Accra, June 12, GNA – Dr George Agyekum Donkor, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), will receive a continental leadership award for advancing regional economic transformation.
The honour, the Distinguished African Development Finance Leadership Award – Regional Integration & Economic Transformation, will be presented at the 16th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2026 in London.
A statementA statement issued by EBID and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the award was conferred by the African Leadership Organisation (UK) Limited and the Editorial Board of African Leadership Magazine following a merit-based evaluation of Dr Donkor’s contribution to development finance in West Africa.
The statement said EBID had also been named a Strategic Development Finance Partner of the ALM Africa Summit 2026, recognising the bank’s role in promoting regional integration, infrastructure financing, enterprise growth and economic transformation across the ECOWAS region.
Dr Donkor has been invited to serve as Special Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker at the awards ceremony, scheduled for July 3 at the House of Lords in London.
The summit will be held under the theme, “From Vision to Velocity: Driving Africa’s Next Wave of Growth and Leadership.”
According to the statement, an award citation credited Dr Donkor with helping position EBID as a strategic institution linking sovereign priorities with global investment flows through policy leadership, capital mobilisation and project execution.
It said the Editorial Board also recognised his role in mobilising concessional and market-rate capital, advancing blended finance and co-investment frameworks, and strengthening financial systems to support sustainable economic growth in West Africa.
Responding to the recognition, Dr Donkor said: “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”.
“It reaffirms our commitment to inclusive finance, SME growth, women-led enterprise development, and infrastructure financing as pillars of long-term economic competitiveness,” he said.
The statement said Dr Donkor would also participate in a high-level panel discussion involving heads of state, ministers, sovereign investors, central bank governors, development finance institutions and multinational executives.
He is also expected to hold a closed-door engagement with select members of the United Kingdom House of Lords.
The African Business Leadership Awards is expected to attract more than 400 senior delegates from across government, finance and business sectors, providing a platform for investment and policy engagement.
The statement noted that Dr Donkor previously received the 2023 Development Champion Award at the Rebranding Africa Forum in Brussels and the 2022 “Prix de la Foundation” award at the Crans Montana Forum in Geneva.
It said that Financial Afrik magazine had listed him among the 100 personalities transforming Africa for four consecutive years.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey