Zenith Bank Plc has been named ‘Africa’s Best Bank’ and ‘Nigeria’s Best Bank’, the latter for the second consecutive year, at the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, clinching the biggest and most coveted national and continental awards in banking.
The awards were presented to the Bank in London at a recent ceremony.
Euromoney is the leading authority for global banking and financial markets, and this latest recognition adds to Zenith Bank’s growing list of local and international accolades, and further cements its position as one of Africa’s leading financial institutions.
The bank said the dual recognition is a testament its sustained excellence in financial performance, customer service, digital innovation, and its contribution to economic development across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are among the most respected in the global financial industry, evaluating banks on criteria including strategy, profitability, risk management, digital transformation and impact on stakeholders. Victory at the awards is regarded as a mark of the highest distinction in global banking.
This year’s edition attracted a record of over 770 entries from world-class financial institutions including HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Barclays, Standard Bank and DBS Bank of Singapore.
Speaking on the awards, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, said, ‘We are deeply honoured by these recognitions from Euromoney. Being recognised as Africa’s Best Bank and Nigeria’s Best Bank reflects the trust of our customers, the dedication of our unicorn workforce, and our unwavering commitment to building a truly African global financial institution. These awards inspire us to do even more to deliver superior value, drive financial inclusion, and support the growth of businesses across Africa.’
The GMD commended the regulators across the various jurisdictions where the Bank has footprints for the enabling regulatory environment which has supported the Bank in achieving this feat.
She dedicated the award to the Founder of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, thanking him for his vision and excellence which have been instrumental to the Bank’s success.
Zenith Bank has continued to deliver strong financial results while accelerating investments in technology, artificial intelligence, and digital banking solutions.
In the 2025 financial year, the Bank grew gross earnings by six per cent year on year to N4.19 trillion and delivered profit after tax of N1.04 trillion, while reducing its non-performing loan ratio from 4.7 per cent to 3.8 per cent.
In keeping with its dividend policy, Zenith Bank rewarded its investors with a record-breaking total dividend of N10.00 per share (totaling N410.69 billion) for the 2025 financial year. This represents a 100% increase over N5.00 per share paid in 2024.
The Bank has also deepened its pan-African presence and expanded trade and transaction banking capabilities to connect businesses across key markets.