Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has been presented the award of the Banker of the Year 2022 at the 14th Leadership Annual Conference and Awards.

Organized by Leadership Media Group, publishers of Leadership newspapers, the colourful ceremony was held at the Abuja International Conference Center on Tuesday, 31 January 2023. The well-attended event was chaired by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, GCON, and featured a keynote address by Former Prime Minister, Republic of Kenya, Hon. Raila Odinga who spoke on the topic, “Credible Election and an Economy in Transition”.

“The Leadership Media Group awards have, just by the integrity and consistency in upholding high values, become a major national event for the recognition of deserving local and international persons. The founder of Leadership Media Group, Sam Nda Isaiah, believes strongly that the role of the media is to serve as the foremost moderator of public discourse and to be impartial yet impassioned. I commend you all at the Leadership Media Group for striving to keep his legacy alive and continuing to follow the trail that he saw doggedly blazed during his accomplished life,” remarked, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who doubled as the Special Guest of Honour at the event.

Speaking to journalists after the event, an elated Onyeali-Ikpe said, “I am grateful for this recognition as it is yet another demonstration of the good work that we are doing in Fidelity Bank. I dedicate the award to the Board of Directors and Management of the bank for their support and to our staff who work to position the Bank as a significant player in the industry”.

Other awardees at the event include President and Chairman of the Africa Export Import Bank (AFREXIM), Prof Benedict Oramah, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.Gen Buba Marwa (retd) who both received the award of the Leadership Person of the Year 2022; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, who bagged the award of the Oil and Gas Local Content Champion of the Year 2022; and MTN Nigeria, who took home the award of the ICT/Telecom Company of the Year 2022.

Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank operating in Nigeria with over 6.5 million customers serviced across its 250 business offices and digital banking channels. The bank was recently recognized as the Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking & Finance Awards. The bank has also won awards for the “Fastest Growing Bank” and “MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year” at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.