Published: September 30, 2016
Coverage of this year's winning firms across the continent.
Welcome to EMEA Finance’s ninth African Banking Awards. Since launching these awards in our first year in print, we continue to be astounded by the rapid changes taking place across the banking landscape. For many years the Africa has been at the vanguard of mobile banking solutions and mobile payments development. Now that banks are facing a digital revolution that is being driven not only by themselves, but also by non-bank financial providers and fintech challengers, African banks are better prepared than most of their global peers to manage the rapid changes and evolve as the market place and customers require.
Our winners exemplify the sound, sustainable management required to switch gears and temper strategies when their business environments change direction. Since the commodity rout began a few years ago, it has dramatically impacted many African states, and it is likely to continue to do so. Unsurprisingly, however, our winners have shown resilience with profits growing, and fortunately for their customers, and the greater African economic picture, continue to increase lending. We are witnessing a noble drive to bring the unbanked populations of the continent into the realm of credit and finance as well.
These accomplishments and many others deserve recognition.
The awards cover commercial banks, investment banks, asset managers and brokerage houses. We highlight indigenous firms as well as local divisions of global banks operating across Africa.
Over the following pages we profile this year’s winners, and report on how they differentiate themselves from the competition, drive growth and make deals happen. The coverage begins with our pan-African section, including awards for our CEO of the year, most innovative bank, best product launch and awards for financial inclusion and corporate social responsibility, followed by the individual country awards.