.She deserves the honour, the records are there for all to see, says Nwapa
CHIGOZIE AMADI
For leading Zenith Bank Plc to a record 160 percent over subscription during its recent recapitalization drive and the highest dividend payment in the industry for the first half of the year, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji has clinched Champion Newspapers’ 2025 Banker of the Year Award.
The annual recognition is bestowed on the most outstanding bank chief executive officer, CEO, based on his or her performance not only in delivering robust financial results, improved asset quality and developing innovative solutions that address customers’ changing needs but also creates long-term value for stakeholders.
Group Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Champion Newspapers Limited, Dr. Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, who announced Dame Umeoji’s emergence during a visit to Zenith Bank head office in Victoria Island Lagos, recently, said that the award is a product of a diligent but very rigorous selection process of the Board of Editors in collaboration with credible independent assessors.
Zenith Bank Executive Director, Dr. Mrs. Adobi Nwapa, who was on hand to receive the letter of nomination on behalf of her CEO, described the award as merited. ‘’Thank you very much for this award, it is noble and she deserves it. For you to have recognized her means that you are doing a good job. You can see she merit the award and the records are there to show for it, we are the best in the industry’’, she sta,ted.
Presenting the letter, Dr Iheakanwa paid glowing tribute to the founder and chairman of the bank, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, for his integrity and vision in establishing the financial institution, adding that the solid foundation laid and his enduring legacies are the real reasons for the bank’s successful growth trajectory as a dominant player in the sector.
Justifying the emergence of Dr Umeoji OON as the Banker of the Year, she noted that apart from leading the bank to increase its capital base to N614billion to surpass the N500billion stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for banks with international authorization,
Recall that the bank achieved this feat by completing a public offer that raised ₦350.46 billion, along with its rights issue, to meet the CBN requirement.
Also, Zenith Bank was rated as the most profitable bank with the highest dividend payment in the industry for the first half of this year.
Mrs Iheakanea hinted that Dame Umeoji, alongside other prominent awardees, will be formally presented with their laurels at a colourful awards ceremony slated for March 14, 2026 at the Eko Hotels and Suites Victoria Island Lagos.
Responding, Dr. Nwapa described the award winner as an Amazon, who, since assumption of office as the first female CEO of the bank, in June last year, has introduced several innovations in the running of the financial institution and accorded topmost priority to the welfare of employees and promoted over 4000 staff at once.
‘’So, the staff are happy to work with her and they are happy to contribute their best; salaries were also increased, so our staff are happy. In fact, there are a lot of innovations our CEO has introduced, she added.
On recapitalization, the Executive Director explained that management of the bank wasted no time in doing the needful, stressing that ‘’we don’t believe in mediocrity and once an assignment is out there, we follow it immediately. So, you can imagine what would have happened with the kind of economy that we have now, if we didn’t start at the time we did’’.
Continuing, she further revealed, ‘’It was tough for us, having meetings every day and the GMD had to join until we finished raising that capital and of course you saw the outcome. It was 160 per cent oversubscribed.
On the bank’s half year profit, she disclosed that Zenith Bank had the best in the industry despite the issue of forbearance, enforced by the CBN, adding that the incumbent CEO is doing a wonderful job. ‘’We are happy that she is here. The changes that she has made is helping the bank to grow from strength to strength. So, we want to assure the public, our stakeholders, clients and customers that we will continue to make them proud and ensure that the dividend they are expecting from Zenith Bank, they will continue to get it’’.
Agreeing with Dr. Iheakanwa’s remarks that no establishment can flourish without a solid foundation, Mrs Nwapa said Dr. Jim Ovia, laid a very strong foundation for the bank. ‘’When we speak, we say that we have the chairman’s DNA in us, we all carry that charisma because there is something he instilled in us, sometimes it is not tangible but it is known. He created an institution where ordinary people achieve extraordinary things. So, it is his legacy that we are going to carry forward and we will continue to do our best to ensure that Zenith Bank is on top in the industry.
