The ‘Bank of the Year’ award from The Banker is one of the most esteemed accolades in the banking sector, attracting competition from top financial institutions worldwide. Winners are recognized across various regions, including Africa, Asia-Pacific, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, and Western Europe.
In response to the award, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank Plc, expressed her gratitude, stating, “We are thrilled and privileged to be named the Bank of the Year, Nigeria in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2024. This recognition is a reflection of the steadfast trust and loyalty of our valued customers, the exceptional leadership of our Board and Management, and the dedication of our staff.
It underscores our commitment to providing outstanding services and contributing to the advancement of the Nigerian economy. We will persist in investing in innovative technologies, broadening our product and service offerings, and upholding our dedication to exceptional customer service to maintain our status as Nigeria’s leading bank.”
She also acknowledged the visionary contributions of Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, in establishing a reputable and globally recognized financial institution known for its innovation, superior performance, and value creation for all stakeholders.
In November 2024, Zenith Bank inaugurated its Paris Branch after receiving final approval from France’s banking regulator, the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR). This development aligns with the bank’s global expansion strategy and underscores its dedication to serving clients worldwide.
Zenith Bank has consistently garnered numerous accolades, with this latest recognition following a series of honors. Notably, it was named the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the fifteenth consecutive year in the 2024 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking, as published by The Banker Magazine.
The bank also received the Bank of the Year (Nigeria) award in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards for both 2020 and 2022, along with the title of Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2023 and 2024 Banking Awards.
Additional accolades include being recognized as the Best Bank in Nigeria for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2024 in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards and as the Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria, for four straight years from 2021 to 2024 in the World Finance Banking Awards.
Furthermore, Zenith Bank has been honored as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards for 2022, 2023, and 2024, and recognized as ‘Best in Corporate Governance’ in Financial Services Africa for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom.
The Bank's dedication to excellence has earned it the title of Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, as recognized in the Banker Magazine's Top 500 Banking Brands for both 2020 and 2021. Additionally, it was awarded Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, and it received the prestigious Bank of the Year award in 2023 at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. The Bank also garnered recognition as Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria and for Best Innovation in Retail Banking in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.
Furthermore, Zenith Bank was honored as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards in 2020, named Bank of the Year 2021 by Champion Newspaper, and Bank of the Year 2022 by New Telegraph Newspaper. It also received accolades for Best in MSME Trade Finance in 2023 from Nairametrics and was recognized as the Most Responsible Organisation in Africa in 2021 by the SERAS Awards.