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Fidelity Bank Plc and its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, have won two awards at the 2026 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
While Onyeali-Ikpe received the Award for Excellence in Banking Leadership, the bank was named Best Bank in Oil and Gas Financing. The awards were presented at the 14th edition of the ceremony held in Lagos.
According to the organisers, BusinessDay Media Limited, the leadership award recognises banking executives who have driven business growth, improved shareholder value, promoted innovation and inclusion, and contributed to the development of Nigeria’s financial services industry.
Speaking after receiving the award, Onyeali-Ikpe expressed appreciation to the organisers and dedicated the recognition to the bank’s customers, board, management and employees.
“I am deeply honoured to receive the Award for Excellence in Banking Leadership. I sincerely thank BusinessDay Media Limited for this recognition and dedicate it to our valued customers, whose trust and support have strengthened and inspired me throughout my career,” she said.
She added that the award also recognised the contributions of the bank’s workforce. “The African philosophy of Ubuntu teaches us, ‘I am because we are.’ In that spirit, this honour also belongs to the board, management and staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, whose dedication and professionalism continue to drive our vision of a stronger, more innovative and customer-focused financial institution,” she said.
Onyeali-Ikpe has more than 30 years of banking experience covering retail, corporate and commercial banking, treasury and business development.
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Since becoming the bank’s chief executive, she has led its growth and expansion into international markets, including the acquisition of the former Union Bank UK, now known as FidBank UK Limited.
The Best Bank in Oil and Gas Financing award recognises Fidelity Bank’s support for projects across Nigeria’s energy sector.
The bank financed the development of an onshore crude oil export terminal at the Otakikpo Marginal Field in Rivers State. It also supported the Pinnacle Oil and Gas Terminal in Lekki, Lagos, and part-financed a 23,000-cubic-metre liquefied petroleum gas carrier for Temile Development Company Limited.
In addition, Fidelity Bank participated in the $3bn SNEPCo Contractor Finance Facility, which provides funding in naira and dollars to indigenous contractors working on projects for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company.
The bank’s support for these projects is expected to strengthen local participation in the oil and gas industry, improve petroleum product distribution and gas availability, and support the development of critical energy infrastructure.
The double recognition highlights the bank’s role in financing key sectors of the Nigerian economy and its leadership in the financial services industry.
