Zenith Bank’s Ebenezer Onyeagwu Wins Best Banking CEO of the Year in Africa

Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, has been honoured as the Best Banking CEO of the Year in Africa at the International Banker 2024 Banking Awards.

This accolade, which marks the second consecutive year Onyeagwu has received the award, was announced in the Spring 2024 issue of the International Banker Magazine, United Kingdom, coinciding with the conclusion of his five-year tenure.

In a statement released on Monday, Dr Onyeagwu expressed his gratitude for the recognition. “It is indeed an honour to be recognised as the ‘Best Banking CEO of the Year in Africa’ for a second consecutive year. This award is a testament to our team’s collective efforts and our commitment to innovation, growth, and delivering value to our customers and stakeholders. It also reflects our dedication to sustainability and high ethical standards, which are integral to our overall strategy,” he said.

He dedicated the award to the founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Dr Jim Ovia, acknowledging his mentorship, and to the bank’s management team and staff for their unwavering commitment. He also expressed gratitude to the bank’s customers for their loyalty. As Onyeagwu prepares to hand over leadership to his successor, Dr Adaora Umeoji, he reflects on the significant milestones achieved during his tenure.

Under Onyeagwu’s leadership, Zenith Bank has seen remarkable growth in financial performance, financial inclusion, corporate governance, and sustainability. These achievements have garnered numerous local and international accolades, including being named the best bank in Nigeria four times within five years by the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards, and Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards 2023.

In 2023, Zenith Bank was listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies and was recognised as the number one bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the 14th consecutive year in the Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine. The bank also received the honour of being the best commercial bank in Nigeria for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023 by the World Finance Banking Awards, and Best Corporate Governance Bank in Nigeria by the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards in 2022 and 2023.

Further accolades include Bank of the Year (Nigeria) by The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards in 2020 and 2022, and Best in Corporate Governance Financial Services Africa for four successive years from 2020 to 2023 by Ethical Boardroom. In addition, Zenith Bank was named the Most Sustainable Bank in Nigeria at the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards, and Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking in Nigeria at the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.

Onyeagwu, who was appointed as the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on June 1, 2019, will hand over to the bank’s first female GMD, Dr Adaora Umeoji. Last Thursday, the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria conferred its fellowship on Onyeagwu in recognition of Zenith Bank’s outstanding risk management practices and contributions to the broader financial community.