FirstBank Nigeria has been honoured with the African Leadership Institutional Transformation & Digital Excellence Award by the African Leadership Organisation (ALO) at the 15th African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards ceremony held at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
The prestigious event, which ran from February 27–28 under the theme “Leadership for a New Africa: Forging Our Peace, Owning our Narrative,” brought together distinguished leaders, policymakers, and business executives from across Africa and the diaspora. The award recognises FirstBank Nigeria’s commitment to institutional transformation, digital innovation, and operational excellence, setting benchmarks for the financial services sector across the continent.
ALO’s mission is to inspire, influence, and empower African leaders to make lasting impacts in their communities and beyond. By highlighting exemplary leadership, fostering innovation, and encouraging collaboration, the organisation aims to build a future where Africa’s potential is fully realised. FirstBank’s recognition reflects its strategic investments in digital platforms, customer-centric solutions, and robust governance structures, demonstrating the Bank’s role as a pioneer in the African banking landscape.
Commenting on the award, Mr. Osahon Ogieva, FirstBank Ghana Deputy Managing Director said, “this recognition is a testament to FirstBank’s unwavering commitment to transformation, innovation, and excellence. Over the years, the Bank has shown that legacy institutions can reinvent themselves through digital advancement while maintaining strong governance and customer trust. FirstBank’s journey reflects the kind of leadership Africa needs, forward-looking, resilient, and impact driven.”
The award also highlighted FirstBank’s role in shaping the digital banking space and providing seamless financial services to millions of customers. Through the deployment of advanced digital platforms, user-friendly mobile banking apps, and innovative payment solutions, FirstBank has made banking more accessible, secure, and efficient, contributing significantly to financial inclusion across Nigeria and the wider continent.
Also present at the ceremony were Dr. Mairo Usman Mandara, Independent Non-Executive Director, FirstBank Nigeria, Titilayo Omotola Balogun, Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, FirstBank Ghana and Enoch Vanderpuye, Country Team Lead, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank Ghana.
The 15th African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards also celebrated other notable African leaders, including John Dramani Mahama, African of the Year; Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, African Political Leader of the Year; and Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, African Inspirational Leader of the Year. Esperança Maria Eduardo Francisco da Costa was voted African Leader of the Year, while retired Ghanaian statesman Nana Akufo-Addo received the African Legacy Leader Award.
For FirstBank Nigeria, the Institutional Transformation & Digital Excellence Award affirms the Bank’s strategic direction in leveraging technology to enhance customer experiences, strengthen governance, and drive operational efficiency. It underscores FirstBank’s adaptability in a fast-evolving digital financial ecosystem and its commitment to delivering world-class, seamless services while shaping Africa’s digital banking landscape.
As the continent moves toward a new era of growth and self-defined narratives, FirstBank’s leadership, both institution-wide and at the executive level continues to inspire innovation, empower communities, and set benchmarks for digital excellence in African banking.
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