Nigeria's banking industry has earned another major endorsement on the global stage, with Zenith Bank Plc securing two of the sector's most coveted honours at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026. The bank was named Africa's Best Bank while also retaining the title of Nigeria's Best Bank for the second consecutive year, reinforcing the country's growing reputation for producing financial institutions that compete successfully at the highest international level.
The awards, presented in London, are among the banking industry's most respected benchmarks of excellence. Euromoney assesses financial institutions based on a broad range of performance indicators, including strategic execution, profitability, risk management, digital transformation and the impact they create for customers, shareholders and the wider economy.
Zenith Bank's latest triumph reflects a combination of strong financial fundamentals, sustained digital innovation, high-quality customer service and its continued contribution to economic development across Africa. The recognition further strengthens the bank's position as one of the continent's leading financial institutions.
Behind the international recognition is a year of remarkable financial performance. For the 2025 financial year, Zenith Bank reported gross earnings of ₦4.19 trillion and profit after tax of ₦1.04 trillion. The bank also improved the quality of its loan portfolio by reducing its non-performing loan ratio to 3.8 per cent, down from 4.7 per cent, demonstrating disciplined risk management alongside sustained growth.
Reacting to the achievement, the bank's Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, described the awards as a reflection of the confidence customers and stakeholders continue to place in Zenith Bank. She said the recognition also speaks to the commitment, professionalism and dedication of the bank's workforce, whose efforts continue to drive the institution's pursuit of global standards.
According to Dr. Umeoji, the double recognition will further inspire the bank to expand financial inclusion, deliver superior value to customers and continue supporting businesses across Africa as it advances its vision of building a globally competitive African financial institution.
She also expressed appreciation to regulators in the countries where Zenith Bank operates for providing an enabling environment that supports the banking sector. In addition, she dedicated the awards to the bank's founder, Jim Ovia, acknowledging his vision and leadership in laying the enduring foundation of excellence that continues to define the institution.
The Euromoney honours add to an expanding list of global recognitions for Zenith Bank. Earlier, the institution was ranked Nigeria's number one bank by Tier-1 Capital for the 17th consecutive year in The Banker's 2026 Top 1000 World Banks ranking, further affirming its consistency, resilience and leadership within Nigeria's financial sector.
As Zenith Bank continues to earn international recognition, the achievement also reflects the strength and competitiveness of Nigeria's banking industry. The latest awards underscore the capacity of Nigerian financial institutions to meet global standards while supporting economic growth, expanding financial inclusion and strengthening Africa's position in the international banking landscape.
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