By Seun Ibiyemi
The Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Segun Agbaje, has been named the winner of the 2025 Banking Pioneer Award at the Texcellence Conference Awards.
The recognition was announced by organisers of the awards, hosted by CWG Plc, which has evolved into a major gathering of Africa’s technology leaders and enterprise community driving the continent’s digital transformation.
In a statement issued on Monday in Lagos, the Chairman of CWG Plc, Phillip Obioha, said the Texcellence Awards were established to recognise leaders and institutions shaping Africa’s digital competitiveness through infrastructure development, innovation and cross-sector collaboration.
Read also:GTCO appoints Marie Namias as independent non-executive director
According to him, the awards, themed “Future Forward Africa: Leveraging Technology for Global Competitiveness,” spotlight organisations and executives strengthening systems that enable secure digital platforms, scalable enterprises, financial inclusion and national productivity.
“Rather than celebrating technology adoption alone, Texcellence 4.0 honours those building the rails, the broadband networks, financial systems, interoperable platforms and trusted digital ecosystems that position Africa to compete confidently on a global stage,” Obioha said.
He explained that the Banking Pioneer Award celebrates visionary leaders who have fundamentally reshaped Nigeria’s financial services landscape and strengthened Africa’s position in global banking.
“The award recognises individuals who possess the courage to imagine a different future for banking and the tenacity to bring that vision to life against all odds.
“These are not merely executives managing institutions; they are trailblazers who rewrote the rules, transforming how millions of Africans bank, transact and engage with financial services,” he said.
The awards committee noted that for nearly three decades, Agbaje has been a key architect of one of Africa’s most remarkable banking success stories.
According to the organisers, when Agbaje joined Guaranty Trust Bank in 1991, Nigeria’s banking system was largely defined by teller queues and manual processes.
However, he envisioned a technology-driven banking institution capable of competing globally and played a major role in transforming that vision into reality.
Under his leadership, the bank pioneered and popularised the USSD banking revolution in Nigeria through the *737# short code, which expanded financial services to millions of Nigerians who had never visited a bank branch, thereby advancing financial inclusion.
Agbaje also helped position the institution as a leader in digital banking innovation in Africa, including launching the continent’s first biometric mobile banking application, GTWorld.
The awards committee added that Agbaje’s recognition reflects decades of visionary leadership and sustained investment in technology-driven transformation.
Under his stewardship, Guaranty Trust Holding Company has evolved from a traditional commercial bank into a diversified, platform-led financial services group anchored on digital infrastructure and customer-focused innovation.
