Story, Louvier Kindo Tombe
The recognition as “Bank of the Year 2025” places the bank among a select group of financial institutions acknowledged for innovation, inclusion, and impact beyond balance sheets.
Unlike conventional award assessments that focus solely on profitability, The Banker’s judging panel evaluated a broader set of criteria, including how banks support their communities, invest in technology, and respond to customer needs.
Ecobank Cameroon distinguished itself through practical innovations that have made banking more accessible, efficient, and relevant to a wider segment of the population.
One of the key drivers behind this recognition is the bank’s digital transformation agenda. Over the past year, Ecobank Cameroon has significantly improved customer onboarding, with the number of customers onboarded through its trade and digital platforms more than quadrupling from 219 in 2024 to 885 in 2025.
The integration of its systems with Afreximbank’s Mansa Digital Repository has further enhanced efficiency and positioned the bank as a pioneer in SME trade enablement in Cameroon.
Financial inclusion has also been central to Ecobank Cameroon’s success. Through its Ellevate programme, the bank has expanded access to finance for women-led businesses, empowering female entrepreneurs and supporting inclusive economic growth.
Since June 2024, more than 2,000 women-run businesses have subscribed to the programme, with CFA 4.8 billion disbursed in loans—an achievement that underscores Ecobank’s commitment to gender-focused financing.
Beyond banking halls and digital platforms, Ecobank Cameroon’s community investments have played a crucial role in its recognition. Through its flagship Ecobank Day initiative, the bank has supported education, health, and community development projects across the country.
Over the past 11 years, community financing under the initiative has exceeded USD 540,000, impacting more than 3,000 pupils and their families in the last three years alone.
Commenting on the achievement, Gwendoline Abunaw, Managing Director of Ecobank Cameroon and CEMAC Cluster Head, said “the recognition reflects the bank’s ongoing transformation journey”.
She noted that “by listening to clients and simplifying banking processes, Ecobank has raised the bar in service delivery and is positioning itself to accelerate innovation and deepen financial inclusion across Cameroon and the wider region”.
Ecobank Cameroon’s success is also part of a wider Pan-African story. In 2025, six Ecobank affiliates—Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, and Togo—were recognised by The Banker, highlighting the group’s collective drive to build a more connected and inclusive African banking ecosystem.
The awards were officially presented at a ceremony in London on December 3, 2025.
As competition intensifies in Cameroon’s financial sector, Ecobank Cameroon’s recognition by The Banker sends a strong signal: sustainable banking today is not just about profits, but about innovation, inclusion, and lasting impact.
