Dr. Adaora Umeoji: Zenith Bank’s First Female CEO Leads the Bank to Africa’s Best
Dr. Adaora Umeoji, the first woman to serve as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, has achieved a remarkable milestone with the bank’s emergence as Africa’s Best Bank at the 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence.
Dr. Umeoji assumed office as Zenith Bank’s GMD/CEO on June 1, 2024, becoming the first female CEO in the bank’s history. She brought with her nearly three decades of banking experience, including more than two decades in senior management positions at Zenith Bank.
Just over two years into her tenure, Zenith Bank was named Africa’s Best Bank 2026 by Euromoney. The award recognises the Nigerian-headquartered banking group’s strong financial performance, corporate banking leadership, growth in retail and digital banking, and customer engagement.
The achievement was supported by another strong financial year. In 2025, Zenith Bank recorded ₦4.19 trillion in gross earnings, representing a 6% year-on-year increase, while profit after tax rose to ₦1.04 trillion. Net interest income also grew strongly to ₦2.64 trillion.
The bank proposed a record ₦10.00 dividend per share for the 2025 financial year, made up of a ₦1.25 interim dividend and ₦8.75 final dividend, subject to shareholder approval.
Zenith Bank’s latest recognition also represents a continuation of its strong performance on the international stage. The bank was named Nigeria’s Best Bank by Euromoney in 2025 and retained the honour in 2026, making it two consecutive years as Nigeria’s Best Bank under the current leadership.
In addition, Zenith Bank maintained its position as Nigeria’s number-one bank by Tier-1 capital for the 17th consecutive year in The Banker’s 2026 Top 1000 World Banks ranking.
Dr. Adaora Umeoji’s rise therefore represents more than a historic first for Zenith Bank. It marks a significant chapter in the bank’s continuing story of growth, resilience and leadership, with the institution now carrying the distinction of being Africa’s Best Bank 2026.
From making history as Zenith Bank’s first female Group Managing Director/CEO to leading the institution to continental recognition, Dr. Adaora Umeoji has firmly established her tenure as an important milestone in the history of one of Africa’s leading financial institutions.
