By Dipo Olowookere
One of the leading pan-African banks, Ecobank, has been announced as the Best Digital Bank in Africa.
This honour was bestowed on the lender over the weekend at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2017.
Also, Ecobank Ghana was recognized as the Best Bank in Ghana for the third consecutive year.
The awards ceremony, established in 1992 and first of their kind in the global banking industry, held its 2017 edition at the Tower of London in the United Kingdom.
Almost 1,500 submissions were received this year from banks spanning almost 100 countries.
Commenting on the feats, the Group CEO of Ecobank, Mr Ade Ayeyemi, said the awards served as a validation of the positive impact of the Ecobank digital strategy.
“We are using digital technology to financially include many millions more into formal financial systems, and therefore improve lives across Africa, so it is wonderful to be acknowledged in this way,” Mr Adeyemi said.
On his part, the Group Executive, Consumer Banking, Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, noted that, “The fact that you can open your bank account – Ecobank Xpress instantly and do instant transfers and bill payments across Africa on our mobile app is what makes our value proposition to customers quite unique.
“This award confirms that we are indeed making banking easier, more accessible and more affordable across the continent than ever before.”
Regional Executive for Anglophone West Africa and Managing Director, Ecobank Ghana, Dan Sackey, expressed his joy to see Ghana win for the third consecutive year.
“Over the past 12 months we have invested particularly in our digital services,” he said. “This award is proof that we continue to provide convenient, relevant and reliable banking solutions to our clients, year after year.”
Ecobank had in 2016 reaffirmed its digital transformation agenda through the launch of the Ecobank app.
This app enable customers depend more on its digital platforms to do their daily banking activities; a move that is part of the bank’s transformation agenda which has created a fundamental shift of its banking activities to digital channels, as well as improve customers’ experience, while also reducing the cost of serving the customer.
The Ecobank Mobile App enables customers do instant payments; open accounts, as well as do instant transfers across 33 countries in Africa.
The Ecobank App, the first of its kind in Africa also has an innovative payment solution, the Ecobank Masterpass that allows customers the convenience to pay for goods at merchant locations by simply scanning a QR code on their phones.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Aduragbemi Omiyale