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African Banker Awards 2023 nominees announced

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3 years ago

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African Banker Awards

The 2023 edition of the Awards ceremony is set to spotlight SMEs, women and gender; A new category has been introduced to recognize efforts towards bolstering financial inclusion of women across the continent

LONDON, United Kingdom, April 25, 2023/APO Group/ — 

African Banker magazine has announced the shortlist of nominees for this year’s edition of its African Banker Awards (www.AfricanBankerAwards.com).

Since their inception in 2007, the African Banker Awards aim to recognise the exceptional individuals and organisations driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial services sector. The winners of the African Banker Awards will be announced during the official gala ceremony taking place 24 May, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and part of the official programme of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings. The 2023 edition of the African Banker Awards is being organised by African Banker and IC Events. The ceremony will be sponsored at platinum level by the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and at associate level by the Trade and Development Bank (TDB) and Tunisia’s Caisse des Dépots et Consignations, that is managing an important project to support start-ups and SMEs.

This year’s Awards gala is poised to accentuate the theme of gender equity in the industry, as demonstrated by the substantial proportion of female candidates vying for the coveted title of Banker of the Year. In addition, in partnership with the African Guarantee Fund, a fresh accolade has been instituted to acknowledge and encourage initiatives aimed at propelling financial inclusivity for women across the African continent, the AFAWA Bank of the Year award. AFAWA (Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa) is a pan-African initiative to bridge the $42 billion financing gap facing women in Africa.

The African Banker Awards nominees were selected from a record number of entries, representing the entirety of the African continent, over a total of 10 categories, and shortlisted by the Awards committee. The nominees for the African Banker Awards 2023 are:

Banker of the Year:  

  1. Mr Admassu Tadesse – Trade and Development Bank
  2. Prof Benedict Oramah – Afreximbank 
  3. Ms Esther Kariuki – Co-operative Bank of Kenya  
  4. Mr Moezz Mir – SBM Bank, Kenya 
  5. Ms Mukwandi Chibesakunda – Zanaco, Zambia 
  6. Mr Othman Benjelloun – Bank of Africa
  7. Ms Yemi Edun – First City Monument Bank 

Bank of the Year: 

  1. Afreximbank 
  2. Bank of Africa 
  3. Co-operative Bank of Kenya 
  4. CRDB Bank – Tanzania 
  5. The Mauritius Commercial Bank 
  6. Trade and Development Bank 
  7. Trust Merchant Bank, Democratic Republic of the Congo  

Sustainable Bank of the Year:  

  1. Absa, South Africa 
  2. Commercial International Bank, Egypt 
  3. Nedbank, South Africa 
  4. Rand Merchant Bank, South Africa 
  5. Trade and Development Bank 

The African Banker Awards nominees were selected from a record number of entries, representing the entirety of the African continent, over a total of 10 categories

DFI of the Year:  

  1. Afreximbank 
  2. Africa Finance Corporation 
  3. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa: BADEA 
  4. Lesotho National Development Corporation     
  5. Trade and Development Bank 

Fintech of the Year:  

  1. Ensibuuko Technologies, Uganda 
  2. Flutterwave, Nigeria 
  3. JUMO World, South Africa 
  4. Lulalend, South Africa 
  5. MFS Africa, South Africa 

SME Bank of the Year:  

  1. Absa, South Africa 
  2. Caisse de compensation et de consignation, Tunisia 
  3. CRDB Bank, Tanzania 
  4. Ecobank, Senegal 
  5. KCB Bank, Kenya 

Deal of the Year – Debt:  

  1. EUR174m (US$190m) investment in the 44MW Singrobo-Ahouaty Project – Africa Finance Corporation 
  2. R1.143bn (US$66.13m) gender-linked bond (“GLB”) issuance across 3-year and 5-year tranches for Barloworld Limited– Rand Merchant Bank 
  3. US$564m equivalent private placement green bond issuance for GrowthPoint – Absa    
  4. Harmony Gold Company syndicated multi-tranche, multi-currency, loan facility of US$400 million and R4 billion– Absa & Nedbank 
  5. Dual currency USD 292.4 Million, and EGP 1.9 billion Syndicated Long Term Facility (US$400m) to the Egyptian Chemical Industries Company (KIMA) – National Bank of Egypt  

Deal of the Year – Equity: 

  1. Advisory on the US$2.5bn initial public offering (IPO) of ADNOC Gas – EFG Hermes 
  2. US$47m investment in Africa Go Green – International Finance Corporation (IFC) 
  3. US$298m Infinity Energy equity investment and Lekela Power acquisition – Africa Finance Corporation 
  4. R892m (US$55m) acquisition of Windlab Africa’s wind and solar assets I partnership with Seriti Resources – Rand Merchant Bank 
  5. R8.9bn (US$550m) evergreen B-BBEE transaction for Shoprite– Rand Merchant Bank 

Agriculture deal of the Year:  

  1. Launch of a first-of-its-kind AgriHarvest Platform – Rand Merchant Bank 
  2. US$100m working capital trade finance facility to Export Trading Group (ETG) – Trade and Development Bank 
  3. 8bn EGP (US$266m) Syndicated Long-Term Loan Facility for Evergrow – Banque Misr 
  4. Syndicated Long Term Facility US$161m General Authority for Rehabilitation Projects & Agricultural Development (GARPAD) – National Bank of Egypt 
  5. US$78m funding facility for the Southern Oil Structured Commodity Finance Transaction – Absa 

Infrastructure deal of the Year:  

  1. US$650m equivalent syndicated loan facility to EDF Renewable – Absa 
  2. US$21.7m Corporate Sukuk issuance for Family Homes Fund – Greenwich Merchant Bank 
  3. US$1bn 7-year Amortizing Term Loan in favour of a Special Purpose Vehicle (“SPV”) for NNPC Limited Project Yield – Afreximbank 
  4. US$900m debt funding facility for Scatec Solar PV plus Battery Storage Project – Standard Bank 
  5. US$310m debt package for the Sports and Roads Infrastructure Kigali – Trade and Development Bank 

African Banker Awards hosts first AFAWA Bank of the Year Award 

In partnership with the African Guarantee Fund, AFAWA Bank of the Year Award will spotlight the banks advancing the financial inclusion of women across the continent. The nominees for the AFAWA Bank of the Year Award are:  

  1. Letshego Nigeria 
  2. Fin’ELLE; Rawbank 
  3. Letshego Uganda 
  4. Oiko Credit 

For more information on the African Banker Awards or details on how to attend the official Awards ceremony, please visit www.AfricanBankerAwards.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Banker Awards.

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Energy

Cornerstone Valve Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Associate Sponsor Amid Angola’s Upstream Expansion

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July 2, 2026

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Cornerstone Valve

As Angola accelerates upstream, LNG and refining projects, demand is rising for critical flow control solutions that improve reliability, safety and operational efficiency across the energy value chain

LUANDA, Angola, July 1, 2026/APO Group/ –As Angola advances a new phase of oil and gas growth, demand is increasing for the infrastructure and equipment that keep large-scale hydrocarbon projects operating safely and efficiently. From upstream production and gas processing to refining and storage, flow control systems play a central role in maintaining operational integrity, minimizing downtime and supporting long-term asset performance. In this environment, specialized engineering companies such as Cornerstone Valve are becoming increasingly important partners in Angola’s expanding oil and gas market.

Cornerstone Valve has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference & Exhibition 2026 as an Associate Sponsor, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Angola’s fast-growing oil and gas sector. The event takes place on September 9–10 in Luanda, with a pre-conference day scheduled for September 8, bringing together regulators, operators, service providers and investors to drive partnerships and investment across the industry.

Cornerstone Valve specializes in valve automation, actuation and flow control solutions, providing products and services that support complex industrial operations across the oil and gas value chain. The company’s portfolio includes automated valve packages, control systems and engineered solutions designed to enhance safety, improve system efficiency and optimize asset reliability in demanding operating environments.

The company’s participation at AOG 2026 comes at a pivotal time for Angola’s oil and gas sector. The country is pursuing an ambitious strategy to sustain crude production above one million barrels per day while expanding natural gas monetization and downstream capacity. Major upstream developments, including deepwater projects, brownfield optimization campaigns and frontier exploration, are creating new opportunities for technology providers capable of supporting high-performance operations.

As Angola’s premier oil and gas event, AOG 2026 serves as a strategic platform for companies to engage with decision-makers, showcase solutions and strengthen commercial partnerships. Cornerstone Valve’s sponsorship underscores the growing role of engineering and technology providers in supporting Angola’s next phase of oil and gas development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Business

ICIEC Highlights De-Risking as a Driver of Regional Trade and Investment at Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Private Sector Forum 2026

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5 hours ago

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July 2, 2026

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ICIEC

Held at the Baku Convention Center, the session brought together senior representatives from Azerbaijani public and private sector stakeholders, export credit agencies, multilateral development banks, commercial banks, insurers, investors, government entities, State-Owned Enterprises, and business leaders

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 1, 2026/APO Group/ —

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (www.ICIEC.IsDB.org), a Shariah-based multilateral credit and political risk insurer and member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, convened a high-level panel discussion titled “De-Risking Trade & Investment for Regional Prosperity” on the sidelines of the IsDB Group Private Sector Forum 2026 in Baku.

 

Held at the Baku Convention Center, the session brought together senior representatives from Azerbaijani public and private sector stakeholders, export credit agencies, multilateral development banks, commercial banks, insurers, investors, government entities, State-Owned Enterprises, and business leaders.

ICIEC’s Shariah-compliant solutions help governments, financial institutions, and investors move from ambition to implementation and execution

The discussion focused on how risk mitigation can unlock private capital, strengthen investor confidence, and support regional integration across Azerbaijan, ICIEC Member States, and the broader OIC region, in alignment with the Annual Meetings theme, “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity”. Convened in Baku, the session explored how political risk insurance, trade credit insurance, and credit enhancement solutions can help transform opportunities in infrastructure, energy, logistics, ICT, manufacturing, and trade into bankable projects, while supporting Azerbaijan’s expanding role as a regional gateway for investment, connectivity, export-oriented growth, and wider OIC market integration.

The event featured keynote remarks by Mr. Yusif Abdullayev, Executive Director of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO), who highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role as a regional hub for trade, investment, and connectivity.

The panel featured Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC; Mr. Yuichiro Akita, President of the Berne Union; Mr. Sujithav Sarangi, Executive Director, Development and Agency Finance Team, Standard Chartered; and Mr. John Lentaigne, Global Head of Structured Credit and Political Risks, Specialist Risk Group. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Elnur Aliyev, Advisor to the Chairman, KOBIA Azerbaijan.

Speaking during the session, Dr. Khalid Khalafalla said: “Regional prosperity can only deliver its full development impact when trade and investment opportunities are supported by confidence, bankability, and effective risk mitigants. ICIEC’s Shariah-compliant solutions help governments, financial institutions, and investors move from ambition to implementation and execution. Through strong partnerships with public and private sector institutions, ICIEC is helping mobilise capital for strategic sectors, reduce perceived and actual risks, and support sustainable growth across Member States and beyond.”

The discussion underscored that Regional Prosperity requires more than connectivity and project pipelines. It requires a coordinated ecosystem in which governments, financial institutions, insurers, investors, and development partners work together to manage risk, mobilise finance, and deliver tangible development outcomes. The session reinforced ICIEC’s role as a catalyst for trade, investment, and sustainable development through Shariah-compliant risk mitigation solutions, partnership-building, and support for investment-ready projects across Member States.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).

 

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Events

The 6th Cross-Strait Sun Yat-sen Forum Successfully Held in Zhongshan, Guangdong

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21 hours ago

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July 1, 2026

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Sun Yat-sen Forum

ZHONGSHAN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 July 2026 – As 2026 marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the 6th Cross-Strait Sun Yat-sen Forum was held in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province—the hometown of the great pioneer—from June 27 to 29 under the theme “Carrying Forward Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Spirit of Endeavor and Working Together for the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation”. This year’s forum was the largest in its history, attracting the broadest participation from Taiwan compatriots and the highest proportion of young participants to date. Around 2,000 representatives from across the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao attended the event. Centered on cultural heritage and driven by economic and trade cooperation, the forum established a multi-level platform for cross-strait exchanges and collaboration while fostering broader consensus on integrated cross-strait development.

Distinguished guests from both sides of the Taiwan Strait attended the opening ceremony and noted in their remarks that Dr. Sun Yat-sen is a revered national pioneer shared by compatriots on both sides of the Strait. His vision of rejuvenating China remains a common spiritual legacy, and people across the Strait should carry forward his ideals and work hand in hand toward national rejuvenation. During the opening ceremony, Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government and the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland signed the Strategic Framework Agreement on Deepening Zhongshan-Taiwan Economic and Trade Cooperation to Promote Integrated Development, laying a solid institutional foundation for long-term industrial cooperation across the Strait.

A series of cultural exchange activities also took place throughout the forum. Participants enjoyed an evening tour of the century-old Sunwen West Road Arcade Pedestrian Street, immersing themselves in Zhongshan’s rich historical heritage and the vibrant cultural and tourism scene of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. They also visited the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, where they studied revolutionary historical archives, bowed before Dr. Sun’s bronze statue to pay homage, and gained a deeper appreciation of his enduring ideals of “All Under Heaven Belong to the People” and “Revitalize China”. Many participants remarked that these activities provided an excellent platform for sustained exchanges among young people across the Strait and that their shared cultural roots and common heritage form a solid foundation for advancing cross-strait spiritual integration.

To further strengthen cross-strait economic cooperation and advance industrial integration between Shenzhen and Zhongshan, the forum also featured the “Taiwan Businesses Gather in Zhongshan, Industries Glow in the Greater Bay Area” 2026 Guangdong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Exchange Conference and Investment Promotion Event Celebrating the Second Anniversary of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. A total of 19 industrial projects were signed during the event. The first group comprised seven Taiwan-invested projects spanning semiconductor supporting industries, electronic components, smart home products, high-end fitness equipment, and medical devices. The second and third groups included 12 Shenzhen-Zhongshan collaborative projects covering new energy vehicle components, industrial robotics, memory chip packaging, advanced specialty materials, and integrated cultural, tourism, and commercial developments.

During the investment promotion event, Taiwan business representatives spoke highly of Zhongshan’s business environment. Zhang Congyuan, Chairman of Huali Industrial Group, which has operated in Zhongshan for more than two decades, praised the city’s enterprise service philosophy of “staying out of businesses’ way when everything runs smoothly while providing prompt support whenever needed”. He noted that this business-friendly environment has helped the company grow into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of athletic footwear.

Guo Wenhai, secretary of the CPC Zhongshan Municipal Committee, extended a sincere invitation to Taiwan businesses and entrepreneurs to invest and establish operations in Zhongshan. He emphasized that the city offers not only strong industrial infrastructure but also high-quality government services. Zhongshan will continue to provide proactive, efficient, and dedicated support for businesses while continuously improving both its hard and soft investment environment. Leveraging the opportunities created by the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, the city aims to create broader prospects for cooperation and shared growth for enterprises from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Participants and Taiwan business representatives agreed that, taking the 160th anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s birth as an important milestone, this year’s forum created new channels for both cultural exchanges and industrial cooperation across the Strait. Looking ahead, Zhongshan will continue to organize regular initiatives, including entrepreneurship support programs for young people from Taiwan, youth exchange activities, and Guangdong-Taiwan industrial matchmaking events. By carrying forward Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s spirit, embracing the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area, and strengthening both economic cooperation and people-to-people ties, the city will continue to contribute to a new chapter of integrated cross-strait development.

 

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