Equity has scooped two awards at this year’s African Banker Awards 2020. The Bank has been awarded the Best Regional Bank in East Africa, and for the second year running, the Africa Socially Responsible Bank of the Year. Equity emerged as the Best Regional Bank in East Africa, having demonstrated high performance across various metrics, both qualitative and quantitative. According to the African Banker judging panel, the Bank excelled in terms of reaching out to new customers, offering new services, adopting inclusiveness by reaching out to the unbanked, adoption of new technologies and for its contribution to a stronger financial sector across the region. Speaking while receiving the award during the virtual ceremony, Equity Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi stated: “We are glad that Equity has won this award. We appreciate the recognition that our operations in the 6 East and Central African countries we operate in have been standardised to reflect the One Equity brand providing inclusive financial services and we are not just a Kenyan bank, but a regional bank.” During this COVID-19 period, the Bank exhibited initiative and support for its customers’ economic plight by providing an option for customers to re-negotiate existing facilities for up to 4 years. Equity further eliminated charges on all mobile banking transactions including all Equity-to-Equity mobile bank transfers, bank to mobile wallet transfers, mobile wallet to bank transfers, and mobile payments for bills, utilities, shopping, fuel, etc. to encourage cashless transactions. Similarly, the Bank also won the African Banker Awards category for the Africa Socially Responsible Bank of the Year for the second time in a row. The panel of judges sought for concrete examples of projects and initiatives within the institutions that have had a sustainable impact on the communities they are geared towards. Identifying organisations that go beyond the philanthropic use of funds to use their overall knowledge, resources and reputation to improve the lives of the less advantaged in society. “Our purpose is to transform lives, giving dignity and expanding opportunities for wealth creation. We have combined financial services and doing good, social impact investments, in our business model for the betterment of our communities and we are glad that our work and the impact is being recognized,” added Dr Mwangi. Equity Bank Rwanda and the family of Dr Mwangi made a contribution of 22,225 testing kits at a cost of RW 1Billion to the Government of Rwanda in supporting efforts of combating the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Commenting on the awards, Equity Bank Rwanda Plc Managing Director, Hannington Namara, said, “We thank our customers who have been loyal and are the very reason we exist and are being recognised. We would like to assure them that we remain committed to serving them through innovative and excellent services.” The African Banker Awards is a prestigious continental recognition awards ceremony that recognizes reforms, rapid modernisation, consolidation, integration and expansion of Africa’s banking and financial system. Recognising the personalities and banks that are driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial sector, the African Banker Awards bring together industry leaders from Africa and the world. They celebrate the achievements of those who are driving growth and development and creating new economic opportunities for citizens and communities all over the continent and inspire new generations of bankers who are shaping Africa’s future.
