Equity Bank tops East Africa at African banker awards

July 15, 2025 in Business, Companies, Finance by Editor

Zemedeneh Negatu, Chairman of the Washington, DC-based capital investment fund, Fairfax Africa Fund, LLC (Left) hands over an award for Best Regional Bank – East Africa to Equity Bank Kenya Head of Women and Youth Banking, Dr. Silpah Owich (Right) at the 2025 African Banker Awards held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Equity Bank has been named Best Regional Bank in East Africa at the 2025 African Banker Awards held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The award recognises Equity’s cross-border operations and its role in extending formal financial services across the region.

Now in their 19th year, the African Banker Awards honour institutions and individuals shaping Africa’s financial services sector. This year’s event, supported by the African Development Bank, acknowledged regional banks playing a central role in economic recovery and resilience.

Equity Group CEO Dr. James Mwangi said the recognition affirms the bank’s growth strategy and support for sectors that anchor local economies.

“This award speaks to our efforts to expand access to finance in ways that support small businesses, households and broader economic activity,” he said. “It also aligns with our Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, which focuses on inclusive and sustainable development.”

Equity operates in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a representative office in Ethiopia. The bank now serves over 22 million customers and has positioned itself as a key player in regional development financing.

Equity’s strategy is centred on lending to sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, health, education, and clean energy—areas seen as essential to long-term economic resilience in East and Central Africa.

Speaking at the event, Awards Committee Chair Omar Ben Yedder noted that African-owned banks like Equity are increasingly instrumental in shaping local development agendas.

“In today’s context, the ones who finance you empower you,” he said, paraphrasing Thomas Sankara. “Strong financial institutions are critical to scaling African-led development.”

Equity Group has in recent years shifted emphasis from traditional retail banking to broader development finance, aiming to work alongside governments and private sector actors to unlock growth across multiple sectors.