The Ecobank Group has been named the African Retail Bank of the Year at the Global Retail Banking Awards ceremony in London, a statement from the bank said.

The Ecobank Group won the award over four other finalists, CRDB Tanzania, FirstRand (South Africa), Standard Bank South Africa and United Bank of Africa.

Retail Banker International sponsors the award. It provides in-depth analysis for the retail-banking sector. The ceremony was held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in London's West End.

Patrick Akinwuntan, Ecobank’s Group Executive, responsible for its retail banking services (Domestic Bank), received the award on behalf of the group and praised the bank’s workforce for its dedication in customer service delivery.

Akinwuntan said: “I would like to dedicate this award to every employee working for the Ecobank Group across Africa.

“It is due to their hard work that Global Retail Banking has chosen the Ecobank Group as the worthy winner of this prestigious award. Ecobank aims to connect with the whole of Africa. That is why we tailor our products and services to suit the needs of individuals, families and businesses.”

Ecobank Group CEO Albert Essien said the award was a fitting reward for the bank’s persistence to excel. “Ecobank continues to strive to better serve the communities in which we work,” he said.

He added: “We believe that African banks can play a pivotal role in the prosperity of the continent by working with progressive governments, businesses, young entrepreneurs and the informal sector. Our customer base, deposits, revenue streams and profits continue to grow because we see the full picture of what is happening around Africa.”