Yemisi Izuora
Sterling Bank Plc has won the Best Innovative Bank and the Best Corporate Governance Bank Awards by Banker Africa Magazine.
The award was in recognition of its exceptional capacity in the introduction of innovative products and services into the market and its adherence to laws guiding the practice of banking in the country,
More than 4,500 votes were cast across the 29 categories in the Banker Africa West Africa Awards by the readers of the magazine and the registered users of the financial news website.
Apart from Sterling Bank, other financial institutions in the country swept 10 of 15 regional categories while Ghanaian and Togolese banks took three Awards.
It would be recalled that Sterling Bank Plc had won the Award for Innovative ICT Banking Product of the Year at the Nigerian Telecoms Awards night curtesy of its Social Lender product and the “Most Innovative Award” at the BusinessDay Award for innovation in recognition of the introduction of Kia-Kia product by the Bank.
Social lender is a peer-to-peer quick cash solution using Twitter and Facebook, two of the most important social media platforms popular among young Nigerians, while Kia-Kia was introduced to make opening of account a lot easier for all especially the unbanked.
The Banker Africa West Africa Awards, now in their third year, reflect the core philosophy of the publication of identifying and promoting excellence and best practice in financial services.
In a statement, Robin Amlôt, Chief Executive Officer of CPI publishers of West African Magazine explained that the 29 Awards winners were chosen from some 156 nominations across all the categories by their peers in the banking and financial services sector.
“The winners of the Banker Africa West Africa Awards 2015 are, therefore, recognised not by a small jury but by the industry itself as being leaders in their fields. As such, their performance stands out in an increasingly competitive and exciting market-place,” he stated.
He stated that the Awards are designed to reward excellence in financial services, identifying the key players working to help create a prosperous diversified future for all of the region’s people, businesses and economies.
Speaking on the Award, the Bank in a statement signed by its Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Mr. Shina Atilola described the Award as a reward for innovation stating the position of the Bank on supporting creative solutions and ideas.
The statement reads: “At Sterling Bank we will continue to look for ways to make banking easy for all Nigerians, by introducing simple but innovative products and services to meet their needs.
We are also mindful of the need to align with regulations guiding the business and inculcate this in our staff. We are therefore delighted by this Award because it shows that people have taken keen interest in what we are doing and also that we are making the right impact”.
The Bank assured that it will continue to introduce innovative ways to ensure the empowerment of Nigerians irrespective of their social status and ensure compliance with regulations guiding the practice of banking in the country.