By Lagos Panorama Business Desk
It was celebration and recognition of excellence at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, as Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, was honoured as the Doyen of the Nigerian Banking Industry.
Dr. Ovia, accompanied by the bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, led the prestigious Closing Gong Ceremony, marking the official end of the trading day and reaffirming Zenith Bank’s long-standing partnership with the capital market.
The event underscored the bank’s unwavering commitment to transparency, investor confidence, and economic growth — qualities that have defined Zenith Bank’s leadership in Nigeria’s financial sector for over three decades.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Umeoji expressed delight at the recognition, describing the NGX as a vital partner in Zenith Bank’s success story.
“We are delighted to perform the closing gong ceremony — a symbol of shared progress and enduring partnership,” she said. “The NGX’s innovation and the X-Stream trading platform were pivotal to our recapitalization success, which recorded a 160% subscription. Our stock price has since doubled from ₦36.50 to ₦68, and Zenith Bank remains Nigeria’s most profitable bank, paying the highest dividend in the industry.”
She reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to delivering value to shareholders, pledging that Zenith Bank would “continue to be the investors’ delight” with enhanced dividends by year-end.
“We will not disappoint the market,” she assured. “Our focus remains on expansion, following our customers’ businesses into growth markets while maximizing returns for shareholders.”
In his remarks, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), praised the NGX for its role in deepening Nigeria’s capital market, noting the market’s rapid rise from ₦55 trillion to about ₦93 trillion in under two years.
“This growth was driven by your tenacity, courage, and transparency,” he said, projecting a ₦200 trillion market capitalization by next year.
Also speaking, Alhaji Rasheed Yusuf, Doyen of the NGX, lauded Dr. Jim Ovia’s pioneering leadership, describing him as “the Doyen of the Commercial Banking Sector.”
Zenith Bank continues to set industry benchmarks in profitability, governance, and innovation. The bank recently ranked as Nigeria’s Number One Bank by Tier-1 Capital for the 16th consecutive year in The Banker’s 2025 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking.
It was also named “Nigeria’s Best Bank” at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025 and has received multiple recognitions including Best Commercial Bank (Nigeria) for five consecutive years, Most Sustainable Bank (Nigeria), and Best in Corporate Governance for four years running.
As Zenith Bank charts a path toward global expansion, it continues to leverage its strong capital base and investor confidence to drive inclusive growth and economic transformation across Africa.
— Lagos Panorama | October 15, 2025
