The Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank PLC, Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, has been listed amongst the recipients of the 2023 national awards. The list was one of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s approvals before he handed over to his successor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday May 29.
According to the 2023 national awards list released by the Federal Government last weekend, Onyeali-Ikpe would be conferred with the award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). The list also includes prominent names such as Emeka Anyaoku, First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, Co-Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr Awele Elumelu; President of Transcorp Group, Dr Owen Omogiafo among others.
Also, former Governor of Osun, Bisi Akande; Olusegun Osoba; Mamman Daura and Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, among others received Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic. The OON award comes to join a list of recognitions Onyeali-Ikpe has received recently.
It would be recalled that she bagged the awards of the Banker of the Year 2022 at the Champion Newspapers’ Awards of the Year 2022 earlier in May, the Banker of the Year 2022 at the 14th Leadership Annual Conference and Awards in January 2023 as well as the Best Banking CEO Nigeria 2023 in the 2023 Global Banking & Finance Awards in April 2023. She was also recognized as one of the top 10 female finalists in the Africa.com Definitive List of Women Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).
Onyeali-Ikpe joined Fidelity Bank as an Executive Director in 2015 and was appointed Managing Director/CEO of the Bank in January 2021. Following her appointment, Onyeali-Ikpe became the first female MD/CEO in the history of the bank and one out of six other female CEOs in the industry.
Under Onyeali-Ikpe’s watch, Fidelity Bank grew its PBT from N25.22 billion in 2021 to N53.68billion in 2022. Furthermore, she guided the bank to obtain the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to expand its operations to the United Kingdom.
