Video: Shettima hails Zenith as Nigeria’s banking excellence

Abdullateef Fowewe

Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has lauded Zenith Bank for its transformative impact on Nigeria’s financial landscape, describing the institution as a benchmark in both innovation and integrity during its 35th anniversary celebration in Lagos.

Video link: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GhFrQdum7/

This was obtained in a statement on Saturday by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha.

Speaking at the high-profile event, Shettima praised the bank for nurturing Nigeria’s dreams and setting unrivaled standards, stating, “As we gather to celebrate Zenith Bank at thirty-five, we are honouring a culture—a culture where innovation is instinct, where integrity is non-negotiable, and where service to humanity is as important as service to shareholders.”

Since its inception in July 1990, Zenith Bank has grown to become Nigeria’s largest bank by Tier-One capital, maintaining its number one position for 16 consecutive years—a feat the Vice President called “a benchmark in the annals of African enterprise.”

Shettima, attending in his capacity as both Vice President and “a proud alumnus” of the bank, reflected on his personal experience stressing, “I know the difference because I was bred in this system… Zenith Bank belongs to a class of its own. It is a family that thinks together. A family that grows together… a family bound not solely by contracts and capital, but by the foresight that tomorrow arrives heavy with promise.”

He reserved special praise for Chief Jim Ovia, Chairman and Founder, calling him “A master of foresight, the architect of dreams, the conjurer of possibilities, the alchemist who turns vision into gold—a magician whose wand is wisdom, whose stage is the future… He saw the future of banking when most of us were still grappling with its present.”

Shettima also commended the historic appointment of Dr Adaora Umeoji as the bank’s first female Group Managing Director/CEO, highlighting, “Her journey demonstrates the succession planning that characterises Jim Ovia’s school of leadership… She has taken the Zenith Bank ethos and dressed it in the elegance of a new generation—blending strategic vision with the soft power of empathy.”

On her part, Umeoji declared Zenith Bank’s market leadership, stating, “In just 35 years, Zenith Bank has grown from humble beginnings in a converted residential building to become a shining example of excellence… Our tier-1 capital has remained the largest in the Nigerian banking industry for 16 consecutive years, demonstrating our unwavering financial strength and stability.”

With a shareholders’ fund of ₦4.44trillion and market capitalisation of ₦3trillion, Zenith Bank continues to set industry standards, Umeoji emphasised.

Ovia expressed gratitude for the show of support and assured customers of the bank’s continuing commitment to excellence.

The event drew eminent personalities, including state governors, federal ministers, and prominent leaders from across Nigeria’s corporate and political spectrum.