Ecobank Ghana, part of the leading pan-African Banking Group (Ecobank Transnational Incorporated), has won the Sustainable Finance Award 2024 at the Global Finance annual Sustainable Finance Awards.

The award ceremony took place on April 30, 2024, at Searcy’s, the Gherkin in London, UK.

The win reflects Ecobank Ghana’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of its wide range of customers and providing them with the best products and services.

Abena Osei Poku, Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana, said: “Sustainability is an integral part of Ecobank’s pan-African mandate, and we are determined to achieve positive environmental, social, and developmental outcomes.

"Our Sustainable Finance initiatives embrace loans for renewable energy and social lending to women-led businesses, SMEs, microfinance institutions, education, and affordable basic infrastructure.

"Further, Ecobank Ghana is a widely recognised proponent of sustainable finance and became the first entity in Ghana and the first commercial bank in sub-Saharan Africa to be accredited to the Green Climate Fund.”

In December 2023, Ecobank Group displayed its sustainability credentials, by announcing its $200 million Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL) from a syndicate of European Development Institutions led by Proparco.

In addition to being the first-ever SSL to a sub-Saharan African financial institution, the facility was also linked to two major climate commitments, including Climate Disclosures and the definition of a Climate Strategy.

This followed Ecobank’s successful issuance of $350 million Tier 2 Sustainability Notes in June 2021.

Global Finance’s judges selected Ecobank Ghana as the winner, based on its growth in assets, profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business development and innovation in products, and also insights from financial services industry experts.

This latest recognition adds to the Ecobank group's growing list of award wins, which have been further boosted by winning Best Bank for SMEs in Africa, Best FX Bank in Nigeria, Best Bank in Benin, and Best Bank in Togo, all from Global Finance.