GBA member Access Bank – which recently acquired fellow Nigerian GBA member Diamond Bank to become the largest bank in Africa by customers – was honored late last month as the Gender Leader of the Year at the Africa CEO Forum. Celebrating its 7thyear in 2019, the Africa CEO Forum brought 1,800 business and government leaders from 70 countries to Kigali, Rwanda, from March 25 to 26. The award, which was received by Jean-Claude Karayenzi, the Managing Director of Access Bank Rwanda, recognizes the company’s commitment to boosting women’s empowerment and leadership both internally and externally.
Recognizing the potential role women could play in the bank’s long-term success, Access Bank began looking for ways to address their financial needs in 2006. In 2014 the bank expanded the program, branding it W Initiative and building out offerings based around the needs of specific segments within the Women’s Market: young professionals, women with families and women in business. In just 3 years the W Initiative led to Women’s Market current and savings account growth of 46 percent, with 58 percent growth in lending to women’s enterprises and 308 percent growth in personal loans to women. Today the bank is viewed as a Women’s Market leader.
You can learn more about the bank’s journey and its successes in our Case Study on Access Bank.
