Fidelity Bank Plc has secured two awards at the 2026 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, earning recognition for its leadership and contributions to oil and gas financing.
The bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, received the Award for Excellence in Banking Leadership, while the bank was named Best Bank in Oil and Gas Financing.
The awards were presented at the 14th edition of the BAFI Awards, held recently at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
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According to BusinessDay Media Limited, the leadership award recognises banking executives who have demonstrated strong institutional growth, improved shareholder value, encouraged innovation and financial inclusion, and contributed to the advancement of Nigeria’s financial services sector.
Reacting to the recognition, Onyeali-Ikpe expressed appreciation to the organisers and dedicated the award 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.
“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 three decades of experience in the banking industry, covering retail, corporate and commercial banking, treasury operations and business development.
Since assuming the position of chief executive, she has overseen the bank’s growth and expansion into international markets. One of the significant developments under her leadership was the acquisition of the former Union Bank UK, which now operates as FidBank UK Limited.
Meanwhile, the Best Bank in Oil and Gas Financing award recognised Fidelity Bank’s role in supporting projects across Nigeria’s energy value chain.
Among the projects financed by the bank is the development of an onshore crude oil export terminal at the Otakikpo Marginal Field in Rivers State. The bank also supported the Pinnacle Oil and Gas Terminal in Lekki, Lagos, and provided part of the financing for a 23,000-cubic-metre liquefied petroleum gas carrier owned by Temile Development Company Limited.
In addition, Fidelity Bank participated in the $3 billion SNEPCo Contractor Finance Facility, which provides financing in naira and US dollars to indigenous contractors executing projects for SNEPCo.
These investments are expected to support local participation in the energy sector, improve petroleum product distribution, enhance gas availability and strengthen critical energy infrastructure.
The two awards highlight Fidelity Bank’s growing presence in Nigeria’s financial services industry and its contribution to financing key sectors of the economy. They also reflect the bank’s focus on leadership, business growth and support for strategic energy projects.
