Papa Madiaw Ndiaye: “Africa must build itself, by itself, and for itself.” With these powerful words, Ecobank’s co-founder Gervais Koffi Djondo did more than articulate a vision – he ignited a continental call to action. And as Nelson Mandela reminded us, “It always seems impossible until it is done.”
Tonight, we gather here in Lomé, the cradle of a dream that had no precedent. This city sheltered our early uncertainties, nurtured our earliest hopes, and held the first courageous belief that Africa could shape its own financial destiny.
The Ecobank Group Headquarters Agreement made Togo not merely a host, but the guardian of an audacious ambition: that Africans could build a cross-border bank for Africa.
Forty years ago, seventy founders from across our continent made a choice that reshaped African history. Tonight, we pay tribute to our elders – those who chose collaboration over fragmentation, who chose ownership over dependency, who chose to believe in a Pan-African bank even when the world doubted it was possible.
Their courage must never be forgotten. At a time when there was: no cross-border banking infrastructure; no harmonised regulatory environment; limited capital; and deep scepticism that Africans could build a world-class institution – they chose to build anyway.
From humble beginnings to a continental force
From those humble beginnings, Ecobank grew – country by country, decade by decade, generation by generation. Today, Ecobank stands as: a bridge across Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa; a bridge between Africa and the world, strengthened by the leadership of Ecobank International; a catalyst for intra-African trade and integration; a truly Pan-African institution, now delivering real growth in markets once dismissed as “subscale”; a living testament to what Africans can build when purpose meets discipline
For forty years, Ecobank has proven that Africa can build institutions that endure, excel, and elevate.
Ecobank stands strong because its founders understood that institutions endure only when governance is strong.
They gave us a culture in which integrity is fundamental, accountability is non-negotiable, and leadership is a duty – never a privilege.
As Group Chairman, I reaffirm our commitment to: transparency and ethical oversight; institutional stability; responsible succession; and governance that ensures Ecobank will outlive us all.
This is our anchor. This is our compass.
Together with the Executive Leadership Team, we will ensure that Ecobank remains at the forefront of Africa’s financial transformation. Ecobank is, and must remain, a model of Pan-African excellence.
The next decades are now in our hands. History will judge us not by what we inherited, but by how strongly we passed it on – and by what we dared to build.
Jeremy Awori: Tonight is deeply personal for me. Not only as Group CEO, but as the latest custodian of a seat once occupied by my predecessors.
When I sit in this chair, I feel the weight of history and the responsibility to honour a legacy of unity where others saw division, and opportunity where others saw limitation.
To all gathered here – we share a profound moment of communion. A moment to reflect on the role each of us plays in advancing this institution, and our shared responsibility to protect what we have built together.
None of this would have been possible without our founding members who, forty years ago, dared to turn a dream into reality.
And Togo gave this dream a home.
Over the past two years, under our Growth, Transformation and Returns strategy, we’ve transformed Ecobank with record revenues, expanded technology and AI initiatives, rebuilt customer experiences, and deepened social impact.
But our transformation is bigger than performance figures. It is a mindset. A renewed sense of purpose. A commitment to reimagining what Ecobank can be for Africa.
And this is where I must speak from the heart about our continent’s future.
Africa must unite…
Forty years ago, our founders understood this. They saw that our strength lies not in isolation, but in our integration. Today, as we advance the African Continental Free Trade Area, we must transform this rhetoric into action.
We have everything we need to solve our own problems: abundant natural resources, critical minerals, fertile arable land, clean energy, and a generation of talented young Africans. It is time to free ourselves from dependency on aid and external capital.
It is time to take our destiny into our own hands…
Our greatest urgency is creating opportunities for our youth. Without jobs, without economic growth, without opportunity, we risk losing an entire generation. We must build a future that works for our children.
This requires us to turn words into action.
Ecobank must evolve to drive this positive future. We must embrace change, leverage technology, and deliver new solutions for our customers and the communities in which we operate.
We are not just a bank. We connect lives, ambitions, and markets across thirty-eight countries.
To our customers: your ambitions shape our strategy. Thank you for trusting us. To our partners: thank you for walking this journey with us.
And to every Ecobanker: you carry the torch our founders lit.
Your bravery, passion, and commitment make our ambition possible.
Forty years ago, Ecobank was a courageous vision.
Today, Ecobank is a continental force – solving real African problems.
Tomorrow, we will be even more… We will build the Africa our founders envisioned: united, self-reliant, and unstoppable. I see an Africa transformed – from a food importer to a continent that feeds itself and the world.
Where domestic capital finances pan-African ambitions. Where Ecobank’s platform, people, and purpose accelerate the continent’s progress.
Connecting African entrepreneurs to global markets. Powering intra-Africa and global trade with our own capital.
When that farmer in Lilongwe exports to thirty countries with one transaction, when that tech founder in Nairobi scales across our continent in minutes no more years, when that family builds their future with one click. We will no longer speak of tomorrow. We will be living it.
This is not a dream. This is our work. This is Africa’s time…