For the second consecutive year, Ecobank Cameroon has been named ‘Bank of the Year 2025’ by the globally respected The Banker magazine, solidifying its position as a leader in the nation’s financial sector. The award, a testament to the bank’s strategic transformation and unwavering customer-centric ethos, highlights how the pan-African banking group continues to redefine service standards on the continent.
The accolade is particularly significant given The Banker’s rigorous evaluation, which looks beyond pure financial metrics to assess strategic initiatives, technological innovation, and tangible value creation for customers and communities. Ecobank Cameroon, part of the Ecobank Group which operates in 33 African countries, distinguished itself with a series of practical, impactful programmes that have simplified banking and fostered inclusion.
Central to its success has been a relentless drive to improve efficiency and accessibility. The bank’s internal ‘Transformation Squad’ slashed account opening times by 65% and halved the average wait for credit applications from six to three days. Furthermore, its innovative Single Market Trade Hub, integrated with Afreximbank’s MANSA platform, has more than quadrupled its Cameroonian user base in a year, providing local SMEs with an unrivalled platform for cross-border trade.
The bank’s commitment to inclusive growth was also pivotal. Its Ellevate programme, empowering women-led businesses, has disbursed over 4.8 billion CFA Francs in loans to more than 2,000 female entrepreneurs since mid-2024. This, alongside sustained community investment through its annual ‘Ecobank Day’, which has seen over $540,000 deployed locally over 11 years, painted a picture of a bank deeply invested in its society.
Gwendoline Abunaw, Managing Director of Ecobank Cameroon and Cluster Head for the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, commented on the achievement: “This consecutive recognition underscores our transformation journey, from overhauling customer onboarding to expanding our gender financing platform (Ellevate) and investing in education through technology. By listening to clients and simplifying banking, we have raised the bar in service delivery. Next year, we will accelerate innovation and drive greater financial inclusion across Cameroon and the wider region.”
The award also speaks to a broader narrative of success within the Ecobank Group. “We’re also proud to be part of a bigger story,” the bank noted. This year, six Ecobank affiliates across Africa were recognised by The Banker, reflecting a group-wide commitment to connected, inclusive banking.
The Bank of the Year 2025 award was formally presented at a ceremony in London on 3 December, affirming Ecobank Cameroon’s model of combining innovative digital solutions with a profound understanding of its customers’ needs as a blueprint for modern African banking.
