…To deliver keynote at Africa summit in London
By Seun Ibiyemi
The President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, has been named recipient of the Distinguished African Development Finance Leadership Award for Regional Integration and Economic Transformation at the 2026 African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA).
The prestigious award, organised by the African Leadership Organisation (UK) Limited and the Editorial Board of African Leadership Magazine, recognises Dr. Donkor’s contributions to development finance, regional integration, and economic transformation across West Africa.
In addition to the honour, Dr. Donkor has been invited to serve as Special Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker at the 16th African Business Leadership Summit and Awards Ceremony scheduled for July 3, 2026, at the historic House of Lords in London, United Kingdom.
The summit, themed “From Vision to Velocity: Driving Africa’s Next Wave of Growth and Leadership,” is expected to bring together heads of state, ministers, central bank governors, sovereign wealth fund managers, development finance institutions, multinational executives, and policymakers from across Africa and beyond.
According to the award citation, Dr. Donkor was selected following a rigorous merit-based evaluation process that highlighted his transformative leadership at EBID and his role in strengthening development finance mechanisms across the ECOWAS region.
The organisers noted that under his leadership, EBID has expanded its policy influence, strengthened its capital structure, and enhanced project execution capabilities, positioning the bank as a key institution within Africa’s development finance ecosystem.
The citation further praised Dr. Donkor for mobilising both concessional and commercial capital, advancing blended finance initiatives, promoting co-investment frameworks, and supporting financial systems capable of accelerating sustainable economic growth across West Africa.
Responding to the recognition, Dr. Donkor described the award as a tribute to the collective efforts of EBID, its member states, partners, and stakeholders committed to regional development and economic integration.
“This recognition is not only personal but a tribute to the collective dedication of the entire EBID team, our Member States, and development partners who share the vision of a prosperous, integrated West Africa,” he said.
He reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to inclusive financing, support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), women-led businesses, enterprise development, and infrastructure financing as critical drivers of long-term economic competitiveness.
As part of the summit activities, Dr. Donkor will participate in a high-level panel discussion alongside prominent African and global leaders.
He will also hold an exclusive closed-door engagement with selected members of the UK House of Lords, aimed at fostering strategic partnerships and enhancing investment opportunities across the continent.
The event is expected to attract more than 400 senior delegates, creating opportunities for policy dialogue, cross-border investment alignment, and collaboration on Africa’s development agenda.
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The recognition adds to a growing list of international honours earned by Dr. Donkor. In recent years, he received the Development Champion Award at the 2023 Rebranding Africa Forum in Brussels, Belgium, and the Prix de la Foundation award at the Crans Montana Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2022.
He has also been featured for four consecutive years among the 100 Most Influential Personalities Transforming Africa by Financial Afrik, a leading international business and finance publication.
The latest award further underscores EBID’s expanding role in promoting regional integration, infrastructure financing, private sector growth, and sustainable development across West Africa.
