By Ayomide Otitoju
Zenith Bank Plc has been honoured as “Nigeria’s Best Bank” at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025, solidifying its reputation as the country’s leading financial institution. The award, presented at a prestigious ceremony held at The Peninsula, London, marks a major milestone for Zenith Bank as it clinches the most coveted country-level award among Nigeria’s banks.
Organised annually, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence celebrate financial institutions demonstrating outstanding leadership, innovation, and resilience across global markets. This year’s edition received a record 770+ entries from world-class banks including HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Barclays, Standard Bank, and DBS.
Reacting to the win, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive of Zenith Bank, said:
“We are thrilled to be recognised as Nigeria’s Best Bank by Euromoney. This award validates the trust and confidence our customers have placed in us and reflects our unwavering pursuit of excellence, innovation, and responsible banking.”
Dr. Umeoji dedicated the award to Zenith Bank’s global customers, its staff, and especially to the bank’s Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for his visionary leadership and commitment to building a legacy of excellence.
She further acknowledged the role of the Board in providing strategic guidance, and the bank’s employees for their dedication to creating a best-in-class financial institution.
A Legacy of Excellence
Zenith Bank’s consistent high performance has earned it numerous local and international accolades over the years, including:
Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the 16th consecutive year in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks by The Banker.
Bank of the Year (Nigeria) at The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Best Bank in Nigeria (2020–2022, 2024, 2025) by Global Finance.
Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria, Euromoney Awards 2023.
Listed in World Finance Top 100 Global Companies, 2023.
Corporate Governance and CSR Recognition
Zenith Bank has also received extensive recognition for its leadership in corporate governance and sustainability:
Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria (2021–2025), World Finance Banking Awards.
Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria (2023, 2024), International Banker.
Best in Corporate Governance, Financial Services – Africa (2020–2023), Ethical Boardroom.
Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024.
Best Company in Transparency and Reporting, and Best in Gender Equality & Women Empowerment, SERAS 2024.
Retail and Market Leadership
In the retail segment, Zenith Bank was named:
Retail Bank of the Year (2020–2022, 2024), BusinessDay BAFI Awards.
Bank of the Year, ThisDay and New Telegraph Newspapers, 2024.
Best in MSME Trade Finance, Nairametrics, 2023.
Rights Issue/Public Offer of the Year, Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards, 2025.
Zenith Bank’s latest honour from Euromoney reaffirms its position as a dominant force in Nigeria’s banking sector, with a track record of excellence in customer service, innovation, and sustainable financial leadership.
