Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, has clinched the prestigious title of ‘Best Banking CEO of the Year in Africa’ at the International Banker 2024 Banking Awards, securing the accolade for the second consecutive year.
This recognition, featured in the Spring 2024 edition of International Banker Magazine in the United Kingdom, coincides with Dr. Onyeagwu’s culmination of his five-year tenure as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer on May 31, 2024.
Expressing gratitude for the award, Dr. Onyeagwu extended appreciation to the publishers of International Banker, remarking, “It is indeed an honour to be recognised as the ‘Best Banking CEO of the Year in Africa’ for a second consecutive year. This award is a testament to our team’s collective efforts and our commitment to innovation, growth, and delivering value to our customers and stakeholders. It also reflects our dedication to sustainability and high ethical standards, which are integral to our overall strategy.
“I am immensely proud of our accomplishments and look forward to future opportunities for the bank as I hand over the baton to my successor and begin the mandatory regulatory cooling-off period.”
Dr. Onyeagwu attributed the award to the guidance of Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, acknowledging his mentorship as pivotal to his success as Group Managing Director/CEO. He also recognised the unwavering dedication of the bank’s management team and staff over the past five years, as well as the loyalty of its customers.
Throughout his illustrious tenure, Dr. Onyeagwu has garnered numerous accolades, including Bank CEO of the Year (2019, 2023) by Champion Newspaper, Bank CEO of the Year (2020–2023) by BusinessDay Newspaper, CEO of the Year (2020 and 2021) at the SERAS Awards, and CEO of the Year (2022) awarded by Leadership Newspaper. Additionally, he was named Banking CEO of the Year for Africa in 2023 by International Banker.
Appointed as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer on June 1, 2019, as part of Zenith Bank’s succession planning strategy, Dr. Onyeagwu has steered the bank towards notable achievements in financial performance, financial inclusion, corporate governance, and sustainability.
