By Ayomide Otitoju
Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as Africa’s Best Bank and Nigeria’s Best Bank at the 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence, reinforcing its position as one of the continent’s leading financial institutions.
The awards were presented on July 16, 2026, at The Peninsula London Hotel. Zenith Bank retained the Nigeria’s Best Bank title for the second consecutive year while also clinching the prestigious continental award.
According to the organisers, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence recognise outstanding banks based on strategy, profitability, risk management, digital transformation, customer service and overall impact on stakeholders. This year’s edition attracted more than 770 entries from leading global financial institutions, including HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Barclays, Standard Bank and DBS Bank.
Reacting to the recognition, Zenith Bank’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, described the awards as a reflection of customers’ trust and the dedication of the bank’s workforce.
She said the recognition reinforces the bank’s commitment to delivering value to customers, advancing financial inclusion and supporting business growth across Africa.
Umeoji also commended regulators in the countries where the bank operates for providing a supportive regulatory environment and dedicated the awards to the bank’s founder, Jim Ovia, for his vision and leadership.
The bank attributed its success to strong financial performance and continued investment in technology, artificial intelligence and digital banking.
For the 2025 financial year, Zenith Bank reported gross earnings of ₦4.19 trillion, representing a six per cent increase year-on-year, while profit after tax rose to ₦1.04 trillion. The bank also reduced its non-performing loan ratio from 4.7 per cent to 3.8 per cent.
In line with its dividend policy, shareholders received a record total dividend of ₦10.00 per share, amounting to ₦410.69 billion, double the ₦5.00 per share paid for the 2024 financial year.
Zenith Bank said it has continued to strengthen its pan-African operations and expand its trade and transaction banking services to facilitate business across key African markets.
The latest recognition adds to the bank’s growing list of local and international honours. Earlier this year, Zenith Bank was ranked Nigeria’s Number One Bank by Tier-1 Capital for the 17th consecutive year in The Banker’s Top 1000 World Banks Ranking.
The bank has also received several other awards in recent years, including Bank of the Year (Nigeria) by The Banker, Best Bank in Nigeria by Global Finance, Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria by World Finance, and Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria by International Banker.
Beyond banking, Zenith Bank has also been recognised for its corporate governance, sustainability and corporate social responsibility, winning honours such as Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, Best Company in Transparency and Reporting, and Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at the SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024.
