Two Nigerian banks have taken home top honours at the 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence, with Wema Bank named Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank for Consumers and Access Bank picking up 16 awards across several African markets.
Wema Bank, described as the pioneer of Africa’s fully digital banking model, received its award in recognition of its digital transformation journey, anchored on its digital banking platform, ALAT, Africa’s first fully digital bank. The Euromoney Awards for Excellence, presented annually, honours financial institutions driving innovation, measurable impact and customer value in the banking sector.
According to the bank, the recognition reflects continuous upgrades to ALAT, including voice banking, tap-to-pay functionality, personalised financial services, faster digital onboarding, AI-powered fraud monitoring and an expanding agency banking network.
Reacting to the award, Wema Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Moruf Oseni, said the recognition validated the bank’s long-term investment in digital banking. “Innovation for us has never been about technology for its own sake,” he said, adding that the bank remains focused on building solutions that make banking easier and more rewarding for customers.
Separately, Access Bank Plc won 16 honours at the same awards ceremony, held in London, spanning categories including Corporate Responsibility, Digital Banking Leadership, Customer Experience Excellence, SME Banking Leadership, Sustainable Finance and ESG Leadership, and Best Bank awards across multiple countries.
According to a statement by the bank, its 2026 wins include Corporate Responsibility honours in Angola, Botswana and Nigeria; Digital Banking Leadership in Cameroon; Customer Experience Excellence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya; SME Banking Leadership in Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia; Sustainable Finance and ESG Leadership in Rwanda and Zambia; and Best Bank awards in The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Zambia.
The bank said the awards reflect its execution of a strategy built on innovation, sustainability, customer-centricity and responsible growth across its African markets and international operations.
Speaking on the achievement, Access Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Roosevelt Ogbonna, said the awards were “a tribute to the trust our customers place in us” and to the dedication of the bank’s employees. He added that the bank remains focused on raising the bar for excellence and supporting Africa’s transformation through world-class financial services.
Other Nigerian banks recognized at the awards include Guarantee Trust Bank which was named Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank at the 2026 awards, in a different category from Wema Bank’s “Best Digital Bank for Consumers” win.
In the investment banking space, Iron Capital was named Nigeria’s Best Investment Bank for Financing Solutions while CardinalStone Partners also secured a double victory, winning Nigeria’s Best Investment Bank for M&A and Nigeria’s Best for Capital Markets Advisory, with the judges recognising the firm’s role in major deals including the N501 billion NBET Power Sector Bond and the N387.4 billion Aradel Holdings divestment.
Chapel Hill Denham took home three awards, including Nigeria’s Best Investment Bank for the fifth consecutive year, as well as recognition for Equity Capital Markets and as Africa’s Best Investment Bank for Financial Institutions. CardinalStone also retained its position as the top securities firm on the Nigerian Exchange for the fourth year running.
The Euromoney Awards for Excellence, running for over three decades, evaluates financial institutions on criteria including financial performance, leadership, innovation, governance, customer outcomes, strategic execution and long-term value creation.
