The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has announced that its President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr George Agyekum Donkor, has been named as the recipient of the Distinguished African Development Finance Leadership Award – Regional Integration & Economic Transformation at the 16th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2026.
The award, to be conferred by the African Leadership Organisation (UK) Limited and the Editorial Board of African Leadership Magazine, follows a rigorous merit-based evaluation and recognises Dr Donkor’s exceptional stewardship and transformative impact on West Africa’s development finance architecture.
In addition to the individual honour, EBID has been formally positioned as a Strategic Development Finance Partner of the ALM Africa Summit 2026, underscoring the Bank’s pivotal role in advancing regional integration, infrastructure financing, enterprise growth, and economic transformation across the ECOWAS region.
Dr Donkor has also been invited to serve as Special Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker at the awards ceremony, scheduled for 3 July 2026 at the historic House of Lords, London, United Kingdom. The Summit will be convened under the theme: “From Vision to Velocity: Driving Africa’s Next Wave of Growth and Leadership.”
According to the citation from the Editorial Board, Dr Donkor’s leadership continues to bridge policy, capital structuring, and execution, positioning EBID as a strategic institution that connects sovereign priorities with global investment flows. The Board particularly commended his role in mobilising concessional and market-rate capital, advancing blended finance and co-investment frameworks, and strengthening financial systems necessary to accelerate sustainable economic growth across West Africa.
In response to his nomination, the visibly awed Dr Donkor stated, “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 added that “It reaffirms our commitment to inclusive finance, SME growth, women-led enterprise development, and infrastructure financing as pillars of long-term economic competitiveness.”
As part of the honour, Dr Donkor will participate in an exclusive high-level panel session alongside Heads of State, ministers, sovereign investors, central bank governors, development finance institutions, multinational executives, and global policy leaders. Additionally, he will have an Exclusive Closed-Door Engagement with Select Members of the UK House of Lords.
The African Business Leadership Awards remains one of the continent’s foremost leadership and investment engagement platforms, expected to bring together over 400 senior delegates, creating a rare environment for strategic engagement, cross-border capital alignment, and continental thought leadership.
It will be recalled that Dr Donkor has received numerous international awards, including the 2023 Development Champion Award at the Rebranding African Forum in Brussels, Belgium, and the 2022 “Prix de la Foundation” award at the prestigious Crans Montana Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. His name has been featured four consecutive times among the 100 personalities transforming Africa by Financial Afrik, a renowned international magazine.
