SICO has solidified its reputation as a market leader in Bahrain, notching milestones on several fronts.

Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) wins Kuwait’s most innovative securities house award for being a pioneering force in the country’s capital markets.

Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) excelled in financial advisory, capital markets and strategic investments in the past year, making it a clear winner of this award.

BK Capital’s involvement in some of the most critical deals during the review period cemented its leadership in the industry and makes it Euromoney’s best securities house in Rwanda for 2024.

SBM Capital Markets (SBM) takes the top award for Mauritius for its strong growth and its ability to innovate, which cemented its position in an increasingly competitive brokerage landscape in the country.

CardinalStone Securities (CSSL) has consistently topped the Nigerian Exchange’s ranking of stockbrokers.

Standard Bank CIB played a pivotal role in several high-impact sustainable transactions across Africa in 2023, highlighting its commitment to innovation in green finance, infrastructure development and economic growth.

FAB takes the Euromoney award for best securities house in the UAE for its prowess across asset classes, and its commitment to environmental, social and governance deals.

Chapel Hill Denham is named Nigeria’s best securities house this year, thanks to its stellar performance across securities trading and investment banking.

CI Capital has been actively engaged in advising some of the most prominent businesses in Egypt and the Middle East, reflecting an expanding footprint in both local and international markets.

KFH Capital is Kuwait’s best securities house for fixed income, thanks to its involvement on swathes of prominent sukuk transactions in the past year.

SNB Capital offers a solid proposition across asset classes and products among investment banks in Saudi Arabia, making it the natural choice for this Euromoney award.

During Euromoney’s review period, EFG Hermes was a force to be reckoned with across the Gulf Cooperation Council region, running numerous high-profile transactions.

Al Ahly Pharos is a leading provider of investment research in the Egyptian financial landscape, thanks to its extensive market coverage, in-depth sector analysis, prolific research output, rapid analytical capabilities and active investor engagement.

Emirates NBD Capital (EmCap) was one of the most active DCM banks in the MENA region during Euromoney’s awards period.

During Euromoney’s review period, National Investments Company (NIC) stood out for its work in M&A and equity capital markets, winning Kuwait’s best securities house award.

QNB Financial Services (QNBFS) impressed on multiple fronts over the past year, making it Euromoney’s best securities house for Qatar in 2024.

Stanbic Bank Uganda (SBU) turned in a strong performance over the review period. Net profit was USh421 billion ($110 million), up 18% from USh357 billion in 2022. Net loans increased to USh4 trillion, while deposits ended the year at USh6 trillion, both up 3% on 2022.

Ecobank Guinea rolled out its Xpress Loan service in Guinea last year, which enables customers to obtain short-term micro credit loans using their mobile phones. The service was launched in partnership with Dubai fintech Optasia and pan-African telecommunications giant MTN.

Standard Bank successfully implemented innovative digital products across all banking segments in 2023 while also making important philanthropic contributions in Malawi.

The banking sector in DR Congo is undergoing transition. The central bank has proposed new ownership requirements for banks in the country, stipulating that they must have at least four unrelated shareholders. At the same time, large banks outside the country, such as Kenya’s KCB and Equity Bank, are eyeing the market as a potential growth opportunity – hardly surprising when less than a third of the DR Congolese population has a bank account.

For a global lender, Citi’s investment-banking presence in Africa is hard to compete with. The US firm has an onshore presence in 16 countries and covers 38 markets, with a dedicated team in Johannesburg supported by corporate bankers across the region.

Attijariwafa Bank remains the bank to beat in Morocco. In a year that saw profits grow 20% to Dh13.8 billion ($1.4 billion), it has focused its efforts on promoting private investment in the country.

Societe Generale’s global reputation as a driver of green and sustainable principles and investment, plus its long presence across Africa, combine to make the Paris-based lender a clear winner of this award on the continent.

Access Bank made profit before tax of N569 billion ($380 million) in 2023, a big improvement on the previous year's N163 billion. This was in part due to the devaluation of the naira in 2023, but was also driven by the bank’s aggressive expansion strategy, which has seen its footprint in Africa expand and the establishment of its first branch in France.

The banking environment in Tunisia worsened last year due to the absence of a financing package to meet the government’s funding needs. This led to Moody's downgrading four banks in January 2023 because of the sovereign downgrade. The agency changed its outlook on the sector to stable in January 2024.

Equity Bank Kenya claims its mission is to empower clients and stakeholders, both socially and economically.

First National Bank of Botswana delivered significant improvements in financial performance last year and made good progress in digital transformation, customer retention and social responsibility.

Awash Bank greatly expanded its digital solutions last year, achieving high levels of engagement across mobile and internet banking.

Getting M&A right in Africa is not easy – big-ticket transactions are rare, and deal flow tends to come in fits and starts – but Standard Bank has got it down to a fine art.