GTBank MD, Others Shortlisted for African Banker of the Year Award

The African Banker Awards has released its shortlist of nominees for the 2012 competition. The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on the 30th May, which comes to Africa for the first time. Usually held during the annual World Bank/IMF meetings, this year’s event coincides with the annual African Development Bank (AfDB) meetings in Arusha, Tanzania with the bank as the Official Patron for the Awards.

With a record number of entries received for this year’s competition the Bank of the Year and Banker of the Year categories both have 7 nominees competing for a trophy. Anglophone and Francophone Africa are near evenly matched in the Banker of the Year category where the shortlisted candidates are: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Managing Director of Access Bank, Nigeria; Amadou Kane, Président Directeur Général, Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie du Sénégal (BICIS), Senegal; Bisi Onasanya, Group Managing Director & CEO of FirstBank of Nigeria; James Benoit, CEO & Executive Director of AfrAsia Bank, Mauritius; Olusegun Agbaje, Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria; Othman Benjelloun, Chairman and CEO of BMCE Bank Group, Morocco; and Pa Macoumba M. Njie, Managing Director of Trust Bank, The Gambia.

Nigeria and South Africa compete neck and neck in the highly anticipated Bank of the Year category with Access Bank, FirstBank of Nigeria, Standard Bank Group, and Standard Chartered in the running; however they face stiff competition from heavyweights Equity Bank, Kenya; Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco; and Ecobank (ETI), Togo. However, it is East Africa that dominates the anthropological Financial Inclusion category with the line-up comprising Banque Rwandaise de Développement (BRD), Rwanda; BRAC Tanzania; Equity Bank, Kenya; Banque Populaire, Morocco; and Trust Merchant Bank SARL, DR Congo.

The Best Retail Bank category makes its debut this year with the first-time nominee Coris Bank International, Burkina Faso going up against the previously shortlisted candidates Diamond Bank, Nigeria, Millennium BIM, Mozambique, Banque Populaire, Morocco, and the National Bank of Egypt.

Commenting on this year’s entries Omar Ben Yedder, Publisher of African Banker magazine, said: “We are excited to recognise and celebrate these African champions in Arusha during the AfDB annual meetings. The entries have become stronger year on year, and the committee is impressed by the role financial institutions are playing in driving growth, especially the increasing number of big ticket deals and also smaller ones, creating a blueprint for others to replicate.”

The African Banker Awards are organised by African Banker magazine, IC Events and BusinessinAfrica Events. It is a landmark event that brings together over 300 key industry players and top government officials from Africa and around the world to celebrate excellence and best practices in African banking and finance.

A distinguished and independent panel of judges, known and respected for their expertise on the African banking and finance industry, will decide the final winners of each category.

Mediterranean Smart Cards Company (MSCC) is the Platinum sponsor for this year’s African Banker Awards. Other sponsors include the Ecobank and Nedbank Alliance, Harland Financial Solutions, Giesecke & Devrient, Air Charter Logistics and BIAT.

Nominees:

AFRICAN BANK OF THE YEAR

Access Bank, Nigeria

Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco

Ecobank (ETI), Togo

Equity Bank, Kenya

FirstBank of Nigeria

Standard Bank Group, South Africa

Standard Chartered Bank, South Africa

AFRICAN BANKER OF THE YEAR

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Managing Director, Access Bank, Nigeria

Amadou Kane, Président Directeur Général, Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l’Industrie du Sénégal (BICIS), Senegal

Bisi Onasanya, Group Managing Director & CEO, FirstBank of Nigeria

James Benoit, CEO & Executive Director, AfrAsia Bank, Mauritius

Olusegun Agbaje, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria

Othman Benjelloun, Chairman and CEO, BMCE Bank Group, Morocco

Pa Macoumba M. Njie, Managing Director, Trust Bank, The Gambia

INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR

Citi Bank

J.P. Morgan

Renaissance Capital

Standard Bank Group / Stanbic Bank

Standard Chartered Bank

AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN BANKING

Access Bank, Nigeria

Equity Bank, Kenya

FirstBank of Nigeria

Money Express, Senegal

Stanbic Bank, Uganda

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BANK OF THE YEAR

BMCE Bank Group, Morocco

Equity Bank, Kenya

Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria

Millennium BIM, Mozambique

Nedbank Group, South Africa

AWARD FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION

Banque Rwandaise de Développement (BRD), Rwanda

BRAC Tanzania

Equity Bank, Kenya

Banque Populaire, Morocco

Trust Merchant Bank SARL, DR Congo

DEAL OF THE YEAR

Acquisition of Oceanic Bank – Ecobank (ETI)

Acquisitions of stakes in Pepkor and Premier – Rand Merchant Bank

Jinchuan’s Acquisition of Metorex – Standard Bank Group

Rift Valley Railways – Citadel Capital

Syndicated Oil-Export Backed Facility “SEPLAT” – AFREXIM

BOND DEAL OF THE YEAR

AFREXIM Bank Bond – Commerzbank

Eskom Bond – JP Morgan

Republic of Namibia: Debut Sovereign Eurobond – Standard Bank Group / Absa Capital

Republic of Senegal: Sovereign Bond Issue – Standard Chartered Bank

Sea Trucks Group, pre IPO Convertible Bond – Absa Capital

INVESTMENT FUND/PRIVATE EQUITY FUND OF THE YEAR

African Development Corporation

Citadel Capital, Egypt

Emerging Capital Partners (ECP)

Standard Chartered Bank – Private Equity

Silk Invest

BEST RETAIL BANK IN AFRICA

Coris Bank International, Burkina Faso

Diamond Bank, Nigeria

Millennium BIM, Mozambique

Banque Populaire, Morocco

National Bank of Egypt