ojangole, she stated that she had “learned that champions are not made on the podium. They are forged in the quiet, unseen moments in the discipline it takes when no one is watching. And as African women, we carry within us a powerful legacy: one of strength, wisdom, and vision. I am deeply proud of that”.
The awards were supported by the AfDB and other high-level sponsors, such as the African Guarantee Fund.