Their Night of Glory

Fri, May 31, 2013
By publisher
4 MIN READ

AfDB Special Coverage

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN governor, Donald Kaberuka, president, AfDB, and two other Nigerian bankers shine at banker’s award night

|  By Maureen Chigbo, Marrakesh, Morocco  |  Jun. 10, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT

IT WAS a night of triumph and disappointment for both winners and losers at the African Banker Awards 2013 which held in Marrakesh, Morocco, May 29.  Donald Kaberuka, president of the African Development Bank, AfDB, and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, belonged to the former category as they emerged winners at the grand awards ceremony. Kaberuka was given the maiden edition of the award instituted by the Made in Africa Foundation while Sanusi, for the second time, emerged as the Central Bank Governor of the year. Both Kaberuka and Sanusi were modest in accepting the award as they dedicated it to the staff of their respective banks, saying they were responsible for the success. According to them, the award would not have been possible without hard work and untiring efforts of their staff who helped to implement the visions and programmes of their respective banks.

Kaberuka (left), receiving his award
Kaberuka (left), receiving his award

Sanusi, who spoke to Realnews shortly after the presentation of the award, said even though the award was an endorsement of his reforms in the banking sector, it would not make him to change his mind to seek another tenure in office. “This job takes a lot out of one. To stay in it for 10 years will be killing. We have achieved everything we have set out to do. Nigerians helped. And we would not have done it differently.  I built on what I met. The next person coming should also continue from where I stopped,” he said. According to him, the bank has fixed inflation, exchange rate and external reserve and has them where he wants them to be.

Aig-Imoukhuede
Aig-Imoukhuede

It was not only Kaberuka and Sanusi’s night of glory. Other bankers and institutions also received awards. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chief executive officer of Access Bank Plc, clinched African Banker of the Year. He beat Joao Figueiredo, chief Executive Officer and chairman, Unico Bank, Mozambique and Charles Kimei, managing director, CRDB, Tanzania, to walk away with the award.

Special recognition for outstanding achievement and bold leadership award went to Joao Figueiredo, chairman, Unico Bank while Nizar Baraka, Morocco, carried the finance minister of the year. The lifetime achievement award went to Jean-Louis Ekra, President, Afreximbank and Michael Joseph, former CEO, Safaricom and founder of M-Pesa, won the African Banker Icon

Oba Otudeko (right), group chairman, FBN Holdings Plc, receiving the award
Oba Otudeko (right), group chairman, FBN Holdings Plc, receiving the award

In the bank category, African Bank of the Year went to Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria, Best Bank in North Africa to Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco, Best Bank in Southern Africa is Afrasia Bank, Mauritius while First Bank is the Best Bank in West Africa. Also the Best Bank in East Africa is Equity Bank, Kenya, Best Bank in Central Africa to BGFI, Gabon, and Investment Bank of the Year went to Rand Merchant Bank, South Africa.

Ecobank Transnational, Togo, clinched the award for innovation in banking, Socially Responsible Bank of the Year went to Nedbank, South Africa, Award for Financial Inclusion was won by Africa Guarantee Fund, Kenya while Fixed Income Deal of the Year went to the Ghana Seawater Desalination Project – Standard Bank, South Africa and Deal of the Year to Umeme IPO – cfc Stanbic (Kenya) and Fieldstone (South Africa)

Models on the runway
Models on the runway

The other winners are Citadel Capital, Egypt for private equity fund of the year, Groupe Banque Centrale Populaire, Morocco, for best retail bank in Africa while best Islamic bank went to Gulf African Bank, Kenya, mortgage bank of the year to THUIF, South Africa and brokerage house of the year to African Alliance, Kenya

The African Banker Award is organised by African Banker magazine in collaboration with Business in Africa Events. It is a landmark event that brings together more than 500 key industry players and top government officials from Africa and around the world to celebrate excellence and best practices in African banking and finance.

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