Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as Africa’s Best Bank and Nigeria’s Best Bank at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the continent’s leading financial institutions.
The bank received the prestigious awards on July 16, 2026, at The Peninsula London Hotel, with the recognition marking its second consecutive win as Nigeria’s Best Bank and its latest continental honour.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are regarded as one of the banking industry’s most respected global benchmarks, assessing financial institutions on profitability, strategic execution, risk management, digital transformation, customer service and overall impact on stakeholders. This year’s competition attracted more than 770 entries from major global banks, including HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Barclays, Standard Bank and DBS Bank.
The dual recognition comes as Zenith Bank continues to strengthen its financial performance, expand its digital banking capabilities and deepen its footprint across Africa.
Speaking after receiving the awards, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, described the honours as a reflection of the confidence reposed in the bank by its customers and stakeholders.
READ ALSO: Zenith Bank leads brokers’ buy ratings as analysts turn bullish on banking stocks
She said the awards underscored the commitment of the bank’s workforce to delivering innovative financial services while supporting businesses and advancing financial inclusion across Africa.
According to her, the recognition would further motivate the bank to create greater value for customers and investors as it pursues its ambition of becoming a truly African global financial institution.
Umeoji also commended financial regulators in the various countries where Zenith Bank operates for providing an enabling environment that has supported the bank’s growth.
She dedicated the awards to the bank’s founder, Jim Ovia, acknowledging his vision and leadership in building one of Africa’s most successful banking institutions.
For the 2025 financial year, Zenith Bank reported gross earnings of N4.19 trillion, representing a six per cent increase year-on-year, while profit after tax rose to N1.04 trillion. The bank also improved asset quality by reducing its non-performing loan ratio from 4.7 per cent to 3.8 per cent.
Shareholders also benefited from the bank’s performance, with Zenith declaring a record dividend of N10 per share, amounting to N410.69 billion—double the N5 per share paid for the previous financial year.
The bank has continued to invest heavily in technology, artificial intelligence and digital banking platforms while expanding its pan-African operations and trade finance services aimed at facilitating cross-border business transactions.
Beyond the latest Euromoney recognition, Zenith Bank has maintained an impressive record of domestic and international awards.
Industry analysts say the latest Euromoney awards further strengthen Zenith Bank’s reputation at a time when African banks are increasingly competing on digital transformation, regional expansion and sustainable growth, placing the Nigerian lender among the continent’s most influential banking brands