The African Banker magazine recently honored the financial services sector’s most impressive players on the continent.

“Finance remains a key component of development, be it in terms of financing massive infrastructure projects that today are being wholly financed by consortia of African banks, or SME financing. It’s happening because of strong, bold and visionary leadership,” said Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher of African Banker magazine, “We recognize true leaders who are playing a critical role in the socio-economic development of the continent.”

Segun Agbaje, CEO Guaranty Trust Bank was named Africa’s Banker of the Year for his leadership role in a bank at the forefront of technological change. Agbaje led GTBank’s launch of a social media platform that has reached 3.6 million Facebook followers; an achievement for which the bank earned the Innovation in Banking Award.

Moroccan institution Attijariwafa was named Africa’s Bank of the Year for its “huge regional expansion at a time when other banks are retrenching.” It is present in 24 countries.

Cameroonian Alamine Ousmane Mey took home the Minister of Finance of the Year award and his compatriot Paul Fokam, President,Afriland First Group, won the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award.

Daniel Matjila, CEO of the continent’s largest fund manager, South Africa’s Public Investment Corporation was named African Banker Iconfor driving investment into corporations across Africa.

South Africa’s Rand Merchant Bank was rewarded with the Investment Bank of the Year honour for its efforts to excel against the challenging backdrop of a struggling South African economy. Its pre-tax profit increased 13 per cent to $264 million.

The Mozambique-based institution Banco Comercial e de Investimentos was named Retail Banker of the Year with a 23.74 per cent increase in operating income and $37 million net profit.

Kenya’s Patrick Njoroge was named Central Bank Governor of the Year for weeding out what he termed as “bad apples” in Kenya’s banking system. His strict fiscal policies have led to the lowest inflation rate in Kenya since June 2013; and he has placed three lenders under receivership within a year for financial improprieties.

Ecobank, Togo won the award for Financial Inclusion; and Equity Deal of the Year went to Citigroup for brokering the largest equity transaction of all time in SA, a $2.5 billion accelerated equity offering for media giant Naspers.

For working on Cameroon’s inaugural $750 million Eurobond issue, Lazard Freres was recognized for the Debt Deal of the Year.

The International Finance Corporation was awarded the Infrastructure Deal of the Year for arranging funding for the 459 MW Azuro-Edopower plant in Edo State Nigeria.

Egypt’s Commercial International Bank received the Socially Responsible Bank of the Year award. It allocates 1.5 percent of net profits to development programmes in the country, totalling $6.75 million last year.

The African Banker Magazine Awards for Best Regional Bank went to Commercial International Bank (North Africa), Banque Atlantique(West Africa), BGFI (Central Africa), CRDB Bank (East Africa) and Mauritius Commecial Bank (Southern Africa).

The 10th African Banker Award Winners were recognized at the InterContinental Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia at the sidelines of the AfDB Meetings.

AfDB’s president Akinwumi Adesina appeared as a special guest at the ceremony.